Southbound, this exit tab is waiting for I-99's mileage to be finalized (it's changed routes a couple of times near State College already).


The lower roadway is southbound, snaking along the hillside.


Cuts on the hillside reveal the Tioga Bypass, with the new Welcome Center visible in the second photograph. As another Elmira Meet participant pointed out, the US 15 label on the Center is carved in stone, meaning it will be not-so-cheap to replace it when I-99 comes barrelling through. These were taken from the end of old US 15, which is now swallowed up by a reservoir.

Reservoir.


Looking at the reservoir from the visitor's center. In the first photo, if you trace the path of old US 15 straight across from the right (between the brown field and the green trees), you'll see what looks like a line continuing it through the center of the field below the reservoir. Seeing that, I zoomed in and found the trace of old 15 in the second photo.


The northernmost mile of the existing US 15 Tioga Bypass, with the future freeway toward Lawrenceville in the background. It appears to be all graded and even drivable from some of the graded dirt ramps, if you were adventurous and had a taste for jail cells or heavy fines.


Rock cuts and bridge abutments mark the path of the US 15 freeway, which still needs, um, bridges. Another good reason not to try to drive it.


Just before the last of the above six photos comes this sign, where the JCT didn't need to be segregated. As I mentioned on the main Tioga/Lawrenceville page, the top of PA 287 overlays old US 15 in order to get to current 15.


Now driving the freeway in October 2008 after construction ended. The new PA 287 signs look a lot better - except, of course, for the Clearview font. They're even ready for I-99's exit numbers.


The then-end of PA 287 in the foreground, the then-end of the US 15 freeway to the right, the new (then-future) US 15 freeway back and to the left. Back and to the left. Back and to the left...

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Bliss Rd. Construction

Starting in the north at Bliss Rd., which comes off of US 15 in New York and apparently will be cut off by the new freeway. The Elmira Meet photos of Chris Jordan's antics came from here.


Bliss Rd. WB approaching foundation piles.


Piles in the foreground, PA 49 waaaay in the background.


Driveway up to the top of a rock cut, where PennDOT is still cutting to get to the final grade of US 15. The work appears to stop just north of here at the NY border, which makes sense because different states let contracts separately.


Can you tell I like piles? The PA 49 interchange-to-be is in the background. US 15/I-99 will cross the bridges at right and curve around toward the piles.


PA 49 overpass closeup.


MORE PILES!

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PA 49 Construction


PA 49 SB just after it began at US 15, approaching US 15. 49 will either be truncated to this new freeway, or will be extended up US 15 to the New York border.


Looking north from PA 49 at trucks on the freeway grade between PA 49 and Bliss Rd.


Looking up the SB onramp and offramp, respectively.


On a road whose name I simply cannot track down, with the US 15 SB grade immediately to the right and easily approached on foot. If one doesn't mind fences, ticks, and scratchy weeds. The cut north of Bliss Rd. is in the background.


We stopped at the top of Road and took a look around.


More northward looks, allowing you to easily trace the path of future US 15/I-99.


Final looks back up the SB offramp and then up the NB offramp.

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Newly Open in 2008


From PA 287, where US 15 used to exit to continue on its surface alignment, north to the PA 49 interchange. These photos were taken NB on October 3, 2008, just two days after the Bypass opened. All of the signs are ready for I-99 exit numbers.


Across the Cowanesque River, north into Lawrenceville, and then to the New York border.

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South to US 15/Future I-99, Williamsport to Tioga
Onto PA 49 alone
Back to US 15 main page
To current I-99
Back to the Elmira Meet page

Into New York on US 15
Back to Pennsylvania Roads
Back to Roads