The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation has launched a special traffic webpage on its 511PA travel information site to help people heading to the NFL Draft in Pittsburgh navigate expected congestion, the agency said.
The page, available through www.511PA.com, focuses on major routes into the city and shows reported crashes, construction, traffic speeds, road message boards, and live camera views, PennDOT said.
PennDOT said it will activate 40 additional cameras in the Pittsburgh area during the event and deploy 32 additional electronic message boards to help direct motorists.
State officials have said they expect about 600,000 fans to attend draft events in Pittsburgh, a turnout that could bring intermittent backups and heavier pedestrian traffic downtown and on nearby highways.
The specialized page is at www.511PA.com/map/page/NFL, according to the agency.
“We encourage the public to use 511PA to plan the route that works best for them — whether they’re joining the Draft events or traveling through the area,” PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll said in a statement.
The webpage lists average travel times on primary routes into the city from four directions and includes public transportation maps and a link to Pittsburgh Regional Transit, PennDOT said.
PennDOT also said its Western Region Traffic Management Center will post real-time updates on changeable message signs and urged drivers to expect changing traffic patterns, slow-moving vehicles, and increased foot traffic near event areas.
A statewide list of road and ramp closures and detours tied to the Draft is available online, PennDOT said. The Pittsburgh State Office Driver’s License Center at 708 Smithfield St. will be closed Thursday, April 23, and Friday, April 24, because of anticipated traffic impacts.
PennDOT said online driver and vehicle services remain available around the clock at pa.gov/dmv.
The free 511PA service provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, and access to more than 1,200 traffic cameras statewide, the agency said. It is available at www.511PA.com, through the 511 phone line, and via a smartphone app.
About Rich Schwartzman
Rich Schwartzman has been reporting on events in the greater Chadds Ford area since September 2001 when he became the founding editor of The Chadds Ford Post. In April 2009 he became managing editor of ChaddsFordLive. He is also an award-winning photographer.
