ATLANTA – To ease Memorial Day weekend traffic congestion, the Georgia Department of Transportation is suspending construction-related lane closures on interstate and major state system highways beginning at noon on Friday, May 22, and extending until 5 a.m., Tuesday, May 26.
“We hope the suspension of major construction work will allow motorists to get to and from their holiday destinations with less congestion and less aggravation,” said GDOT Director of Construction Jeff Baker. “This is the first holiday of the summer travel season and many people are hitting the road. We want to make it a little easier for them to travel throughout the state.”
The Department reminds travelers to exercise caution as heavy holiday traffic is expected; crews may still be working in proximity to highways; and safety concerns may require some long-term lane closures to remain in place. Also, incident management or emergency, maintenance-related lane closures could become necessary at any time on any route.
Memorial Day weekend is considered one of the heaviest travel times. With traffic deaths in Georgia up an average of 25% compared to last year, GDOT urges drivers to DriveAlert ArriveAlive, a campaign imploring motorists to wear their seatbelts, stay off the phone and focus on driving.
In the event of a crash or breakdown, GDOT advises motorists to never get out of the car on a freeway, unless your life is in imminent danger. Pull off the road if possible. Otherwise remain seat belted in the vehicle; turn on emergency flashers; and if possible, raise the hood.
