It’s been 75 years since the Pennsylvania Turnpike opened on Oct. 1, 1940—ushering in a new era of highway construction across the United States.
From an initial 160-mile span stretching between Carlisle and Irwin, Pa., the Turnpike has since expanded to cover some 360 miles, cutting east-west across the state. In the years since its opening, the Turnpike’s influence has reached far beyond its actual route, transforming American and global landscapes over the last half-century.