I-99/US 220 Construction: I-99/US 220 at the Benner Pike/PA 150 Interchange and near Rockview

March 24, 2002 Photos by Timothy Reichard

PA 150 is the Benner Pike, extending from its end north of State College to Avis west of Jersey Shore and following the former routing of PA 26 and PA 545 to Bellefonte. Two miles north of the Shiloh Road interchange and a mile south of the PA 144 crossing, I-99/US 220 meets PA 150 at a half-diamond, half-clover leaf interchange south of Bellefonte.

Between Shiloh Road to the southwest and PA 144 to the northwest, much of the land that I-99/US 220 crosses is owned by the Rockview State Correctional Institution, which stands just north of the Nittany Mall between PA 26 and PA 150. I-99/US 220 crosses over one of the many stone access roads to Rockview. This stone road is located just north of the PA 150 interchange and ends at Rishel Hill Road, just behind the camera. "No trespassing" signs like this one are posted along much of I-99/US 220 in this area and along PA 150 to the south, making up-close photos of the I-99/US 220 and PA 150 interchange possible only along PA 150 and here, near Rishel Hill Road.

This is as close as one can get to the highway on the north side. The big green sign for Exit 78A (PA 150 southbound) is visible along I-99/US 220 southbound. The lane toward the bottom of the photo takes I-99/US 220 southbound traffic to PA 150 northbound.

Here is a close-up view of the big green Exit 78A sign.

Rishel Hill Road begins at this intersection and continues ahead. The road used to intersect PA 150 where the interchange is located now. At the curve ahead, the Rockview access road from which the first photo was taken begins to the right.

Turning right onto PA 150 southbound, the onramp to I-99/US 220 southbound begins. Reflectors act as a barricade for this and other ramps at the interchange.

The I-99/US 220 overpasses can be seen from the beginning of the onramp. I-99/US 220 and PA 150 meet at about a 40 degree angle to each other.

A new confirmation shield for PA 150 stand just ahead. The offramp from I-99/US 220 southbound splits, and each lane enters PA 150 from the right in this photo after wrapping around a clover leaf.

Facing left from the same location, the offramp from I-99/US 220 southbound meets PA 150 northbound here. PA 150 northbound follows the two lanes from right to left. The outer lane is a merging lane from another clover leaf ramp.

Now jumping to the south side of the interchange and heading along PA 150 northbound, a glance to the left reveals the big green sign for Exit 78B (PA 150 northbound), which stands along I-99/US 220 northbound.

Here is a close-up view of that big green sign.

Just ahead along PA 150 northbound, and again facing left, a short, sharply curved offramp carries I-99/US 220 northbound traffic onto PA 150 southbound, which heads left in the photo.

Now looking the right side of the road while continuing on PA 150 northbound, the onramp to I-99/US 220 northbound can be seen.

Here is another view of the onramp from a few feet ahead of the previous view. The lane from the center of the photo to the left is the clover leaf ramp from I-99/US 220 northbound to PA 150 northbound.

This view shows the I-99/US 220 overpasses from PA 150 northbound. The clover leaf onramp meets PA 150 under the overpasses.

Here is a close-up view of the northbound overpass.

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Here is the rest of the northbound overpass.

Half a mile to the south of the PA 150 interchange, I-99/US 220 follows a four-span bridge above another unpaved Rockview access road. The bridge crosses a farm along PA 150. Three photos were matched together to make this image.