(WHTM) — The Pennsylvania Turnpike has released this weekend's traffic projections as the Easter holiday approaches.
According to the Turnpike, 2.18 million travelers are expected to be on the Turnpike during the four-day holiday weekend, a 1.5% increase compared to the same holiday period last year.
The Turnpike released daily traffic projections for the holiday period:
| Date | Projected Amount of Travelers |
| Friday, April 18 | 610,000 |
| Saturday, April 19 | 480,000 |
| Sunday, April 20 | 500,000 |
| Monday, April 21 | 590,000 |
| PROJECTED TOTAL | 2,180,000 |
The Turnpike says maintenance and construction crews will suspend all work beginning at 5 a.m. on Thursday, April 17 until 11 p.m. on Monday, April 21 to ensure as many travel lanes are open as possible. PA Turnpike personnel will have increased patrols on the roadway, along with State Police as part of the GEICO Safety Patrol initiative.
Here are some tips for traveling this 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.
- Sign up online or find a nearby retailer to save 50 percent on your tolls.
- Be sure to properly mount your transponder for a more seamless trip.
- Regardless of whether you want to save with E-ZPass or travel with Toll By Plate, get ahead of your travel and easily manage your tolls through the PA Toll Pay App | PA Turnpike.
- Find out exactly how much your toll is going to be ahead of time with the PA 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.
- You will never receive a text from the PA Turnpike for unpaid tolls after your travel. Instead, you can access your account safely through the PA Toll Pay App or your E-ZPass Account to manage your account activity. When in doubt, go directly to the portal and avoid interacting with unsolicited texts, calls or emails.
