Memorial Day Turnpike Traffic Up 5 Percent

The West Virginia Parkways Authority reported turnpike traffic stretching from the Thursday before Memorial Day to the holiday itself was up by just over 5 percent this year.

The increased traffic brought a total of 588, 739 transactions at toll plazas, totaling $1,281,926 toll revenues. That amount is up more than $65,000 from revenues collected over the Memorial Day weekend in 2014.

Overall, Parkways General Manager Greg Barr said during a meeting of the group Thursday traffic on the turnpike is up by more than 4 percent since January.

For the past nine months of toll collections toll revenues are up $3.6 million over state estimates.

Turnpike employees are now preparing for increased traffic over the 4^th of July holiday weekend.

A report from the Turnpike Authority says all toll lanes will be manned during heavy traffic periods over the holiday and additional personnel will be placed at each barrier as relief for toll collectors.