Carving out 12 million cubic yards of rock for a toll road eyesore?
The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission wants to eliminate the Allegheny Tunnels along the Pennsylvania Turnpike (Interstates 70/76) through Allegheny Mountain in Somerset County, Pennsylvania. The tunnels would be replaced with a massive road cut (a.k.a. ‘the Gray Cut’) that would be 250 feet deep, 1,000 feet wide and would require the excavation of 12 million cubic yards of earth and rock. That is not an engineering accomplishment, that’s a plan for a future eyesore.
Source: aol.com
A recent calculation (confirmed by using Google’s gemini.ai) has shown that 12 million cubic yards of rock would fill an entire football field to the height of a bit more than 5,600 feet…more than a mile high and nearly four Empire State Buildings tall. It would also be the tallest mountain/structure in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Even a natural conical pile of this material would be approximately 1,100 feet high. Where exactly does the Turnpike Commission plan to dump all this material?
Source: created by google.gemini.ai
Reasons cited for the proposed Gray Cut
The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission has noted that the cost of upgrading the tunnels would be approximately double that of the Gray Cut. They indicate it is also needed due to anticipated future traffic, improved safety (particularly related to accidents within the tunnels), maintenance costs for the tunnels, and the current need for hazardous cargo loads to bypass the tunnels. According to the turnpike’s website, the preliminary design phase is currently ongoing and is expected to be completed in 2028. If approved for construction, actual work would begin in 2033.
Source: paturnpike.com
In regards to the cost comparison between the cut and tunnel improvements/upgrades, what never seems to be included in the calculations are the intangible benefits associated with the scenery, wildlife, ecosystems, water resources, culture, history, and lifestyles that would negatively impacted by this project.
“Look Doris, someday you’re going to find that your way of facing this realistic world just doesn’t work. And when you do, don’t overlook those lovely intangibles. You’ll discover they’re the only things that are worthwhile.”
– Fred from Miracle on 34th Street per imdb.com
In addition, many other tunnels across the nation ban hazardous materials. Exactly why is this being used as a reason to build this project here? Maybe manufacturers should be transporting such dangerous stuff on trains instead of trucks on highways? Or perhaps, it should just be an accepted cost of doing business.
Lastly, “anticipated future traffic” can be a tricky calculation. All too often, past data is used to guesstimate futures trends. In reality, unforeseen events can alter those calculations. Unforeseen events like gas prices now hovering around $4.50+ per gallon, with diesel prices running even higher. There are a litany of other things that could change the traffic dynamics – migration patterns, birthrates, car ownership rates, inflation, cyclical economic changes, war, and climate change to name a few.
If this project is being proposed just so the PA Turnpike can better compete with I-80 to the north and I-68 to the south, then that is a very poor reason to cause the extent of anticipated negative impacts listed below. It should be noted that neither I-80 nor I-68 have tunnels nor tolls. The Sideling Hill Cut west of Hancock, Maryland on I-68 is 340 feet deep and 720 feet wide. The much ballyhooed geological display at the site was closed 18 years after completion due to budget cuts. – en.wikipedia.org and mgs.md.gov
In addition, rockfall fencing needed to be added along both sides of the highway in the Sideling Hill Cut in 2023.
Anticipated negative impacts
Not only would such a massive trench leave a permanent disfiguring scar across this scenic mountainous landscape, but it would also have the following negative impacts, as noted by Citizens to Save Allegheny Mountain:
“The proposed Gray Cut would destroy critical wildlife habitats, disrupt migration patterns, and endanger species that rely on the unspoiled wilderness of the Allegheny Mountain.”
“The natural springs and deep wells that provide clean water to nearby communities and are at risk of being polluted or permanently altered by the construction.”
“The project will lead to the removal of forest stand and the displacement of massive amounts of soil and sediment that can never be reestablished or replaced.”
“This irreversible destruction…will also reduce recreational opportunities and threaten traditions such as hunting and fishing opportunities, which are vital to the region’s outdoor lifestyle.”
“The proposed construction will fragment these habitats, making it difficult for wildlife to find food, shelter, and mates.”
“The Gray Cut project jeopardizes these efforts [previous and current restoration efforts along the Stonycreek River Watershed].
“Beyond the Stonycreek River, other neighboring watersheds, including the Raystown Branch of the Juniata River and the Indian Lake Watersheds, are also at risk due to the Allegheny Mountain Tunnel’s unique location at a triple watershed divide.”
“Construction activities associated with the turnpike expansion will significantly increase the risk of soil erosion and sedimentation in nearby streams and rivers.”
“The increased runoff from paved surfaces carries pollutants such as oil, heavy metals, and other toxic substances into water bodies, further impacting the health of our waterways within the Stonycreek River watershed.”
“The noise, dust, and heavy machinery involved in this large-scale construction project would disrupt the lives of local residents and visitors who cherish the peace and quiet of the mountain.”
“The project will disrupt local communities by affecting the water supply for residents who rely on wells and natural springs. The potential contamination of these water sources poses serious health risks, particularly for those who rely on them for daily use.”
“The long-term environmental and social costs far outweigh any short-term economic gains.”
Allegheny Tunnels – Source: savealleghenymountain.org
Other impacts not mentioned by Citizen to Save the Allegheny Mountain on their website, include, but are not limited to:
- Increased risk of animal vehicle collisions with the loss of the mountain’s natural wildlife crossing over the turnpike. This may lead to the future need of constructing a new wildlife crossing.
- “Drivers on the proposed highway would lose the tunnel’s protection from the worst of the weather near the turnpike’s highest point, 2,600 feet above sea level, where fog, icing and high winds are frequent hazards.” – penncapital-star.com
- The potential for microclimate changes in weather patterns as a result of the cut. According to google.gemini.ai, these could include: wind-channeling through the cut; alteration to the rain shadow on the east side of the mountain; creation of a cold air sink at the bottom of the cut increasing the likelihood of fog and frost; and disruption to wind patterns along the mountainside.
- The loss of the historic highway tunnels, first built in 1940 and expanded in 1965.
Source: savealleghenymountain.org
Steps one can take
If you feel this proposed project should go back to the drawing board, consider other alternatives, or be scrapped for upgrading the tunnels, please consider contacting Citizens to Save the Allegheny Mountain through the following links:
The organization’s website includes a petition one can sign along with space to provide comments.
Peace!
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