Eastern Entrance: Maryland State Line, concurrent with US 522 east of Warfordsburg

Length: 172 miles

Counties: Washington, Westmoreland, Somerset, Bedford, Fulton

Routing: I-70 enters into the Keystone State from West Virginia near West Alexander.  The Interstate winds its way, trending northeasterly, through hilly terrain to Washington, where it duplexes with I-79 for 3 miles around the northeastern portions of the city.  East of I-79, I-70 becomes a very narrow four-lane freeway that was constructed in the 1950s, with a tight median, and even stop signs at the end of some on-ramps!  This stretch heads southeasterly, passing by Bentleyville and an interchange with PA Turnpike 43 before crossing over the Monongahela River between Speers and Belle Vernon, where it turns northeasterly.  I-70 makes its way through Westmoreland County, crossing the Youghiogheny River en route to New Stantion, where I-70 joins I-76/Pennsylvania Turnpike.  I-70 follows the cross-Pennsylvania toll facility (and likewise, I-76) for 86 miles through primarily mountainous terrain, passing by Donegal, Somerset and Bedford en route to the infamous Breezewood area, where I-70 exits off, and traffic must follow US 30 West through a pair of traffic lights, and make a left, to continue on I-70.  Heading southward from Breezewood, I-70 passes underneath the Pennsylvania Turnpike, then curves southeasterly as it passes through Fulton County and heads into the US 522 interchange near Warfordsburg.  US 522 joins I-70 for its final 4 miles in Pennsylvania, before passing into Maryland, and almost immediately intersecting I-68/US 40 after crossing the border.

Links:

• I-70 @ Pennsylvania Highways -- Jeff Kitsko

• I-70 @ Interstate-Guide.com -- Andy Field/Alex Nitzman

Sign gantry on I-70 West/I-79 North featuring signage denoting the upcoming western split of the duplex of the two Interstates in 0.5 mile at a semi-directional "Y" interchange (Exit 18).

Photographer: Dan Garnell

Date: 8/04/2009

        High Res        

Sign truss with exit signs for US 19 South (Exit 19 A) and US 19 North (Exit 19 B) on I-70 West/I-79 North at the cloverleaf interchange that connects the duplexed Interstates with US 19.

Photographer: Dan Garnell

Date: 8/04/2009

        High Res        

Sign gantry featuring 0.375 mile advance exit sign for US 19 (Exits 19 B-A) and exit sign for PA 136/Beau St. (Exit 20) on I-70 West/I-79 North.  Because of the close proximity of the PA 136 interchange to the US 19 cloverleaf, all four of the ramps for this interchange are located on the east side of PA 136.  Note also the use of 0.375 mile as the distance to the US 19 interchange.  It is actually a common occurrence to have advance exit signs of this distance in Pennsylvania, but it is rare in other states.

Photographer: Dan Garnell

Date: 8/04/2009

        High Res        

1 mile advance exit sign for PA 136/Beau St. (Exit 20) on I-70 West/I-79 North.  The upcoming interchange with PA 136 marks the first of two along the I-70/I-79 duplex in the westbound direction that serve the City of Washington.

Photographer: Dan Garnell

Date: 8/04/2009

        High Res