Pennsylvania Turnpike officials expect a busy travel period heading into the Fourth of July weekend.

The Turnpike projects that more than 5.88 million motorists will be traveling on the Turnpike system from Friday, June 27, through Sunday, July 6. This is a projected increase of 3.4% compared to last year’s traffic tally during the same 10-day period, according to a provided news release.

Officials project the busiest day of holiday-related travel on Friday, June 27, with an estimated 725,000 motorists hitting the roads.

All roadway construction and maintenance projects will be suspended beginning Friday, June 27, at 5 a.m. and remain suspended until Sunday, July 6, at 11 p.m. to ensure as many lanes as possible remain open.

Turnpike safety

Pennsylvania State Police Troop T will have extra patrols during the holiday period to ensure drivers are obeying the rules of the road while driving responsibly.

This Fourth of July also marks the first major holiday travel period since “Paul Miller’s Law” went into effect across Pennsylvania, prohibiting the use of handheld devices while driving, even when stopped temporarily due to traffic, a red light, or other momentary delay.

Drivers are always encouraged to practice safe driving habits, including driving responsibly, powering off their 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 at least 20 mph below the posted speed limit.