Want real-time Penn State traffic updates on game day? There's now a website for that

An age-old question facing Penn State fans preparing to travel to State College for game day is a simple one: ‘I wonder how bad traffic is?’ Thanks to a new feature on PennDot’s 511PA website, there’s now an answer to that.

Appropriately dubbed ‘The Penn State Football page,’ it allows travelers to see how long it might take to reach their specific parking zone via various access roads. The website doesn’t cover all of them, of course. But, it gives a snapshot of the most popular ones, such as using I-99 North to access the south zone or 322 West to get into the east lots.

“511PA is a valuable tool to empower the public and minimize congestion,” PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll. “By providing this real-time information, motorists can more easily plan the route that works best for them as they travel to Penn State football games this fall.”

You can access the site by clicking here. PennDot says that real-time updates will start on Thursdays before home games, like Saturday’s 3:30 p.m. ET clash with Nevada, and continue through Monday.

Here’s a screenshot of what the page looks like:

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PennDot shares construction projects that could impact Penn State game day traffic

Here’s the rundown for Penn State fans. It is courtesy of a news release:

Possible Centre County traffic impacts for Penn State games:

• Work on a high-speed interchange between Interstates 80 and 99 is ongoing and active nightly, between 6:00 PM and 6:00 AM. Drivers should expect to encounter off-road truck traffic crossing the highway at three points: along Forest Avenue, Route 26 (Jacksonville Road), and Interstate 80 at the eastbound ramps. Flaggers in the roadway will assist with traffic control at each of these crossings. Portable lights will be at each crossing to improve visibility.
• Bridge replacement projects along Interstate 80 between mile markers 166 and 168 is ongoing; the right (travel) lane is closed.
• Work is ongoing on Interstate 80 between Exit 161 (Bellefonte) and Exit 163 (Jacksonville). The northbound lane heading toward Howard is currently closed. The southbound lane is open only to northbound traffic. Southbound traffic heading toward Bellefonte/State College must merge onto I-80 westbound using Walt Road at the 163/Jacksonville interchange and follow it to the 161/Bellefonte interchange to reconnect with Route 26. A 10-foot width restriction is in place under this traffic configuration. So, PennDOT is urging drivers, especially those traveling in Recreational Vehicles, to slow down and exercise caution traveling through the zone. PennDOT expects to switch traffic to the northbound lane in mid-September, at which time the width restriction will change to 11 feet. PennDOT expects work in 2025 to wrap later in the fall with both lanes reopening in time for Thanksgiving.
• A bridge preservation project along Route 322, at Route 3010 (Warner Boulevard) and Spring Creek in College Township is ongoing. Motorists should expect daylight lane closures between Monday morning and Thursday evening. The contractor will reopen all lanes to traffic on the Friday before any Penn State home football matchups.

Potential Clearfield County traffic impacts for Penn State games:

• A preservation project on Interstate 80 between mile markers 97 and 120 is ongoing. Westbound traffic will encounter a right (travel) lane closure at Exit 97 (Brockway-DuBois). The contract for this project stipulates that no work will take place from Friday through Sunday during the week of home football games.

Potential Juniata County traffic impacts for Nittany Lion games:

• A bridge rehabilitation project on Route 22 just east of the Thompsontown interchange in Delaware Township is ongoing. The right (travel) lane is closed in the eastbound direction. And the left (passing) lane is closed in the westbound direction. These lane closures will remain in place for the duration of the home football schedule.
• A safety improvement project to install high-tension cable median barrier is ongoing along Route 22 in Fermanagh Township. Motorists should expect single lane closures. All lane closures will be lifted by 6:00 AM the Friday before home football matchups. They will be open until 6:00 AM Monday.

Juniata & Mifflin counties:

• A restoration project is ongoing along Route 22. Motorists should expect single-lane closures. All lane closures will be lifted by 6:00 AM the Friday before home football matchups. They will be open until 6:00 AM Monday.

Blue-White Illustrated has additional Penn State game day traffic information from PennDOT here.