Labor Day Travel: Drive Smart by Planning Ahead by
RALEIGH – Over Labor Day weekend, the N.C. Department of Transportation will stop most construction on major roadways statewide to help facilitate safer holiday travel. By planning routes ahead of time and staying informed, motorists can help themselves reach their destinations efficiently and possibly avoid traffic delays. NCDOT will suspend construction projects along Interstate, N.C., and U.S. routes from 6 a.m. Friday, Sept. 1 and midnight Tuesday, Sept. 5, with the following exceptions: I-85 between Henderson and the Virginia line in Vance and Warren Counties will be in a two-way pattern with a single lane in each direction over 20 miles, with alternate routes available to get around potential major backups; Cedar Hill Road in Brunswick County is closed south of Royster Road for half a mile as a new bridge is being constructed over Cartwheel Branch; Burnette Boulevard in Wilmington is closed at the intersection with U.S. 421/Front Street at Greenfield Lake for the final phases of culvert construction; Westbound N.C. 24 between Clinton and U.S. 421 in Sampson County is closed for widening and ditch construction, with traffic shifted to one lane in each direction on the eastbound side; The flyover bridge ramp from Interstate 40 East at Exit 283 to I-540 East will be closed. There are four short detour routes available. That includes motorists taking Exit 279 off I-40 onto southbound N.C. 147, then Exit 1 to I-540 East. That puts drivers on the Triangle Expressway toll road for a brief stretch, but they will be exempt from the toll. Motorists who exit that stretch of southbound N.C. 147 at Hopson Road or take N.C. 540 South will not be exempt from the toll; U.S. 21 in Alleghany County is closed between Sunset Drive and Blevins Street; An eastbound lane on U.S. 70 in Hickory will be closed between 7th Street Southeast and Lenoir Rhyne Boulevard; N.C. 215 in Transylvania County is down to a one lane configuration with temporary signals as a bridge is replaced, six miles south of the Blue Ridge Parkway; and The northbound U.S. 441 Business bridge over the Little Tennessee River near Franklin in Macon County is closed. Traffic is being diverted to the southbound bridge, which is one lane in each direction. For additional travel information, visit DriveNC.gov or follow NCDOT on Twitter. Here are some tips for safely navigating the highways during Labor Day weekend: Leave early to get a head start on your drive. Travel at non-peak hours when possible; Stay alert. Even if construction work is suspended, you may encounter narrowed lanes and traffic shifts in work zones; Be patient and obey the posted speed limit; Use alternate routes when possible to avoid traffic congestion; Travel at times when you are normally awake and take frequent breaks; and Avoid distracted driving. When you are traveling this weekend, it is your responsibility to be a safe driver. Focus on the road. In addition, the Booze It & Lose It campaign is running all through Labor Day weekend. Law enforcement officers are setting up additional sobriety checkpoints in every county to target impaired drivers and prevent highway fatalities. If you plan to drink, designate a sober driver, download a ride app, or take a cab or bus so everyone on the roads stays safe this holiday weekend. Visit Be Smarter Than That to help you get where you’re going responsibly. ***NCDOT***
 |
| Click this image to view at original resolution |