Non related golf question - Traveling the PA turnipike during the winter.

[xOldBenKenobiX 3,591]

Our daughter lives in Maryland and we have visited her a few times this year since our granddaughter was born. Our usual route is taking i80 across Ohio, i80/i76 across and south of Pennsylvania then i70 towards Baltimore.

We are planning on going in December, during Christmas week as well, and were intending to fly, however with Covid, we are rethinking the flying part and might be driving.

I am a good winter driver conditions, however I do not like driving the PA turnpike, even during the summer, so my question to our fellow spies who live in OH, PA and MD and might travel any of those roads during the winter, how is the driving?

Is the Turnpike well maintain during the winter, are snow and ice a big issue for the driving conditions, is there an alternate route that would get me from i80 in eastern Ohio to i70 in western MD that is a safer route to drive during a possible snow storm?

Thank you in advance of any information you guys can provide.

Edited October 20, 2020 by xOldBenKenobiX

[DaveP043 3,962]

Its been a while since I did it in winter, but I don't remember the Turnpike being particularly bad.  It just winds through mountains, as you know.  I don't know that the alternates are much better, and would certainly be more miles.  One option I'll mention is heading south on I-79 from Pittsburgh to near Morgantown, WV, and then east on I-68.  I-68 is a new(ish) highway, so flatter grades and wider curves, wider shoulders too.  

[Getoffmylawn 1,985]

My wife's family lives near Erie...we made several trips home for Christmas from DC when I was assigned to the Pentagon.  Took the Turnpike every time of course. Road conditions were never a problem; always well maintained and cleared.

Now I did get a speeding ticket once, but that's not quite what you're asking...

[tommc23 9,427]

24 minutes ago, xOldBenKenobiX said:

Our daughter lives in Maryland and we have visited her a few times this year since our granddaughter was born. Our usual route is taking i80 across Ohio, i80/i76 across and south of Pennsylvania then i70 towards Baltimore.

We are planning on going in December, during Christmas week as well, and were intending to fly, however with Covid, we are rethinking the flying part and might be driving.

I am a good winter driver conditions, however I do not like driving the PA turnpike, even during the summer, so my question to our fellow spies who live in OH, PA and MA and might travel any of those roads during the winter, how is the driving?

Is the Turnpike well maintain during the winter, are snow and ice a big issue for the driving conditions, is there an alternate route that would get me from i80 in eastern Ohio to i70 in western MD that is a safer route to drive during a possible snow storm?

Thank you in advance of any information you guys can provide.

I take the pike north and west the turnpike has their own road crews that plow constantly during snow storms and they each have 30 to 50 mile sections each so they keep it pretty clear. I'm not saying I have always had clear roads but they are typically better than just about all the other roads in the winter.

[xOldBenKenobiX 3,591]

14 minutes ago, DaveP043 said:

Its been a while since I did it in winter, but I don't remember the Turnpike being particularly bad.  It just winds through mountains, as you know.  I don't know that the alternates are much better, and would certainly be more miles.  One option I'll mention is heading south on I-79 from Pittsburgh to near Morgantown, WV, and then east on I-68.  I-68 is a new(ish) highway, so flatter grades and wider curves, wider shoulders too.  

We were looking into the i79 as a possible route, it does add mileage/time, about an hour and half, but of course the wife is more concerned with the turnpike a lot more, because she thinks everyone drives badly on that road.

[xOldBenKenobiX 3,591]

12 minutes ago, Getoffmylawn said:

My wife's family lives near Erie...we made several trips home for Christmas from DC when I was assigned to the Pentagon.  Took the Turnpike every time of course. Road conditions were never a problem; always well maintained and cleared.

Now I did get a speeding ticket once, but that's not quite what you're asking...

Knock on wood, I have not have a speeding ticket in a few years, our main concern of course is if we get into snowy conditions and might get stuck somewhere on the turnpike, I try to tell the wife that the crews should be well equipped to clear the road in a timely fashion, as we can see that the maintenance stations are fairly close together. 

[xOldBenKenobiX 3,591]

11 minutes ago, tommc23 said:

I take the pike north and west the turnpike has their own road crews that plow constantly during snow storms and they each have 30 to 50 mile sections each so they keep it pretty clear. I'm not saying I have always had clear roads but they are typically better than just about all the other roads in the winter.

I figure they are better than non toll roads, as our normal freeways do not have as many road crew stations here in Michigan