Monday, October 24 — The first limited access, divided superhighway in America opened this month 76 years ago — the Pennsylvania Turnpike. In 1940, the road extended 160 miles, and featured seven tunnels, 10 service plazas, and 11 interchanges. Now part of the Interstate Highway System, the turnpike has been improved and extended, and at 514 miles, is more than triple its original length. A passenger vehicle traveling the entire 360 miles of the main line today pays $42.30 in cash upon exit. Pennsylvania collects some $1 billion annually from turnpike tolls, while spending about $7 billion on all of its roads. Nationally, states spend $94 billion per year on their highways.
Profile America is in its 20th year as a public service of the U.S. Census Bureau.
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