ERIE — Western Pennsylvania has headed off area code confusion for at least six more years.

The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission voted 5-0 Thursday to dismiss a petition to split up the existing 814 area code, creating a new 582 area code.

Many residents objected to the plan the PUC approved in 2010 to create the new area code because 814 was running out of numbers.

The commission received 40 petitions protesting the split, many from business owners.

New estimates released earlier this month found 814 area code won’t run out of numbers until at least 2018.