Papal Visit to the United States

09/15/15
Member News

Pope Francis will travel to the U.S. this month as part of the World Meeting of Families Congress in Philadelphia. This will mark the Pope’s first trip to the country, with stops in Washington, D.C., New York City and Philadelphia.

Though there are limited public events in Washington, D.C. (Sept. 22-24), and New York City (Sept 24-25) during Pope Francis’ first two legs of his U.S. visit, there will travel and traffic delays due to security measures. The Papal Visit to Philadelphia is expected to draw nearly two million people from around the country and throughout the world on Saturday, September 26, and Sunday, September 27. Due to the high volume of those making the pilgrimage to see Pope Francis, those traveling in and around Philadelphia should be prepared for extended travel delays, road closures and significantly modified public transit schedules.

AAA members in and around the Washington, DC, New York City and Greater Philadelphia areas, as well as members traveling through these areas, should expect road closures and security measures, as well as last minute delays, closures and changes.

Traffic delays and closures will significantly affect AAA Roadside Assistance response times. Wait times for service may be longer and extensive road closures and travel restrictions will likely limit AAA Roadside Assistance service in restricted areas. Throughout the Papal Visit, we will do our best to assist AAA members who need us as quickly and safely as possible.

Major Highway Closures:
In addition, several of the following major roadways will be closed beginning on Friday, September 25th:

  • The Benjamin Franklin Bridge (closed to vehicular traffic)
  • I-76 eastbound from I-476 to I-95 and I-76 westbound from I-95 to U.S. Route 1 (Roosevelt Extension)
  • I-676 in both directions from I-76 to I-95,
  • U.S. Route 1 in both directions from U.S. 30 to Belmont Avenue.

For more information on how to get around Philadelphia and prepare for the weekend, please visit the World Meeting of Families website by clicking here