End Of The Line For Pa. Turnpike Call Boxes
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- It's the end of an era for the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Those cell phone call boxes that dot the highway are being removed.
Call boxes went up on the Turnpike in 1988, but since then, the number of cell phones has proliferated. The Turnpike Commission's Carl DeFebo says it's also just dangerous to be walking along the highway to get to that call box.
"It's really incumbent upon us to remove the call boxes, not only because of decreased use, but because for pedestrians it's just not a good thing to do on the turnpike or any other highway," DeFebo said.
Crews are removing the boxes between now and the end of the month.
"We have just under 1,000 call boxes, We have 552 miles of system, and there would be two call boxes per mile," DeFebo explained.
DeFebo says the aluminum poles and the actual call boxes will be recycled or scrapped. But, he adds, any organization which would like to add one to a museum or other worthy cause can contact the Turnpike's Customer Service.