I-76W to I-283N to PA 322 (Lancaster, Harrisburg: college, medical)

[discndav]

Is this route busy during the morning rush hour (btw 7:30a -8a)?

[mville1]

To simply answer your question: yes. The I-76 leg of that commute is not terrible, but the 1-283N to PA 322 can be quite busy, although by 8am you might be okay.

[ki0eh]

Yes, there is often slowing on the I-283 approach to the I-83/US 322 interchange (referred to by locals and traffic reports as the "Eisenhower Interchange"). There is also routine slowing on the ramp transition from PA 283 westbound to I-283 (and vice versa) but the lanes greatly favor the I-76/Turnpike approaches from I-283 following a rebuild a few years back of the Harrisburg East PA Turnpike interchange.

If you are taking US 322 east toward Hershey an alternative to reaching the medical complex may be to use PA 283 expressway to the Middletown/Hummelstown exit (no number) and north on Vine St/Middletown Rd (road name changes at municipal line). You won't be the first to discover this route as both Wood Rd and the US 322 service road intersections coming from Middletown Rd back up as well.

If you are coming from Philly, taking the Lebanon/Lancaster interchange off the Turnpike to PA 72 briefly north to US 322 west is a better routine choice to Hershey and east although this sees volume traffic light delays through Campbelltown and Hershey in rush hour.

If you are coming from York the I-76/I-283 route is far superior than taking I-83 in rush hour through two additional bottlenecks - the "York Split" or PA 581 interchange, and 19th St in Harrisburg where I-83 transitions from three to two lanes northbound.

If you are continuing westbound on US 322 as it joins I-83 north then I-81 south then US 22 west toward State College, there really is no routine better choice than to follow the signed routes. Only if there is a total lane blocking wreck on the weekend would the shorter surface road PA 230 from Highspire through Steelton and the City of Harrisburg to US 22/322 be a better choice.

[discndav]

Thanks Ki0eh, I'll be going past State College to I-80. Your last paragraph is a great help.