State College gameday traffic

[CHIP72]

Originally Posted by mwruckman

I'll make a recommendation for driving west on the PA Turnpike and then getting off at Altoona and taking I-99 north to the 322 junction and then going east to State College. All the traffic from Eastern PA and Maryland is funnelled to Harrisburg so 322 is a mess. There is a toll on the Turnpike.

That trip would be about twice as long mileage-wise, in addition to adding a toll. NO ONE who lives in the Harrisburg goes to State College that way, even on days when Penn State is playing a home football game.

[CHIP72]

Originally Posted by MobileBama

One more question.

We would like to tour campus/downtown State College instead of going directly to the stadium before the game. Can you walk from campus/downtown to the stadium? How is game day parking on campus/downtown? I know most people park around the stadium.

We'll probably leave Harrisburg around 6:30am to leave plenty of time for sightseeing.

Thanks again for your time!

I should note that if you left Harrisburg at 6:30 AM, you probably wouldn't encounter any traffic problems on US 322 because you'd be on the road earlier than almost everybody.

[PeeAye Native]

This game is next weekend.

[psulions2007]

I would suggest leaving Harrisburg at around 6 AM... I'm not kidding... if you want to get anything done before the game (tailgating, touring the town, etc.)

[psulions2007]

Addendum:

Major flooding is predicted along the Juniata River at Lewistown (28.5 feet Thu Noon)... Moderate Flooding at Newport... and depending on how much more rain Central PA gets, it is certainly possible for those values to continue to increase.

I highly, highly, highly suggest that anyone that is planning on traveling 322 to monitor the road conditions prior to the game and seek alternate routes if necessary.

At Lewistown, here are key levels for the Juniata:

35 Widespread inundation occurs on both banks of the river. A large portion of Lewistown is affected by flood waters.
32 The right...or south bank begins to overflow. Expect water up to 6 feet deep in houses on West Elizabeth Street. Expect water up to 2 feet deep in houses on South Main Street.
30 Widespread inundation occurs in and around Lewistown. Water reaches South Main Street.
28 Considerable flood damage occurs to homes and businesses in and around Lewistown.
27 Several homes on West Elizabeth Street will flood. Route 22 is also affected.
25 Basement flooding occurs in the low lying areas adjacent to the river and Kishacoquillas Creek. Athletic fields will be inundated.
23 Basements of a few homes in the lowest lying areas will flood. Backwater on Kishacoquillas Creek will affect the athletic fields.


...so considering how close 322 gets to the Juniata, it is quite possible that it may be over the road at spots. Please stay safe and seek alternate routes if necessary!

[ki0eh]

Also major flooding forecast on the Susquehanna at Harrisburg. The first place to close on the route up thataway is the US 22/322 railroad underpass at Dauphin Boro. Next is the western approach to the Susquehanna River bridge near Duncannon.

There are potential midstate trouble spots along Routes 22/322, said spokesman Greg Penny.
As the Susquehanna River approaches 19 feet, Routes 22/322 can flood at the Dauphin underpass. PennDOT uses pumps to clear the water at that spot, but if the heavy rains continue, the pumps might not be able to keep up with all the water, he said.
As the Susquehanna approaches 22 feet, Routes 22/322 floods at a low area just west of the Clarks Ferry Bridge.

[PeeAye Native]

Another update about parking at Beaver Stadium: Penn State fans might be redirected from grass lots to offsite parking for Alabama game | PennLive.com

And here: Penn State Live - Weather-related parking changes announced for Alabama game

[ki0eh]

Pennsylvania State Police cautioning motorists about Penn State-Alabama game traffic | PennLive.com

It may very well be a good weekend to head west on the Turnpike then north.