Northeast Extension

Northeast Extension. It is a major controlled-access toll highway serving as the primary north-south corridor through eastern Pennsylvania. Officially designated as Interstate 476, the route connects the Philadelphia metropolitan area with the Lehigh Valley and the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre region. The highway is owned and maintained by the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission and is a vital conduit for commercial and passenger traffic.

Route description

The highway begins at a major interchange with Interstate 95 and the Pennsylvania Turnpike mainline near Radnor. It proceeds north through the suburban communities of Montgomery County, passing near King of Prussia. The route traverses the rural landscapes of Lehigh County and Carbon County, skirting the western edge of the Pocono Mountains. It crosses the Lehigh River and passes through the Lehigh Tunnel under Blue Mountain. The northern terminus is at a complex interchange with Interstate 81 in Clarks Summit, providing direct access to Scranton and Binghamton.

History

Planning for the route began in the late 1940s as part of post-war infrastructure expansion by the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission. The first segment, from the mainline turnpike to Allentown, opened to traffic in 1954. Extensions were completed in phases, reaching Wilkes-Barre by 1957 and its final northern terminus at Interstate 81 in 1970. Initially designated as the "Pennsylvania Turnpike's Northeast Extension," it received its official Interstate Highway System number, Interstate 476, in 1996. Major reconstruction projects have included the widening of the Lehigh Tunnel and ongoing bridge repairs overseen by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.

Tolls and service plazas

The highway utilizes a ticket-based toll system for its entire length, with mainline barrier toll plazas located at the Mid-County Interchange and near Clarks Summit. Service plazas, operated under contract by Applegreen, provide fuel, food, and amenities to travelers. Key plazas include the Allentown Service Plaza near Lehigh Valley International Airport and the Hickory Run Service Plaza adjacent to Hickory Run State Park. The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission has implemented E-ZPass electronic toll collection across all its facilities, including this route.

Exit list

The exit numbering sequence begins at the southern terminus. Major interchanges include Exit 16 for U.S. Route 202 and Pennsylvania Route 309, Exit 33 for Pennsylvania Route 100 serving Allentown, and Exit 35 for Interstate 78 and Lehigh Valley International Airport. Further north, Exit 56 provides access to Jim Thorpe and Pennsylvania Route 903, while Exit 71 serves Wilkes-Barre via Pennsylvania Route 115. The final exits, including Exit 105 for U.S. Route 6 and Exit 115 for the terminus at Interstate 81, connect to the Scranton area.

Future

The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission is studying long-term capacity improvements, including potential additional lanes in congested sections near the Lehigh Valley. A major project involves the reconstruction and modernization of the aging Mid-County Interchange with Interstate 276. Planning is also underway for the integration of emerging technologies, such as connected vehicle systems, in coordination with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. No formal plans exist for extending the route beyond its current northern terminus at Interstate 81.

Category:Interstate Highways in Pennsylvania Category:Pennsylvania Turnpike Category:Transportation in Philadelphia Category:Transportation in Northeastern Pennsylvania