PA Turnpike Rolls Out 70 MPH Speed Limit A Day Ahead Of Schedule

By Tony Romeo

HARRISBURG, Pa. (CBS) --- A new 70 miles per hour speed limit is now in effect a day ahead of schedule along most of a nearly 100 mile stretch of the Pennsylvania Turnpike's main line.

State highway officials will meet with reporters this morning to discuss other Interstates that may get the higher speed limit too.

State law was changed last year to allow for the 70 mph speed limit, and a stretch of the Pennsylvania Turnpike from Morgantown south of Reading to the Blue Mountain Interchange west of Harrisburg is the first to get it. with the exception of certain curved spots where speeds are posted as 60 or 65.

Turnpike spokesman Carl DeFebo warns that not every part of the 97 mile stretch will have the higher speed limit.

"There's going to be some curves that will be set at advisory speed limits between 60 to 65 miles per hour," he said. "So, it is 70 miles per hour, but there are some areas where you have to follow the specific postings."

DeFebo says the Turnpike isn't planning on rolling out the new speed limit on any other stretches of the highway for now.

"The 70 mile an hour section in place right now is what we're considering to be phase one or our initial step," he said. "We do not foresee rolling this out any further on the Turnpike system this year, that's just from the Turnpike's standpoint. PennDOT, I'm certain, has other plans."

Those other plans for Pennsylvania Interstates are to be discussed this morning at a news conference with the heads of PennDOT and the Turnpike Commission.