DOT: Pope to complicate Friday evening commute

If you’ve driven on a New Jersey highway this past week, you’ve likely seen the signs.

“Major events in NYC. Plan ahead. Expect delays.”

The signs were rolled out last week in advance of Pope Francis’ arrival to the United States.

New Jersey Department of Transportation spokesperson Steve Schapiro said they’re part of an effort to make sure motorist are prepared for the upcoming events in New York City and Philadelphia and the effect they’ll have on New Jersey roadways.

In Morris County, Schapiro said Friday would be the worst day for travelers, as most of the Pope’s events in New York City – including a 6 p.m. Mass at Madison Square Garden – are planned for that day.

A United Nations general assembly Friday will further congest traffic, Schapiro said.

“There’s the expectation that there’s a lot of people that will be trying to get a glimpse of the Pope. Traffic is expected to be very heavy around the 6 p.m. Mass,” Schapiro said. “We recommend taking alternative routes, the PATH, the ferries. Stay out of the area of Penn Station and consider traveling off peak hours. If you have to travel, be patient. Expect congestion, crowded trains and crowded platforms.”

Commuters and those traveling into New York City are also encouraged to get any transportation tickets in advance for the day.

The Pope lands in New York City at 5 p.m. Thursday, departing for Philadelphia at 8:40 a.m. Saturday for the World Meeting of Families.

For that event, the Ben Franklin Bridge will be closed to motorists from 10 p.m. Friday to noon Monday, causing a “ripple effect’ for those attempting to pass through the area.

Portions of Interstate 676 and Route 30 will be closed near the bridge which, coupled with mass volume on the roadways around Philadelphia, will cause delays on other major thruways.

Interstate 295 and the New Jersey Turnpike will likely receive overflow traffic, and those attempting to pass through the state during the Pope’s visit are advised to plan an alternate route, Schapiro said.

DOT has set up a special Twitter handle for the Pope’s visit, @511NJ_Papal, to provide people with real-time updates on roadways.

New Jersey residents and event attendees traveling from the state can also go to www.popenj.com for additional information.

A rare and historic event, it’s been difficult for officials to estimate the added strain the Pope’s visit will have on travel.

Airports are expecting travel similar to that of a major holiday and AAA Travel spokesperson Cathleen Lewis, who regularly provides travel estimates for holidays, said there were no specific estimates available for the Pope’s visit.

“This is unprecedented in the footprint of its impact,” Lewis said.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey issued an advisory Wednesday morning also advising people to avoid mass transit and telecommute if possible during the papal visit.

And while there are no plans to add more buses or trains at the moment, they will be available on standby if needed, according to the advisory.

People can check http://www.paalerts.com for those updates.

Staff Writer Michael Izzo: 973-428-6636; mizzo@GannettNJ.com