‘Potential traffic delays’ could loom for some Penn State fans. What to know for Saturday
Another Penn State football weekend, another warning about traffic.
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, motorists heading to Beaver Stadium from the Harrisburg area should be aware of the “potential for delays” along Route 22 in Walker Township (Juniata County). The warning comes due to a bridge preservation project involving the bridges spanning Route 2003 (Doe Run Road) about a mile before the Port Royal Exit. The bridges are restricted to a single lane in both directions.
Travel times to Beaver Stadium are expected to be displayed along U.S. Route 22/322 so drivers can consider alternate routes, PennDOT said.
Still, for locals and fans coming from other directions, there is some good, traffic-related news around State College.
Not only did the borough announce that it has lifted the on-street parking restriction that forbids parking from 2 a.m. to 6 a.m. — it will go back into effect 2 a.m. Monday — but a PennDOT spokesperson said construction on Atherton Street isn’t expected to cause delays Saturday.
Crews will not work Friday or Saturday to minimize the impacts of those traveling for Saturday night’s White Out game. Although long-term traffic control measures will remain in place around Atherton Street, there are no significant obstructions like the last home game, where the turning lane from Atherton onto Beaver Avenue remained closed.
“We don’t anticipate delays any more significant than we would for any other home game,” PennDOT spokesperson Timothy Nebgen told the CDT in an email.
No. 7 Penn State is set to host No. 24 Iowa at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in the annual White Out game, an environment that has been repeatedly hailed as one of the best in college football. Sold-out crowds of about 110,000 routinely attend the game, and the cheapest tickets on the secondary market are currently going for $153 — making it the nation’s second-hottest college football ticket behind Ohio State-Notre Dame.
Penn State parking lots will open 8 a.m. Saturday. Premium gates to the stadium will open at 4:30 p.m., family-friendly gates at 5 p.m. and all other public gates at 5:30 p.m.
One-way traffic patterns and traffic restrictions around the stadium will go into effect at 5 p.m. Saturday. The university is encouraging fans to arrive early.
For current roadway conditions and delays, visit 511PA.com.
