Ask anyone who has been to Carlisle, PA during a car show at the fairgrounds how well traffic moves. Everyone knows how to get from the PA turnpike to the fairgrounds using Route 11, and that road can crawl (both coming and going). It just wasn't made to flow that much traffic, and it can take hours to drive the 4 miles between them. I live in Carlisle, so I know all about the traffic (sat in it enough) and a few ways to bypass the bad spots. Once you get close to Gate 3 (the one with registration, vendor services, etc), there is nothing to do but sit in line. Point being: some lines are shorter than others.
The route that everyone knows is off I81 (or I76) onto Route 11 (Carlisle Pike) south. Turn right on Clay Street at the Hess Express (gas station), right onto Spring Road (at the John Deere), then right at the next light. Everyone knows that route, and there are signs all over that tell people where to turn. Everyone knows, so everyone is there causing traffic to back up for miles. So to the point: how to get around to a shorter line...
Alt #1: If traffic is bad on Route 11, turn right on Wolf's Bridge Road (at the traffic light by the Sheetz (gas station - usually the cheapest in town)). Go under the turnpike, mile or so ahead cross a 1 lane bridge. Mile or so past the bridge, there is a cross road (sorry, don't know the name - but it's the first one past the bridge), turn left. Mile or so down that road, it runs into Spring Road. Turn left. Gate 3 is 3 miles up the road.
Alt #2: If you pass the Sheetz and tired of traffic, at the next light (Calvary Road) turn right. Over the turnpike, and turn left at the light. Gate #3 is less than a mile ahead. Or...
Alt #3: After turning left onto Calvary road, take the first left. Keep going straight until you get to Clay Street. Turn right (dirty way to get ahead of traffic, but...)
Alt #4: From I81 south, get off at the next exit past Route 11 (Route 641). Turn right and drive through town on Dickinson University. Turn right onto College Street. Follow that as far as it goes, then right (dumps you within a couple blocks of the fairgrounds).
To get back on the Turnpike after the show, you might want to get on Route 34 south to I81 and take it to Route 11 south (essentially making a big loop around the traffic - bit out of the way, but at least you are moving instead of sitting). Easier to get onto the turnpike coming south on Route 11 too.
Hope that helps...
