PennDOT Prepares For Papal Visit
By Steve Patterson
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Just as the city felt eerily empty Friday, so to did the highways surrounding it.
"The roads look great right now and what it tells us is that everybody has heard our message."
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Secretary Leslie Richards says "good" -- roads clear ahead of the Papal Visit is exactly what PennDOT wants.
"We want people who want to come to the event to be able to come, enjoy in a safe way, be able to get to where they need to go and of course for people who don't need to be in Philadelphia where to go."
Richards gave us a tour of the PennDOT Papal Command Center.
Starting now, 300 operational cameras monitored 24-7 by 250 Penndot employees and the National Guard monitoring below.
Security a priority, But suburban residents might see it a little different.
Folks in Montgomery County know that starting 10 p.m. Friday night I-76 is closing eastbound from I-476 to I-95 and west from I-95 to Route 1.
Wayne Downey is worried about all that detour traffic pushing out, or at least he used to be, before planning a trip to State College.
"I figure it'll be a good time to get out of town and avoid all the craziness."
Richards says priority one may be securing a path for the Pope and those flocking to see him -- but they're working just as hard on priority two.
"We hope to have everything reopened, back in business by early Monday."