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Thanksgiving travel on Pennsylvania Turnpike turned upside down by COVID-19

PITTSBURGH — Pennsylvania Turnpike officials say COVID-19 has turned things upside down for Thanksgiving, which is typically the busiest travel holiday of the year.

Officials said most people appear to be playing it safe, so the Turnpike is expected to be far less crowded this year.

This year, Turnpike officials are expecting about 2.8 million cars over the six-day long holiday stretch.

“We’re anticipating 20% less traffic volume, but it’s hard to say. I mean, more people are traveling by car, but then, you know, we do see a lot of people who are going to listen to the guidelines and just stay home,” Renee Colborn, Pennsylvania Turnpike Public Information Manager, said.

The expected decrease in traffic volume is due to the surge in COVID-19 cases, along with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines and Gov. Tom Wolf’s stay-at-home advisory and mitigation efforts.

For those who head out onto the Turnpike, Wednesday is expected to see the highest volume of traffic, particularly between 3 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Cashless tolling is in place along the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Drivers who don’t have an E-ZPass will get a bill in the mail.

Turnpike service plazas are open, but people are asked to follow safety guidelines. There are signs posted about social distancing and masking up.