Many years ago Route 903 in Penn Forest Township was christened the "highway to adventure,"

Unfortunately, those seeking the adventure via Interstate 476, had to exit at least eight miles north or 13 miles south of Route 903 to access all of that adventure.The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission remedied that Tuesday when it officially opened the new interchange No. 87 that links Route 903 to the Pennsylvania Turnpike system."This interchange is bringing both immediate and long-term benefits to the region by improving mobility and making the roads safer for those who live, work and play here," said former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Keith McCall. "It's going to make a truly positive difference for so many people in northern Carbon County, and I am both grateful and delighted to be here today to celebrate this significant occasion."McCall was one of the earliest supporters of the project. He recalled the number of times, while serving on the House Transportation Committee, they approached the turnpike commission with a plan to add an interchange at Route 903.McCall spoke of the economics of such a plan, recounting that the 1970 census listed Penn Forest Township as having fewer than 500 residents.The most recent census puts that number at over 9,000, making Penn Forest Township the largest municipality in Carbon County."In 2000 something happened that really made this project a possibility," McCall said. "The reason we were able to put this here was because of E-ZPass.""I could do the Irish jig today, that's how happy I am," McCall said. "It's a great thing for the Pocono Mountains, it's a great thing for the people that are here, and I think it will be a greater asset to the businesses and industry here, we are not only going to be able to grant greater access to the turnpike, but we will bring greater access to Route 80 and Route 81 by virtue of this interchange in Penn Forest Township."State Senator John Yudichak, (14th District) thanked McCall for the hard work and perseverance in helping to make the interchange a reality. He also thanked the commission, its employees and the local elected officials who helped to make the project a success."This new interchange is a major infrastructure improvement for our region. It represents an opportunity for economic development in Carbon County and the rest of the Poconos," Yudichak said. "Tourism is a major regional industry, and now our popular destinations are more accessible to more visitors."Yudichak stressed that the Route 903 corridor, from the attractions in historic Jim Thorpe, Penn's Peak, the rafting, hiking, biking, Big Boulder Ski Resort and the Pocono Raceway are all going to derive an economic benefit from the greater access.Staci A. Barkalow, vice president and chief financial officer of the Pocono Mountain Visitors Bureau spoke of the numbers of visitors to the Pocono Mountains and what the interchange will mean to the local tourism industry."For those of you who don't know, we have approximately 25 million people who visit the Pocono Mountains every year, which translates to about $1.4 billion in overnight spending." Barkalow said. "We are thrilled that this interchange is here, and it clearly opens up all the access to all the places like Penn's Peak, Jim Thorpe and Pocono Raceway and we couldn't be more thrilled to have it."The interchange was funded entirely by toll income and not by tax dollars. The project was completed at a cost of $40 million. The construction work was done by New Enterprise Stone and Lime Company of New Enterprise. The design work was done by CECO Associates Inc., of Scranton.Compton stressed the importance of the E-ZPass only designation. Travelers without active E-ZPass transponders will be fined $25 plus the cost of the longest toll."Today most customers, more than 75 percent, choose to pay with E-ZPass, which has been available on the PA Turnpike for 15 years," Compton said. "Turnpike travelers with an E-ZPass pay up to 35 percent less than cash-paying customer."The turnpike has worked with local retail outlets to make it convenient to obtain an E-ZPass transponder. Transponders can be picked up at all area Walmart and Wegman stores.