PA Turnpike Ready to Help Travelers Celebrate America’s 250th Birthday

PA Turnpike Ready to Help Travelers Celebrate America’s 250^th Birthday

Travelers should plan ahead, prepare for increased traffic and pay attention to the road

MIDDLETOWN, Pa. — As travelers get ready to celebrate 250 years of United States independence, the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PA Turnpike) is projecting more than 6.54 million motorists will be choosing the PA Turnpike to get to their destinations safely from Thursday, June 25 through Sunday, July 5.

The daily traffic projections for the holiday period systemwide are below:

Despite higher gas prices and supply chain disruptions, the PA Turnpike has continued to see stable traffic for both passenger and commercial vehicles and many leading travel experts are predicting another national record for travel this year over Independence Day. To ensure as many travel lanes are open as possible, PA Turnpike maintenance and construction crews will suspend all work impacting open lanes beginning at 5 a.m. on Friday, June 26 until 11 p.m. on Sunday, July 5.

As part of the GEICO Safety Patrol initiative, PA Turnpike personnel will have increased patrols on the roadway, along with PA State Police. Additional personnel will also continue be in place in the Philadelphia area on days the city is hosting FIFA World Cup 2026™ matches. Travelers heading eastbound between Pittsburgh (Exit 57) and Breezewood (Exit 161) on Saturday, July 4 should note traffic could be slower from around 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. as a group of more than 250 motorcyclists from the American Legion Riders will be traveling to Washington, D.C. on the concluding leg of the National Flag Foundation’s Sojourn 250. The group will be transporting a U.S. Flag that will have traveled to every U.S. state, territory and overseas cemetery before finishing in Washington, D.C. for the nation’s 250^th birthday celebration.

This is the first major holiday travel period since full enforcement of “Paul Miller's Law” went into effect in Pennsylvania, prohibiting the use of hand-held devices while driving, even while stopped temporarily due to traffic, a red light, or other momentary delay. Drivers convicted of using a hand-held device while driving will pay a $50 fine, plus court costs and other fees. Drivers can still use their phones to alert authorities in the event of an emergency and use hands-free technology to make phone calls, use a GPS, and listen to music.

Travelers in the west will notice work continuing over the highway as the PA Turnpike nears the finish line on its conversion to Open Road Tolling (ORT). In an ORT system, tolls are charged electronically as customers drive at highway speeds without slowing down or stopping beneath overhead structures — called gantries — located between interchanges. Equipment on the gantry and in the roadway processes E-ZPass or Toll By Plate transactions. ORT reduces confusion and lane switching associated with traditional, stop-and-go tolling. The switch to ORT occurred in January 2025 for areas east of the Reading Interchange (Exit 286) and the entirety of the Northeast Extension, while the launch on the western section of the mainline PA Turnpike is scheduled for early next year.

Visitors stopping at the PA Turnpike’s 17 service plazas during the holiday can also look forward to America250 patriotic-themed giveaways, promotions and in-plaza activities. Additionally, Allentown, King of Prussia and Valley Forge customers will also enjoy a 3D chalk art experience that blends World Cup and America250 imagery by artist Erik Greenawalt, known as the Chalking Dad for his social media followers. Customers to the Allentown, King of Prussia, Bowmansville, Peter J. Camiel and Valley Forge service plazas can also take advantage of special promotions and activities related to the World Cup, including soccer-themed photo opportunities.

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.
• 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.
• And remember, you can 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.

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

Changeable Message Signs: more than 200 boards along the PA Turnpike

ON THE WEB

511/511pa.com: live, interactive map

X/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, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

A national transportation leader, the Pennsylvania Turnpike (PA Turnpike) is the second largest tolling facility in the United States with the most miles. The PA Turnpike proudly supports safety and convenience for its more than 550,000 daily customers through 24-7 roadside assistance, round-the-clock food and fuel at 17 service plazas and a dedicated maintenance force and State Police Troop. The PA Turnpike’s approximately 1,400-person local workforce is unified in its mission; to operate a safe, reliable, customer-valued toll road system that supports national mobility and commerce. For more information about the PA Turnpike’s mission, vision and values, please visit Home | PA Turnpike.

 

###

Media Contacts:

Crispin Havener, Assistant Press Secretary: (717) 870-2841, chavener@paturnpike.com

Marissa Orbanek, Press Secretary: (267) 408-5151, morbanek@paturnpike.com