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New Traffic Jams During Rush Hour Could Be The New Normal

By John McDevitt

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Even though speed and traffic-count data shows there is a decrease in traffic on the region's roadways, why does it appear that sitting in traffic jams is part of the morning routine for many people?

"Our new normal for the rush hour."

You may hear traffic reporter Sam Clover on KYW Newsradio talk about "The New Normal"

"The PA Turnpike in the last six months, it's really gotten bad," Clover said. "We never seen delays from Bensalem all the way out to Mid-county."

He says the delays are mainly due to construction on the turnpike and other places like City Avenue, I-95 and 295.

"Basically though the school year, that's when we see most of this traffic," Clover said.

There have also been jams on the Ben Franklin Bridge and that's without the start of a PATCO rail replacement project, which is set to get underway next month.

Dr. Christopher Puchalski with the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission says data shows there has been a slight decrease in traffic for most of the region. But that doesn't mean planners aren't interested in the traffic trends heard on traffic and transit on the twos.

"We are going to continue to monitor this and use the the information you gather to guide the transportation projects in the region."

 

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