If you’re hitting the road this long Labor Day weekend, you’ll have plenty of company. A late summer online survey by Triple A found that about 32% of Americans will travel for Labor Day. Of those, the vast majority (82%) will go by automobile.
While there will be fewer travelers on the road this holiday weekend compared to the Fourth of July and Memorial Day holidays, drivers should still expect delays. Thursday and Friday, September 1 and 2, will be the busiest Labor Day travel days nationwide. North Georgians heading south to the coast on I-85 should expect significant delays in the metro Atlanta area, particularly on Friday.
Transportation analytics company INRIX placed I-85 South from Clairmont Road to MLK Drive at the top of its list for “Worst Corridors.” The heaviest traffic congestion in that area is expected between 2 and 4 p.m. on Friday, September 2.
To help with travel planning, INRIX also released a list of the overall Best and Worst Times to Travel.
State patrol to increase patrols
The holiday travel period officially begins at 6 p.m. Friday and ends at 11:59 p.m. on Monday, September 5. During the 78-hour holiday travel period, Georgia drivers can expect to see more law enforcement patrolling the roads.
“Celebrations across the state will increase traffic on our highways. We encourage all drivers to practice safe driving habits to make it to their destinations and back home safely,” says Colonel Christopher Wright, Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Public Safety.
State troopers and Motor Carrier Compliance Division officers will be highly visible over the weekend patrolling interstates and secondary roads, looking for impaired drivers, speeders, distracted drivers, seatbelt violations, and unsafe drivers.
Last year, 14 people died on Georgia’s roads during the long Labor Day holiday weekend.
