HARRISBURG — The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission expects Thanksgiving to be the busiest travel holiday of the year, projecting that 3.55 million cars and trucks will travel the Turnpike next week from Tuesday through Sunday.
“We appreciate that family, friends, food and festivities are the focus of the Thanksgiving holiday season,” said Mark Compton, CEO of the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission. “We also know that millions will be travelling our roadway to celebrate those traditions and have planned accordingly so motorists will not be detained by scheduled maintenance or construction. All lanes are slated to be open and additional safety, maintenance and state police patrols will be on hand.”
Beginning 5 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 21 until 11 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 26 all lanes in each direction of the Turnpike will be open and available to accommodate heavier traffic volumes. All scheduled maintenance and construction projects will be suspended during these times.
Nov. 21 and 22 are projected to be the most heavily traveled days on the Turnpike with 725,000 vehicles expected both days. The periods of heaviest traffic volumes will be:
- Tuesday, Nov. 21, from 3 until 8 p.m.
- Wednesday, Nov. 22, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Sunday, Nov. 26, from noon until 8 p.m.
Thursday, Nov. 23, will be the least traveled day with 510,000 motorists on the road, followed by Friday, Nov. 24 with 515,000 motorists.
