PA: US 219 Freeway Opening Meyersdale to Somerset

[Markkos1992]

https://www.penndot.gov/regionaloffices/district-9/pages/details.aspx?newsid=614

Posting this as a reminder that it should be open around 11/19/2018.

[michih]

It's just a month ahead. Isn't this board for 6-month+?

[yakra]

In name only. Since the CHM days, that's just been intended as ballpark, never a hard figure.

[Jim]

I always interpreted it from the CHM days, correctly or not, I don't know, as a place to post things that need attention in the next six months or a bit longer, hence the +.

[Markkos1992]

The description does state within the next six months or so.

Post highway system changes expected to be implemented in the next 6 months or so.

Otherwise I do not know what will happen to the current US 219 when the freeway opens.

[michih]

place to post things that need attention in the next six months or a bit longer, hence the +.

The same applies to issues regarding openings / changes happened where we are just not sure how the old road is signed now. However, they are posted in "Report errors and changes to be made immediately to the highway data." board. I think it's currently more than 50% of the open issues there...

However, it's fine to me. Never mind!

[rickmastfan67]

The brand new expressway will be opening tomorrow (November 21, 2018).  No idea what will happen numbering wise with the old road.
https://wjactv.com/news/local/drone-video-of-us-219-before-it-opens-to-traffic-wednesday-afternoon

[Markkos1992]

The brand new expressway will be opening tomorrow (November 21, 2018).  No idea what will happen numbering wise with the old road.
https://wjactv.com/news/local/drone-video-of-us-219-before-it-opens-to-traffic-wednesday-afternoon

Yeah I never found any information on the old route.  I will probably put a file with those points somewhere in case something turns up.

Hopefully this will be completed in the HB sometime next week as I recenter all of US 219.  I doubt many of us will be begging for this to be done right away unlike the I-95 changes a couple months ago.

[mapcat]

If no one else beats me to it, I can check out the numbering for the old route early next month.

[Markkos1992]

If no one else beats me to it, I can check out the numbering for the old route early next month.

I doubt I will make it down there any time soon.  US 219 is not currently high up on my clinching priority list.

[Wadsteckel]

I'll be driving the new roadway when I head back out on the road.  Had a load that I picked up in Thomson GA that is bound for Grantsville MD.  With the holiday, I parked at our yard in Warrendale PA, so that means I'll take the PA Turnpike out to Somerset, then down US 219 to the Pilot on Sunday to be ready for the delivery on Monday.  I'll try to get information (which, as a truck driver, I can't really do more than the route I'm on) and post it via my iPad once I'm parked.

-Ed S

[Markkos1992]

https://github.com/TravelMapping/HighwayData/pull/2386

I won't mark this as solved due to the uncertainty over any routing changes on the old US 219.

[cl94]

I can confirm that the new expressway is open. Old route is not signed as anything from now-current 219, but that doesn't mean anything with how inconsistent PennDOT is.

[Wadsteckel]

Parked in Grantsville MD, here’s what I can confirm...

Berlin Plank Rd (which starts at PA31) is still unsigned.  Once on the new US219, there is only one additional exit for Berlin and Rockwood (East Mud Pike) about 3 miles south of where US219 used to divert onto Berlin Plank Rd.  Mile post is 24, but no exit numbers are on the exits. 

Certainly made for an easier drive with 75,000 lbs 😀

Regards,
-Ed S

[oscar]

Today I both drove the new US 219 segment southbound, and went back northbound to re-drive the bypassed old alignment. No route numbers for the old alignment shown on the Berlin Plank Rd. exit SB, or the US219BusMey_N exit either SB or NB. Moreover, there is no new route number signed on the NB old alignment, just a lot of remnant old US 219 signage (both route markers and reference markers).

Since the new segment opened just a few days ago, and there was some uncertainty when it would open (it opened two days later than scheduled), no surprise that no signage changes were done right after a long holiday weekend. Maybe later.

One thing that would make sense for part of old US 219 would be to extend PA 653 southeast of Garrett, to connect to the new US 219 alignment.