x
Breaking News
More () »

Hot Day On The Highway

MOOSIC — The heat isn’t keeping PennDOT crews from doing roadwork along Interstate 81 and that’s making for another long and hot day for drive...

MOOSIC -- The heat isn't keeping PennDOT crews from doing roadwork along Interstate 81 and that's making for another long and hot day for drivers trying to get from Scranton to Wilkes-Barre.

You could actually see the heat waves rising around all the cars and trucks stuck in traffic along Interstate 81 south.

Drivers on the road the past two hot days found a similar scene as they approached the Avoca exit.  Pothole patching ahead meant slow going for miles.

"All of a sudden it just hit a wall. It just started creeping along, creeping along and it got to a point where it was just a dead stop," said Dennis Rutherford of Florida.

One guy on a motorcycle said it all as he crawled by. No air conditioning for him, and little breeze here. Just read his lips "it's hot!"

While many vehicles had air conditioning cranked up, there were a lot of cars creeping by with windows open, and little refreshment.

"I got no AC," said Don McGlynn of Scranton.
"How brutal has it been being stuck in traffic without AC?"
"Oh, it stinks.  It's awful."

Traffic isn't just on the interstate.  People trying to avoid the mess there are also getting jammed up on the side roads, and it's just as hot there.

"This three-hour trip is going to turn into a six-hour trip the way things are going," said John Wallace of Lenox.

Wallace, his girlfriend, and her kids are heading from the northern tier to the Jersey Shore, a much better spot to be in the heat than sitting in traffic.

"Oh, it's horrible. Thank God for air conditioning, that's one good thing.  The kids are getting car sick, got to stop everywhere for them to go to the bathroom."

"It's been a challenge with the sick kids in the back and the heat, but we're going to enjoy our day anyway," said Karen Novobilski of Honesdale.

PennDOT said it tries to limit traffic troubles by doing necessary work before Friday and the busy summer weekends.

While the work still left many drivers hot and irritated, others let their windows open and let summer pour in.

"It's hot, it's nice though. You've got to enjoy it.  It's going to be cold all winter."

Before You Leave, Check This Out