In October of 2023, updated traffic counts were taken in the Northern Section of the Central Susquehanna Valley Transportation (CSVT) Project which indicated that the project has had a substantial impact on traffic patterns in the region.
The new highway opened to traffic in July 2022, and updated traffic counts (counts), performed in October 2023 found that the CSVT River Bridge is carrying roughly 16,000 vehicles per day, including 3,800 trucks. These latest counts show that more motorists are using the new bridge in October 2023 than in October 2022, when initial counts found roughly 12,000 vehicles per day, including 3,100 trucks, were using the new river bridge.
Updated counts on other area highways appear to confirm that CSVT has removed substantial volumes of north-south through traffic from both Route 15 in Lewisburg Borough, Union County and Route 405 (formerly Route 147) in Northumberland Borough, Northumberland County when compared to counts taken before CSVT was constructed. Compared to initial counts performed in October 2022 (four months after the new CSVT highway opened), the latest counts found that traffic volumes on Route 15 were further reduced, while traffic volumes on Route 405 were unchanged from those taken in 2022.
Below are highlights from the updated counts on the following roadways:
Route 15 south of Lewisburg Borough:
- The daily total traffic volume counted in October 2023 (15,000) was roughly 35% less than prior to the CSVT Northern Section opening (23,000). The daily total traffic volume counted in October 2022 was 16,000.
- The daily truck volume counted in October 2023 (1,200) was roughly 45% less than prior to the CSVT Northern Section opening (2,100). The daily truck volume counted in October 2022 was 1,500.
Route 405 (old Route 147) north of Northumberland Borough:
- The daily total traffic volume counted in October 2022 and October 2023 (8,000) was roughly 40% less than prior to the CSVT Northern Section opening (13,000).
- The daily truck volume counted in October 2023 (700) was roughly 75% less than prior to the CSVT Northern Section opening (3,100). The daily truck volume counted in October 2022 was 800.
Route 45 near Montandon:
- The daily total traffic volume counted in October 2022 and October 2023 (8,000) was roughly 10% less than prior to the CSVT Northern Section opening (9,000).
- The daily truck volume counted in October 2022 and October 2023 (400) was roughly 20% less than prior to the CSVT Northern Section opening (500).
Data currently indicates that CSVT has not substantially affected east-west traffic on Route 45 between the existing major north-south roadways of Route 15 and Route 147.
Construction on the CSVT Southern Section began in 2022, and it is anticipated to open to traffic in 2027, connecting Routes 11/15 north of Selinsgrove to Route 15 and the CSVT Northern Section south of Winfield.
PennDOT notes that comparisons to traffic counts performed prior to the July 2022 opening of the CSVT Northern Section are complicated by the following:
- Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, which originally began in 2020 and continue to some extent today (due to long-term shifts to teleworking).
- Impacts of the Duke Street reconstruction project in Northumberland, which was completed from 2017 to 2020.
- Natural fluctuations in traffic volumes that occur day-to-day and year-to-year.
Due to these various circumstances, the above comparisons of traffic volumes before and after the CSVT Northern Section opening should be considered approximate.