Letter to the editor: Why spend $30 million for turnpike widening?

The Harvison Road bridge in Penn Township will be demolished to accommodate a $30 million project to widen the Pennsylvania Turnpike between Irwin and Monroeville from four to six lanes. According to the article “Penn Township negotiating with turnpike commission in advance of bridge removal” (June 14, TribLIVE), it is not economically feasible to replace the bridge.

I traveled that section of the turnpike five days a week both east and west for over 20 years. Never once did I see enough traffic that would require an increase from four lanes to six. So I need to ask, why does the turnpike commission need to spend $30 million to do this? I guess when you continually increase fares and lay off all the tollbooth workers, you need to spend, spend, spend that extra money.

Oh, and by the way, if they don’t need to widen the turnpike, they then have no need to demolish the bridge.

Tom Johnson

North Huntingdon