(File Photo: Source for Photo: FILE – Vehicles move past signs that indicate payment methods for driving on the Pennsylvania Turnpike at the entrance ramp in Gibsonia, Pa. in this file photo from Aug. 30, 2021. Gov. Tom Wolf gave final approval on Thursday, Nov. 3, 2022, to legislation aimed at getting owners or operators of some 25,000 vehicles to pay their overdue bills for turnpike usage, The law that could trigger the suspension of thousands of vehicle registrations early next year. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic, File)
Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News
(Harrisburg, PA) The summer travel season begins this weekend, and the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission said it is preparing for an increase in holiday traffic.
The commission expects nearly 2.18 million drivers to travel the Pennsylvania Turnpike between May 22 and May 25, a 2% increase from last year.
Friday is expected to be the busiest travel day, with an estimated 706,000 vehicles on the roadway.
To help ease congestion, the commission said it will suspend construction projects that impact open lanes from May 21 through May 25. Work on the ongoing Open Road Tolling conversion project will continue.
Officials also shared these several safety reminders for drivers traveling during the holiday weekend:
- Practice safe driving habits, including driving responsibly, powering off your devices and removing unnecessary distractions.
- If you see an emergency responder on the road, follow Pennsylvania’s Move Over Law and move over into an adjacent lane if it is safe to do so, or slow down to a speed of not more than 20 mph less than the posted speed limit.
- Take advantage of the most cost-effective way to travel on the PA Turnpike with E-ZPass. Be sure to properly mount your transponder for a more seamless trip.
- Get ahead of your travel and easily manage your tolls through the PA Toll Pay App.
- Find out exactly how much your toll is going to be ahead of time with the PA Turnpike Toll Calculator.
- Know that help is just a call away, thanks to the Pennsylvania Turnpike Safety Patrol, sponsored by GEICO. Dial *11 via mobile phone to get support or report an incident or other emergency on the PA Turnpike.
- Access your account safely through the PA Toll Pay App or your E-ZPass Account to manage your account activity and avoid interacting with unsolicited texts, calls or emails.