by KYW's Tony Romeo

Layoffs are hitting the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

Last week, the Pennsylvania turnpike offered buyouts to employees, but only 20 employees took the offer, and so the turnpike has now begun laying off some of its 2,300 workers (see related story).

A turnpike spokesman declined to be interviewed on Thursday, and could not say how many workers would be let go, but a statement released by the turnpike’s chief executive officer says the goal is to reduce payroll expenses by seven to 10-percent.

The Pennsylvania turnpike, which handled 185 million vehicles last year, experienced a decline in volume of 1.6-percent from June through September of this year.

The CEO says the turnpike is “not immune to financial instabilities that affect the business sector.”