It is long past time for action on expanding the capacity of I-81 in Cumberland County, and, frankly, throughout the region. There is no denying that ever-increasing traffic volume, combined with rising congestion, has resulted in more traffic jams, more accidents, and more and more traffic injuries and deaths.
In Cumberland County alone, over just the past half dozen years, wrecks on I-81 have claimed the lives of 36 people. On average, crashes total 270 on I-81 just in Cumberland County each year.
Of course, bad driving habits, like speeding and tailgating, are contributing factors.
But, without a doubt, so too is the simple fact that I-81 needs to be expanded to three lanes in both directions from I-78 in Lebanon County the whole way to the Maryland border.