The West Virginia Parkways Authority is preparing for a busy Christmas holiday travel season. The West Virginia Turnpike is expecting 1.48 million transactions on the Turnpike over the 14-day travel period from Friday, December 20, 2024, through Thursday, January 2, 2025.
The West Virginia Parkways Authority reviewed last year’s travel numbers and data from 2019, which had the same travel days for the week of Christmas and New Year’s Day as 2024, to formulate the travel forecast.
“The 14-day Christmas/ New Years traffic forecast is a bit different than other holidays throughout the year as traffic tends to be more spread out throughout the two-week period,” said Jeff Miller, Executive Director of the West Virginia Parkways Authority.
“Christmas and New Years Day being on Wednesdays this year last occurred in 2019, so a review of days and transactions was performed to compare those travel days to 2024 YTD transactions and 2023 Christmas holiday transactions. We estimate that we will have 1.48 million transactions over this 14-day period surrounding the Holidays.”
Friday, December 20, 2024, is expected to be the busiest travel day of the holiday period with 140,000 toll transactions at the three toll plazas. The full estimate of transactions for each day is as follows.
- Friday 12/20/24 – 140,000
- Saturday 12/21/24 – 130,000
- Sunday 12/22/24 – 135,000
- Monday 12/23/24 – 105,000
- Tuesday 12/24/24 (Christmas Eve) – 52,500
- Wednesday 12/25/24 (Christmas) – 52,000
- Thursday 12/26/24 – 130,000
- Friday 12/27/24 – 130,000
- Saturday 12/28/24 – 120,000
- Sunday 12/29/24 – 115,000
- Monday 12/30/24 – 105,000
- Tuesday 12/31/24 (New Years Eve) – 75,000
- Wednesday 1/1/25 (New Years Day) – 85,000
- Thursday 1/2/25 – 105,000
“As always, the Parkways Authority will be well prepared and at times the West Virginia Turnpike will experience heavy amounts of traffic during peak travel times, on certain days. Please plan accordingly, and please sign up for your E-ZPass accounts.” Miller said.
Miller urges motorists to plan and organize their trip through the West Virginia Turnpike to minimize time at the toll booths. As always, the E-ZPass offers the quickest way to negotiate Turnpike toll booths.
To get an E-ZPass, or to renew an existing E-ZPass, click HERE. Drivers may also apply in person at the West Virginia Parkways Authority E-ZPass Customer Service Center, 3310 Piedmont Road, Charleston, West Virginia 25306, or at the Beckley Customer Service Center located at 12 Pikeview Drive, Beckley, West Virginia 25801.
The tolls for passenger vehicles are $4.25 per plaza.
