As travelers get ready to celebrate America’s 249th birthday, the Pennsylvania Turnpike is preparing for a busy holiday travel period.

The PA Turnpike projects that more than 5.88 million motorists will be traveling on the PA Turnpike system from June 27 through July 6. This is a projected increase of 3.4% compared to last year’s traffic tally during the same 10-day period (Independence Day in 2024 was on a Thursday).

Looking ahead the busiest travels days are expected to be Tuesday (635,000 motorists), Wednesday (650,000) and Thursday (685,000).

With many leading travel experts predicting another national record for travel this year, the PA Turnpike will be doing its part to help keep vehicles moving. The PA Turnpike’s GEICO Safety Patrol safety teams throughout the system on the busiest days to assure travelers get to their destinations safely. All roadway construction and maintenance projects will be suspended until 11 p.m. July 6 to ensure as many lanes are open as possible.

Pennsylvania State Police Troop T will have extra patrols during the holiday period to ensure drivers are following the posted speed limits, allowing proper distance between other vehicles and maintaining general respect for other motorists and driving conditions. This is the first major holiday travel period since “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.

Additionally, a new law that went into effect last November bans devices that flip vehicle license plates to bypass tolls, engage in reckless driving, and facilitate more serious crimes without detection. Drivers caught with these devices commit a summary offense and shall, upon conviction, pay a fine of $2,000.