TDOT Suspends Highway Construction for Thanksgiving Holiday

November 19, 2007

Nashville, Tenn. - The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) will halt all construction work requiring lane closures on Tennessee interstates and state highways beginning at noon on Wednesday, November 21 in anticipation of increased Thanksgiving holiday travel.

 
TDOT Commissioner Gerald Nicely has informed all of the department’s crews and contractors to stop all road construction work requiring lane closures beginning at noon on Wednesday, November 21 through the early morning hours of Monday, November 26.  

“As thousands of people travel to visit family and friends this holiday, we want to ensure that their trips are not interrupted by road construction,” said TDOT Commissioner Gerald Nicely.  “By halting all lane closure activity between Wednesday and Monday, we’re providing travelers with maximum roadway capacity during this busy travel holiday.”

Though construction workers will not be on site, reduced speed limits for work zones will still be in effect.  Motorists are urged to adhere to all posted work zone restrictions for their own safety.  In addition, motorists are advised to obey Tennessee’s law to move over or slow down for stopped emergency and maintenance vehicles.

Although drivers are paying considerably more per gallon of gasoline than last year, AAA estimates that 38.7 million Americans nationwide will take a trip 50 miles or more from home this Thanksgiving - a 1.5% percent increase over last year.  

Nearly one million Tennesseans are expected to travel during the Thanksgiving holiday period.  Of these numbers, it is predicted that 748,112 will travel by car and 109,372 will travel by plane.

For up-to-date travel information, Tennessee motorists are reminded to call 511 from any land line or cellular phone or visit www.TN511.com.

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Contact: Julie Oaks 
TDOT, PIO
Julie.A.Oaks@state.tn.us
615-741-9930 (office)
615-533-7105 (mobile)