Pa. Turnpike could see Memorial Day traffic exceed pre-pandemic volume

Officials expect to see this year’s Memorial Day holiday traffic on the Pennsylvania Turnpike exceed pre-pandemic levels.

They’re projecting more than 2.2 million travelers will take to the toll road during the four days from Friday through Monday. That represents an increase of nearly 300,000, or 15%, from the same period last year and a 3% hike from the 2019 holiday weekend.

This year, officials expect the heaviest travel day on the turnpike will be Friday, when about 770,000 vehicles are expected to enter it. Other daily turnpike travel estimates: 540,000 on Saturday; 495,000 on Monday; and 460,000 on Sunday.

Those heading west on the turnpike Sunday afternoon may encounter members of a 300-vehicle motorcade, organized by the Run for the Wall veterans organization, on their way to the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C.

After stopping Sunday at the Flight 93 National Memorial in Somerset County, the motorcade will travel west on the turnpike, starting from the Somerset Interchange at about 3 p.m. Following a fueling stop at the New Stanton Service Plaza, the motorcade is slated to exit the turnpike at the New Stanton Interchange. Traffic could be slower in that area between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m.

With more vehicles sharing the road, drivers need to increase their commitment to safe driving habits. That’s a practice Turnpike CEO Mark Compton fears may have slipped during the pandemic, when motorists had more room to spare amid sparser traffic.

“With more congested roadways, these increasingly deadly driving behaviors are having even more alarming impacts to lives and families,” said Compton. “A moment’s distraction can have devastating consequences. Put your phone down, watch your speed and pay attention to what is happening on the roadway.”

With a heightened emphasis on helping travelers safely get where they’re going, the turnpike will have an increased number of patrols and safety teams on the road for the weekend.

All turnpike maintenance work will be suspended, with all available lanes open through 11 p.m. Monday.

“Obeying the posted speed limits, allowing sufficient distance between other vehicles and a general respect for other motorists will ensure everyone reaches their destination safely,” said Cpl. Matthew Johnston of state police Troop T.

During the 2021 Memorial Day weekend, state troopers investigated 844 crashes that resulted in eight fatalities and 183 injuries. State police also cited 1,025 motorists for not wearing seat belts and issued 144 tickets for not securing children in safety seats.