Traffic backed up for nearly five miles yesterday morning on the Pennsylvania Turnpike as commuters headed to work mixed with a crush of drivers bound for the U.S. Open in Oakmont.

But state police say conditions should be a little better today.

Cpl. Kirk Patterson of the Gibsonia barracks, who was directing traffic this morning at the Allegheny interchange, said the backups began at about 6 a.m. as drivers exited there.

s "It was just too many people getting off at the same interchange," he said.

Police opened up a couple of toll booths normally used for traffic going the other way, which helped relieve the gridlock by about 9:30 a.m.

Cpl. Patterson said drivers have to expect a few delays today, too, but police plan to open the extra toll booths before the rush begins and have a trooper on hand early to keep the traffic moving.

"There shouldn't be any major problems," he said.