Getting Away This Weekend? MassPike Will See Huge Spike In Traffic

The Friday before Mother's Day marks the return of weekend escapes and the high traffic that goes along with them.

Traffic this weekend is expected to be very heavy at interchanges with I-495 and on 495 North itself.

Statistics from 2012 toll transactions ranked the Friday before Mother’s Day as the heaviest traffic day on the Turnpike with more than 363,000 transactions logged between Interstate 95/Route 128 and the New York border. Friday nights in the warm weather months accounted for the top 20 heaviest travel days on the Turnpike last year.

The heaviest traffic is expected Friday and Sunday afternoons and early evenings.  Drivers are encouraged to make travel plans accordingly and if possible avoid peak traffic volumes between 1pm and 7pm on those days.