As they update the PA Turnpike they are taking away an important safety feature and risking lives because Feds say so.

The Pa. Turnpike was the first super highway here in the USA  built in early 40's it started in Carlisle Pa and went to Harrisburg and eventually it was built to both state borders  of NJ and Ohio and  has had several expansions and spurs added  and the main line comes thru  edge of my town.
I love traveling it because unlike regular interstate highways it has pull off areas every few miles  where you can safely pull off and rest or fix your vehicle or if your having medical issues  safely pull off and wait for it to clear or call for help  etc. something you can not safely do on the interstates as soon as you pull over you are subject to constant threat of being hit and killed. The Pa Turnpike also has emergency call boxes every mile  something vital in areas where theirs no cell service.
As a Colorectal Cancer Survivor I often have to take breaks driving something I can not do when traveling interstates I have to wait to get to nearest exit which can be 10 even 20 or more miles away .
When you break down and need to be in that lane any amount of time safety experts tell you to exit your vehicle  and get behind the barrier and away from it in case your vehicle gets hit something you do not have to worry about with turnpikes rest stops

sitting in one of rest stops safely away from traffic

So when I do long distance travel I take back roads and highways where I can pull off If I need to.
It takes longer to get there but if I have problems I am close to help unlike stretches of the Interstate.
With this in mind You would think Interstates had pull offs like the PA turn Pike has . But NO federal Dept of Transportation sees them as dangerous and has called for the Turnpike to close all of them.
Which is exactly what is happening on my side of state as they now expand the turnpike to 33 lanes all the rest spots are gone you now have to get to an exit in some case 10-30 or more miles or service plazas up to 50 plus miles away.  how does this make it safer when you can not pull off safely and change drivers etc like you can along the turnpike unless you want to risk getting hit and killed
Once again never look at the fact drivers are getting older traffic is getting heavier and drivers are at an all time worst at driving skills as road rage is the order of the day. yes once again junk science study's which never ever looked at the benefit of the rest stops just there supposed danger.
I average 30,000 + miles a year over 2 million miles  in my life time so far and all those road driven the PA turnpike is by far the safest you can drive but soon it will not be and when I have to drive for a long distance it will not be on turnpike anymore it will be on US 30 where it is far safer when you have a medical condition like I do.If it takes me couple hours extra so be it but I know with talking with other motorists who are older or have medical conditions they travel the lesser highways like I do and only travel short sections of Interstate as needed where time is essential. 

Modern  3 lane Turnpike no where to pull but narrow  side lane  and your in danger the whole time

The Engineers who built the original turnpike knew what they where doing compared to pencil pushers who use computers and studies to tell them what to do.  Thank You once again  asshole engineers who have your heads up your asses and never take into consideration the driver and what they really need.