Pa. Turnpike tunnel replacement plan faces Somerset County opposition
Somerset County officials and environmental groups rally at state Capitol against plan to blast through Allegheny Mountain, saying $300M project would scar pristine wilderness.
HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA — Somerset County officials and environmental advocates gathered at the state Capitol Tuesday to oppose a Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission proposal that would blast a 1,000-foot-wide cut through Allegheny Mountain to replace aging highway tunnels.
The turnpike commission wants to reroute Interstates 70 and 76 through a 250-foot-deep gorge at the top of the mountain, eliminating the twin-tube Allegheny Tunnel that carries traffic through the eastern continental divide. Officials say the tunnels are aging and increasingly difficult to maintain.
Project Details and Costs
The realignment project, now in preliminary design stage, has been under consideration for approximately 30 years. The commission has studied alternatives and gathered public input on feasible solutions during that time.
The proposed rerouting would cost more than $300 million, while adding capacity to the existing tunnel would cost at least double that amount, according to a commission spokesperson. The project aims to address aging infrastructure, greater traffic volume, crashes and hazardous material shipments that currently must bypass the tunnel using local roads.
Opposition Concerns
Somerset County leaders argue the project would disrupt pristine wilderness and permanently scar the landscape. They want the state to reconsider rehabilitating the tunnel and building a third tube to add three lanes to the historic road.
“The people agree, and we just need leaders who can turn broad consensus into a reality,” said Tom Schuster, director of the Sierra Club’s Pennsylvania chapter. “This isn’t just about one project. It’s not just about Somerset County. It’s about what it means to live in Penn’s woods.”
Infrastructure Challenges
The turnpike commission says the current tunnel configuration creates safety and operational challenges. Hazardous material shipments are prohibited in the tunnel, forcing commercial traffic to use smaller local roads as detours.
The commission maintains that the mountain cut represents the safest and most cost-effective solution for replacing the aging infrastructure while accommodating increased traffic volume and improving safety conditions.
Opponents at Tuesday’s Capitol gathering called on the turnpike commission, state policymakers and Governor Josh Shapiro to “pump the brakes” and develop a solution with less environmental impact on the area’s ecology and surrounding communities.
