Penn State Traffic Reports

[mock3]

What about non-gameday traffic. With the university expanding every day, that town is overloaded for the infostructure it has, the roads are 10 years behind where they should be and Traffic is bad in parts of town in general. With all the construction, it does change frequently. A traffic report during the drive hours might be usefull.

I would have to agree with that. Regular traffic reports would be nice. I know a few people who have mentioned that idea. Perhaps Forever could get the ball rolling. One traffic guy for all of the stations...doesn't seem like it would be a bad idea. You could build a special traffic studio. There are already some camera feeds online from the downtown.

 

[ameyer]

Well I drove to the PSU game yesterday and I have to say that even though it was a slow go, we were moving 95% of the time...Everybody knew what was up and knew to stay away from the stadium if they had no business being there, so why the need for a traffic report, it will only irritate the people sitting in traffic NOT going to the game even more.

As for a regular traffic report, STATE COLLEGE is not PHILLY, not near enough traffic problems to even warrant a traffic report.

 

[mock3]

As for a regular traffic report, STATE COLLEGE is not PHILLY, not near enough traffic problems to even warrant a traffic report.

There are enough traffic problems to warrant a regular traffic report. It would add value to any radio station that did it. I've sat in State College traffic so many times and wondered if I should choose another/quicker route. I would tune into a radio station just to get that traffic report.

I realize there is a big difference between State College and NY, Chicago, Minneapolis, Atlanta, Columbus, etc. I'm definitely no stranger to big city traffic--I drive in it daily; however, I still see the usefulness of traffic reports in Centre County.

In addition to adding value to the station, it would also help the station sound less small town. G101 can skip the improvments if it seems like a bad idea. College kids walk and ride the bus more anyway. Let the other PDs who liked the idea use it to better their programming and attract the many commuters from the surrounding towns and counties.

 

[ameyer]

There will never be a traffic report done in State College, cause it is a stupid idea...When was the last time you sat in traffic for more than 30 minutes just because there were too many cars on the road and it was a holding it up? Construction and accidents don't count!

You never have! That is the main reason a traffic report is stupid...there is not enough traffic to cause a problem on the roadways that would be useful...if you sit in traffic for 10 minutes you think there needs to be a traffic report, here is an idea leave a little earlier, geez...State College not even Altoona is big enough for a traffic report and Altoona is classified as a CITY!

When Channel 10 and Channel 6 start doing traffic then I will consider it! They won't start anytime soon, WHY? Cause it is a stupid idea!

 

[wiifm]

There will never be a traffic report done in State College, cause it is a stupid idea...When was the last time you sat in traffic for more than 30 minutes just because there were too many cars on the road and it was a holding it up? Construction and accidents don't count!

You never have! That is the main reason a traffic report is stupid...there is not enough traffic to cause a problem on the roadways that would be useful...if you sit in traffic for 10 minutes you think there needs to be a traffic report, here is an idea leave a little earlier, geez...State College not even Altoona is big enough for a traffic report and Altoona is classified as a CITY!

When Channel 10 and Channel 6 start doing traffic then I will consider it! They won't start anytime soon, WHY? Cause it is a stupid idea!

For what it is worth, I pretty much agree with you.

For a guy who is nearly 30 years old and toiling away in market #255, you seem to have a lot of confidence in your own opinions. I find that both admirable and laughable.

 

[Snafu]

Channel 6 already does traffic. Has done it in the morning news block for the last six years. Comes out of the Metro Traffic office in Pittsburgh.

 

[ameyer]

Yeah because Pittsburgh knows what is going on in State College and Altoona...come on people listen to yourselves sit back and realize how stupid you sound.

I may be sitting and toying in market 255 but before you cast your doubts I have worked in market 130 which if anybody also didn't need a traffic report it was that market, but it did help commuters from Reading to Philly to know what was up with traffic in Philly, market 68 which did traffic and I might add that is was needed, hell it is needed all day long there as a matter of fact I think there are a few stations that do traffic all day long now, and market 246 and if anybody in a small market like that needed a traffic report it was that market, lets talk about the number of people in one town using the same road cause it is the only MAIN road. I have a friend who works in market 8 that looked at these posts and almost died from laughing.

Point is when you step back and look this is a very dumb idea. State College has it's share of traffic problems, but to this day unless for construction I have not sat on a road in State College for more than 20 minutes. Go to Allentown or Philly or Washington DC and see how long it takes to go a mile on a 4 lane road, when that becomes the same issue in State College, then it will be time to look into doing a traffic report. For now though come one people one accident a month that closes down I-80 or 220 really does not warrant a traffic report everyday.

Perfect example of what I am trying to say. When traffic in State College looks like a football Saturday every day of the week...THAT will be the day for a traffic report. Now someone will say well what about a traffic report for the game...case in point. Anybody who lives within a 150 mile radius who pays attention knows that you stay away from Beaver Stadium and points around it on game day. People going to the game have been sitting in that same traffic for years they know what to expect...it is pointless.

Going back to Erik's original post...a traffic report may be merited in Lewistown if traffic is a slow go, cause that is 45 minutes from the stadium and if it is slow you maybe looking at an extra hour or so. A lot of traffic trying to merge in the narrows will cause a backlog too. It still does not warrant State College to do a traffic report around the stadium, I know we would announce a problem in Lewistown on 322 or even 220 between Bald Eagle and Port Matilda because this would delay you even longer, but a traffic report around the stadium or every day for that matter is just a plain dumb idea

 

[clangham]

Here is a traffic report;

Chopper 101.1 is in the air and as we are flying towards the "End Zone" near Skytop mountain, there seems to be a considerable amount of congestion as traffic is flowing into the lot. Don't forget , tonight is couples night. LOL

 

[ameyer]

Crossroads is much better than the End Zone

 

[Hermes]

you know you're in a small market when there's 126 posts about traffic with a town that has 8 cops on the force - just keep beating the dead horse

 

[wacowx]

Having lived in State College for over 10 years and now living in Houston, TX...I agree, there is no comparison in traffic issues.

BUT

A delay of 10 minutes when your commute is usually only 5 or 6 minutes IS a big issue and if a traffic report could alert you of problems...let's say around the intersection of Circleville and Science Park Rds. (more than the usual in the morning let's say), some folks might be able to bypass by taking Blue Course Drive and avoid the backup and get to work or school on time.

Just because traffic delays in State College rarely, if ever, exceed 20 minutes does not mean there shouldn't be a traffic report. I would say that in NEPA, they never sit in traffic for 20 minutes either, but they have been doing traffic reports for 15 years or so in Wilkes-Barre...multiple stations too. They seem to have developed the infrastructure to have in-road sensors installed so their traffic can now be viewed online as in the 'big' cities.

I feel it would be an excellent investment and provide a competitive edge...something to draw folks to local radio when so many people are now listeing to mp3s and satellite radio in their cars. Why would anyone in local radio turn up their noses to something that would help stems the losses to satellite and other non-local programming? I don't get it.

Realize that Happy Valley sits now at the intersection of two interstates and will soon be growing even more as the final link over Skytop is completed. You might just get your 20 minute delays soon enough...then I guess it would be finally OK to start thinking about a traffic report. :

That being said (to answer the original post)...the traffic on game days is just an overwhelming taxing of the local roadways and it would be difficult to provide any value by reporting that roads are backed-up. There are precious few 'alternate routes' on gameday. Knowledge of a delay or major accident at Skytop MIGHT allow some people to bypass along 550 or similar, but a typical game-day traffic report would simply have to be an estimation of travel times on the various inbound roads. I would think a daily report would be of much better value to local listeners.

Mark

 

[Parttimer]

OK I never said I was a consultant did I?

Second of all they do not bring in extra police from Hollidaysburg unless it is a big weekend..I.E Notre Dame, Homecoming, Michigan, Michigan State...ect...There was a big write up about it in the CDT a few weeks ago.

There is really no need for a traffic report, if you have been to one Penn State Football game you know very well that regardless of what you do there is going to be traffic...College Ave, Park Ave, 322, 220, Fox Follow Road, Porter Road, Atherton Street, University Drive are all going to be clogged...if you are from anywhere in Centre, Blair, Huntingdon, Mifflin, Clinton, Clearfield ect counties you know to stay away from State College and the stadium on a home football weekend...

If you sent part timers out to sit in the traffic and give reports they would just add to the mess that is already being created, the idea is mute...by the way I did morning and afternoon traffic for a major market station and we only mentioned to stay away from the stadium when there was a game going on, we didn't dwell on what streets were clogged...as most all the stations in State College do now....

Allow yourself a little extra time around the stadium today with the game and the extra traffic, that's all you need...

I was leaving the Daytona 500 a few years ago and my wife and I noticed a guy a few cars over who clearly just went out for a pack of cigarettes or something like that and had no idea there was anything going on, and was just going ballistic about being gridlocked. Funniest thing I've seen in years....