HARRISBURG — As the jolly old man in the bright red suit gets ready for his big trip from the North Pole, so, too, are millions of drivers who are planning their holiday travels. The PA Turnpike has planned for an influx of travelers who will be on the roadway over the Christmas and New Year’s holiday travel period.
The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission projects 5.2 million vehicles will be on our 564-miles of roadway between Friday, Dec. 22 and Monday, Jan. 1. The projection is about two percent higher than traffic volumes from the same period last year.
Daily traffic projections for the holiday period are as follows:
Friday, Dec. 22 610,000 Thursday, Dec. 28 580,000
Saturday, Dec. 23 450,000 Friday, Dec. 29 600,000
Sunday, Dec. 24 385,000 Saturday, Dec. 30 375,000
Monday, Dec. 25 400,000 Sunday, Dec. 31 325,000
Tuesday, Dec. 26 550,000 Monday, Jan. 1, 2024 335,000
Wednesday, Dec. 27 590,000 TOTAL 5,200,000
We encourage travelers to prepare by finding our real-time traffic and roadway conditions online and allowing plenty of time to get safely to their destination. December in Pennsylvania can bring any kind of weather from rain to ice and snow.
Motorists can check roadway conditions including color-coded winter conditions by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA also allows motorists to set up personalized travel alerts for specific roadways, days of the week, and times of the day. Choose your region and view an hour-by-hour, color-coded representation of traffic speeds to help decide the best times to travel.
We also wish for all travelers to arrive safely at their holiday destinations. That’s why during the holiday week, starting on Friday, Dec. 22, all roadway construction work will be suspended, and additional safety and police personnel will be on the roadway to assist customers. Looking for information on Turnpike amenities before you head out? Visit Ramp up for Seasonal Travel | PA Turnpike.
To report an accident or other emergency on the PA Turnpike, dial *11 via mobile phone. To learn more about PA Turnpike conditions, use one of these resources:
ON THE TURNPIKE 511PA Smartphone App: real-time, hands-free PA traffic advisories
Digital Message Signs: more than 200 boards along the Turnpike
ON THE WEB 511/511pa.com: live, interactive map Twitter: @PATurnpikeAlert
BY PHONE
511: dial from any PA roadway for local travel information
Pennsylvania Turnpike Customer Assistance Center: 877-736-6727, Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
