Editing Pennsylvania Turnpike (section)

==Services==
===Emergency assistance and information===
Motorists needing assistance can dial *11 on mobile phones. First-responder service is available to all turnpike users via the [[GEICO]] Safety Patrol program. The free program checks for disabled motorists, debris and accidents along the road, and provides assistance 24&nbsp;hours daily year-round. Each patrol vehicle covers a {{convert|20|to|25|mi|km|adj=on}} stretch of the turnpike.<ref name=trip>{{Cite web |url = https://www.paturnpike.com/travel/safety_patrol.aspx |title = Safety Patrol Program |publisher = Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission |access-date = November 10, 2021 }}</ref><ref>{{cite press release |title = PA Turnpike Commission Announces GEICO as New Sponsor of Roadway Safety Patrol |publisher = Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission |url = https://www.paturnpike.com/press/2021/20211110150227.htm |access-date = November 10, 2021 }}</ref> Towing service is available from authorized service stations near the highway,<ref name=towing>{{Cite web |url = https://www.paturnpike.com/travel/breakdown.aspx |title = If Your Vehicle Breaks Down... |publisher = Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission |access-date = August 3, 2015 }}</ref> and [[Pennsylvania State Police]] Troop T patrols the turnpike. The troop's headquarters is in [[Highspire, Pennsylvania|Highspire]], and its turnpike substations are grouped into two sections. The western section has substations in [[Gibsonia, Pennsylvania|Gibsonia]], New Stanton, Somerset and Everett; the eastern section has mainline substations in [[Newville, Pennsylvania|Newville]], [[Bowmansville, Pennsylvania|Bowmansville]] and King of Prussia.<ref name=psp>{{Cite web |url = http://www.psp.pa.gov/troop%20directory/Pages/Troop-T.aspx |title = Pennsylvania State Police – Troop T |publisher = Pennsylvania State Police |access-date = January 8, 2018 }}</ref> The PTC broadcasts AM road, traffic, and weather conditions from [[highway advisory radio]] transmitters at each exit on 1640&nbsp;kHz, with a range of approximately {{convert|2|mi|km|spell=in}}.<ref name=radio>{{Cite web |url = http://www.paturnpike.com/news/2002/Jul/nr070302a.aspx |title = HAR Transmissions Now Broadcast at Every PA Turnpike Interchange |publisher = Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission |date = July 3, 2000 |access-date = April 14, 2009 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20030819060528/http://www.paturnpike.com/news/2002/Jul/nr070302a.aspx |archive-date = August 19, 2003 }}</ref> The [[5-1-1|511PA]] travel-information service provides alerts, an interactive map, weather information and [[traffic camera]]s to motorists, and [[variable-message sign]]s located along the roadway provide information such as accidents, construction, weather, and traffic congestion.<ref>{{cite web |title = Advanced Travelers Information System |publisher = Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission |url = https://www.paturnpike.com/traveling/safety/advanced-travelers-information-system |access-date = November 26, 2021 }}</ref>

===Service plazas===
[[File:Sideling Hill Plaza jeh.JPG|thumb|alt=Entrance to building with pointed arch, with a bus in front|Sideling Hill service plaza]]

The turnpike currently has 15 high capacity [[service plaza]]s, though at one point had over 20 lower capacity plazas. Each plaza has several [[fast-food restaurant]]s, a [[Sunoco]] gas station, and a [[7-Eleven]] convenience store. Other amenities include ATMs, E-ZPass sales, free cellphone charging, [[Pennsylvania Lottery]] sales, picnic areas, restrooms, tourist information, Travel Board information centers, and Wi-Fi. The King of Prussia plaza has a [[Welcome centers in the United States|welcome center]], and the New Stanton and Sideling Hill plazas have seasonal [[farmers' market]]s. Several plazas offer [[E85]] fuel, and New Stanton offers [[compressed natural gas]]; all have conventional [[gasoline]] and [[diesel fuel]]. Some plazas have [[electric vehicle charging station]]s. The Sunoco and 7-Eleven locations and the [[Subway (restaurant)|Subway]] at North Midway are operated by 7-Eleven, and the remaining restaurants and general upkeep are operated by [[Applegreen]].<ref name=ptcservice>{{cite web |title = Service Plazas |publisher = Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission |url = https://www.paturnpike.com/traveling/service-plazas |access-date = November 26, 2021 }}</ref>

By 1946, a number of service plazas were expanded in order to accommodate booming popularity.<ref name="Pa Highways"/>

With the opening of the extensions between 1950 and 1954, new service plazas came as well.<ref name="Pa Highways"/> On them, the service plazas were less frequent, larger, and further from the road.<ref name=dakelman92>{{harvp|Dakelman|Schorr|2004|p=92|ps=.}}</ref> [[Gulf Oil]] operated service stations on the extensions, and [[Howard Johnson's]] provided food service in sit-down restaurants.<ref name=dakelman93>{{harvp|Dakelman|Schorr|2004|p=93|ps=.}}</ref><ref name=wsj62650>{{cite news |title = Howard Johnson to Open 7 New Restaurants on Pennsylvania Turnpike |work = The Wall Street Journal |date = June 26, 1950 |page = 6 }}</ref> 

In 1955, the North and South Somerset Service Plazas were both opened, replacing the eastbound only New Baltimore Plaza.<ref name=dakelman60>{{harvp|Dakelman|Schorr|2004|p=60|ps=.}}</ref>

In 1957, the westbound New Stanton service plaza was built, and the Laurel Hill Plaza, located to the west of the western end of the Laurel Hill Tunnel, was closed.{{cn|date=January 2025}}
 
In 1968, the Sideling Hill Plaza opened with the [[Sideling Hill Tunnel|Sideling Hill]]/[[Rays Hill Tunnel|Rays Hill]] bypass. It is the only service plaza on the mainline turnpike to serve both eastbound and westbound traffic, and replaced the westbound only Cove Valley Plaza, which was demolished due to being located on the section of turnpike being bypassed.<ref name=dakelman116/>

In preparation of the [[United States Bicentennial]], construction was completed in 1976 of a 320 space parking lot at the eastbound only Valley Forge plaza.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.paturnpike.com/about-us/turnpike-history/interactive-timeline|title=Interactive Timeline|website=Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC)}}</ref>

The Pleasant Valley plaza was closed in January 1979, while the Denver and Mechanicsburg plazas closed in 1980.
All three were auctioned in October 1981,<ref name="Pleasant Valley">{{cite web |title = Turnpike Haven Auctioned to Brass Firm |work = The Pittsburgh Press |date = October 8, 1981 |page = 4 |url = https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-pittsburgh-press-turnpike-haven-auct/169783649/ |access-date = April 7, 2025}}</ref> having been experiencing diminishing profits. This left only the Oakmont Plum, Butler, and Zelienople service plazas in western Pennsylvania.<ref name="closings">{{cite web |title = From Days Gone Bay |work = The Fulton County News |url = http://www.fultoncountynews.com/news/2013-04-25/From_Days_Gone_By/FROM_DAYS_GONE_BY.html |access-date = June 29, 2014 |archive-date = September 3, 2014 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140903063831/http://www.fultoncountynews.com/news/2013-04-25/From_Days_Gone_By/FROM_DAYS_GONE_BY.html |url-status = dead }}</ref>{{failed verification|date=April 2025}} 

In 1978, as Howard Johnson's exclusive contract to provide food service was ending, the turnpike commission entertained bids;<ref name=wsj101878>{{cite news |last = Randolph |first = Deborah A. |title = Howard Johnson's 38-Year Monopoly On Pennsylvania Turnpike Could End |work = The Wall Street Journal |date = October 18, 1978 |page = 18 }}</ref> [[Aramark]] was awarded a food-service contract at two plazas.<ref name=ppg102578/> The turnpike was the first toll road in the U.S. to have more than one fast-food chain at its service plazas.<ref name=bct61383/> Gas stations were operated by Gulf Oil, [[Exxon]], and [[ARCO]].<ref name=ppg102578>{{cite news |last = Jenson |first = Edward |title = Howard Johnson's Monopoly On Turnpike Restaurants Ends |work = Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |date = October 25, 1978 |page = 4 |url = https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=bn9IAAAAIBAJ&pg=3336,3638888&dq=pennsylvania-turnpike+service+plazas+arco&hl=en |access-date = September 19, 2012 }}</ref> In 1980, [[Hardee's]] opened restaurants at the service plazas to compete with Howard Johnson's.<ref name=ppg5280>{{cite news |title = Food for the Road |work = Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |date = May 2, 1980 |page = 3 |url = https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ak8NAAAAIBAJ&pg=2710,486173&dq=pennsylvania-turnpike+hardees&hl=en |access-date = September 19, 2012 }}</ref> The turnpike was the world's first road to offer fast food at its service plazas.<ref name=pdn10383/> [[Burger King]] and [[McDonald's]] restaurants opened on the turnpike in June 1983,<ref name=bct61383>{{cite news |title = Turnpike adds fast food outlets |agency = Associated Press |work = Beaver County Times |date = June 13, 1983 |page = A8 |url = https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=j1kuAAAAIBAJ&pg=2476,2622367&dq=pennsylvania-turnpike+hardees&hl=enn |access-date = September 19, 2012 }}</ref> this was part of a deal that saw the eastbound Path Valley plaza closed, it had seen a gradual loss of revenue since the Sideling Hill plazas opening in 1968. With this, fast food was implemented at the Hempfield Plaza.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=sk0NAAAAIBAJ&sjid=mW0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6807,16471|title=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette – Google News Archive Search|website=news.google.com}}</ref> This reflected increased demands for fast food.<ref name=pdn10383>{{cite news |title = Fast Food On Turnpike's Fast Lane |agency = United Press International |work = Philadelphia Daily News |date = October 3, 1983 |page = 22 }}</ref> [[Marriott Corporation]] purchased the remaining Howard Johnson's restaurants in 1987, and restaurants such as [[Roy Rogers Restaurants|Roy Rogers]] and [[Bob's Big Boy]] opened.<ref name=mc52787>{{cite news |title = Turnpike To Get Some New Eateries |work = The Morning Call |location = Allentown, Pennsylvania |date = May 27, 1987 |page = A4 }}</ref>

In April 1990, [[Gulf Oil LP]] replaced the turnpike's Exxon stations.<ref name=inq42690>{{cite news |title = A Turnpike Gas Dispute To Affect Service Plazas |agency = United Press International |work = The Philadelphia Inquirer |date = April 26, 1990 |page = B3 }}</ref>

The Brandywine (later Peter J. Camiel) plaza was systematically demolished and rebuilt from September 1990 to May 1991. This was necessary as it was the busiest service plaza on the entire mainline, and as such, increased use of it over time had rendered it obsolete.<ref>{{cite news |last = Nussbaum |first = Paul |title = A Milestone In Ugliness, But If You Need To Stop... |work = The Philadelphia Inquirer |date = November 22, 1990 |url = http://articles.philly.com/1990-11-22/news/25926886_1_bill-capone-turnpike-officials-toll-road |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140904103947/http://articles.philly.com/1990-11-22/news/25926886_1_bill-capone-turnpike-officials-toll-road |url-status = dead |archive-date = September 4, 2014 |access-date = June 29, 2014 }}</ref>

Sunoco took over gas-station operations in 1993, outbidding [[Shell US]];<ref name=pn42293>{{cite news |last = Cozzoli |first = Frank |title = Sun Oil wins pike gas-station leases |work = The Patriot-News |location = Harrisburg, Pennsylvania |date = April 22, 1993 |page = B7 }}</ref> credit card-activated pumps, fax machines, ATMs, and informational lodging boards were added.<ref name="Pa Highways"/> Two years later, a farmers market began at the Sideling Hill plaza.<ref name=mc52595>{{cite news |last = Kraft |first = Irene |title = Turnpike Farmers Markets Ready To Produce Results |work = The Morning Call |location = Allentown, Pennsylvania |date = May 25, 1995 |page = B4 }}</ref> 

In March 2002, the Butler plaza was closed so it could be replaced by the Warrendale Toll Plaza.<ref>{{cite web |title = Butler Service Plaza Closes to Make Way for Toll Plaza |publisher = Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission |date = February 28, 2002 |url = http://www.paturnpike.com/Press/2002/20020228100516.htm |access-date = June 29, 2014 |archive-date = July 4, 2015 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150704034215/https://www.paturnpike.com/Press/2002/20020228100516.htm |url-status = dead }}</ref> Two years later, the Somerset Service Plaza was expanded.<ref name="Pa Highways"/>

The eastbound-only Hempfield and South Neshaminy plazas were closed in 2007 for a six-lane widening and new [[Frontage road|slip ramp]], respectively.<ref name="Hempfield"/><ref name="South Neshaminy">{{Cite web |url = http://www.paturnpike.com/Press/2007/20070629085100.htm |title = PA Turnpike's South Neshaminy Service Plaza To Be Closed |publisher = Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission |date = June 29, 2007 |access-date = October 8, 2012 |archive-date = January 20, 2013 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130120115810/http://www.paturnpike.com/Press/2007/20070629085100.htm |url-status = dead }}</ref>

The eastbound Zelienople plaza closed in 2008 due to being a money loser since the portion between the Gateway Toll Plaza and Warrendale became free in 2003. Some criticized this as a potential tourism reducer.<ref>{{cite news |last = McCarthy |first = Ken |title = Closing Zelienople turnpike plaza could hurt tourism, some say |work = Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |date = November 9, 2008 |url = http://www.post-gazette.com/local/north/2008/11/09/Closing-Zelienople-turnpike-plaza-could-hurt-tourism-some-say/stories/200811090326 |access-date = June 29, 2014 }}</ref> 

The North Neshaminy plaza closed in 2010 so its parking lot could be used for construction equipment needed for a planned total reconstruction in the area.{{cn|date=December 2024}} Free Wi-Fi was introduced at all service plazas in 2013.<ref name="Pa Highways"/>

By the mid 2000s, the service plazas, most having been built in the 1950s and some in the 1940s, were functionally obsolete. Because of this, in 2006, the PTC and [[HMSHost]] began a system-wide project to reconstruct or renovate all service plazas. The Oakmont Plum plaza was first (closing in 2006 and reopening the following year), and was followed by the reconstruction of the North Somerset and Sideling Hill plazas (2007–2008); New Stanton (2008–2009); King of Prussia (2009–2010); Lawn and Bowmansville (2010–2011); South Somerset, Blue Mountain, and Cumberland Valley (2011–2012); South Midway and Highspire (2012–2013); Peter J. Camiel (2013–2014); and Valley Forge and North Midway (2014–2015).<ref name=ptcservice2>{{cite web |title = Service Plazas: Tentative Reconstruction Schedule |publisher = Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission |access-date = August 29, 2015 |url = https://www.paturnpike.com/travel/tentative_reconstruction_schedule.aspx |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150703083339/https://www.paturnpike.com/travel/tentative_reconstruction_schedule.aspx |archive-date = July 3, 2015 |url-status = dead }}</ref>

The Art Sparks program began in 2017 as a partnership between the turnpike commission and the [[Pennsylvania Council on the Arts]] to install [[public art]] created by local students in the Arts in Education residency program in service plazas along the turnpike over the next five years. The art consists of a [[mural]] reflecting a plaza's location. The first Art Sparks mural was unveiled at the Lawn service plaza in May of that year.<ref>{{cite web |title = Art Sparks |publisher = Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission |url = https://www.paturnpike.com/travel/art_sparks.aspx |access-date = June 8, 2017 }}</ref><ref>{{cite press release |title = New arts program will connect student artists to PA Turnpike |publisher = Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission |date = March 30, 2017 |url = https://www.paturnpike.com/Press/2017/20170330121841.htm |access-date = June 8, 2017 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170402044118/https://www.paturnpike.com/Press/2017/20170330121841.htm |archive-date = April 2, 2017 }}</ref> 

Beginning in April 2019, [[Sunoco]]/[[A-Plus (store)|A-Plus]] locations began conversion to 7-Elevens as part of an agreement for 7-Eleven to take over Sunoco's company-owned convenience stores on the [[East Coast of the United States|East Coast]] and in [[Texas]]; Sunoco continues to supply fuel.<ref>{{cite web |title = Pennsylvania Turnpike |publisher = Facebook |date = April 1, 2019 |url = https://www.facebook.com/PATurnpike/photos/a.858821860796758/2371781836167412/?type=3&theater |archive-url = https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/facebook/119580304720921/2371781836167412 |archive-date = February 26, 2022 |url-access = limited |access-date = April 7, 2019 }}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title = 7-Eleven completes $3.3B purchase after agreeing to divest stores |url = https://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/news/2018/01/25/7-eleven-completes-3-3b-purchase-after-agreeing-to.html |first = Korri |last = Kezar |work = [[American City Business Journals]] |date = January 25, 2018 |access-date = January 18, 2021 }}</ref>