PennDOT Releases Preliminary Traffic Count Numbers After CSVT Opening
Montoursville, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) has released data from preliminary traffic censuses conducted four months after the opening of the northern section of the Central Susquehanna Valley Transportation (CSVT) project.
The latest traffic estimates show that the CSVT River Bridge handles approximately 12,000 vehicles, including 3,100 trucks, daily. Traffic counts on Route 15 and Route 405 appear to show that CSVT removed north-south through traffic from both Lewisburg Borough in Union County and Northumberland Borough in Northumberland County.
Route 15 south of Lewisburg Borough:
- Total daily traffic counted (16,000) was around 30% less than before the opening of the CSVT Northern line (23,000).
- The number of trucks counted daily (1,500) was around 30% lower than before the opening of the CSVT north section (2,100).
Route 405 (old Route 147) north of Northumberland Borough:
- Total daily traffic counted (8,000) was around 40% less than before the opening of the CSVT Northern line (13,000).
- The number of trucks counted daily (800) was around 75% less than before the opening of the CSVT north section (3,100).
CSVT does not appear to have significantly affected east-west traffic on Route 45 between the existing major north-south Route 15 and Route 147 roads.
Route 45 near Montandon:
- Total daily traffic counted (8,000) was around 10% less than before the opening of the CSVT Northern line (9,000).
- The daily counted truck volume (400) was about 20% less than before the opening of the CSVT north section (500).
“I am pleased that the preliminary data shows that the new road is removing through traffic from local communities as expected,” said District Executive Eric High. “Separating transit traffic from mass transit helps reduce congestion and manage growth while improving safety.”
Preliminary estimates are based on traffic counts conducted in October 2022. After a new highway opens, it can take a year or more for new travel patterns to become established. PennDOT expects to conduct additional traffic counts in late 2023 to further assess the impact of opening the CSVT North Section.
PennDOT notes that comparisons to traffic censuses conducted prior to the CSVT Northern Section opening in July 2022 are complicated by the following:
- Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic that initially began in 2020 and partially continues to this day (due to long-term shifts to teleworking).
- Impact of the Duke Street reconstruction project in Northumberland, completed 2017-2020.
- Natural fluctuations in traffic levels that occur from day to day and from year to year.
Because of these different circumstances, the above comparisons of traffic levels before and after the opening of the CSVT North Section should be considered approximate.
Motorists can check major road conditions by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24/7, provides traffic delay alerts, weather forecasts, traffic speed information and access to 1,000+ traffic cameras.
511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional Twitter alerts.
Subscribe to PennDOT news and traffic alerts in Tioga, Bradford, Lycoming, Sullivan, Union, Snyder, Northumberland, Montour and Columbia counties at www.penndot.pa.gov/District3.
Information on District 3 infrastructure, including completed work and notable projects, is available at www.penndot.gov/D3Results. PennDOT’s planned and active construction projects can be found at www.projects.penndot.gov.
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MEDIA CONTACT: Maggie Baker, 570-368-4202 or [email protected].
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