Associated Press Published

W.Va. Turnpike Prepares for Holiday Travel Surge

West Virginia Turnpike

The West Virginia Turnpike is preparing for its busiest travel period.
 
The turnpike’s governing agency, the West Virginia Parkways Authority, plans to fully staff all three toll plazas along the 88-mile highway during the Thanksgiving travel period’s peak hours. There also will be temporary toll booths with additional collectors.

But Parkways general manager Greg Barr tells the Charleston Daily Mail that the extra help might not be enough.
 
Barr says a toll plaza might be able to handle about 2,000 transactions an hour. During peak hours, traffic is typically heavier.
 
The turnpike typically has two peak periods. One is between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. Wednesday. The other is between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Sunday.
 
Barr advises motorists to avoid traveling during the peak periods.