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If you’re traveling on the road over the holiday season, you will certainly not be alone. AAA is expecting records to be broken through New Year’s Day.
They project that 2.5 million Marylanders and 3.4 million Virginians will be driving somewhere this week and the next. Experts are crediting lower gas prices as a motivating factor to hit the road over the holiday season.
“There’s going to be more traffic on the roadway. Obviously, it’s easier to travel. We did see that around Thanksgiving, during that holiday,” Charlie Gischlar, deputy director of communications with the Maryland State Highway Administration, told WTOP. “Just expect a lot of company on the roadways, and always give yourself plenty of time.”
Gischlar added that MDOT-SHA are doing some things to help relieve congestion.
To help ease the burden, there will be some traffic changes in the D.C. region to help bring the holiday spirit.
Maryland
In Maryland, there will be no lane closures for the Chesapeake Bay Bridge for Dec. 24-26 and Jan. 1, according to the state’s transportation authority.
On Monday and Tuesday from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m., the westbound span could be closed due to maintenance work. As a result, there will be two-way traffic on the eastbound span.
Also on Monday and Tuesday, one lane of the eastbound span could be closed due to maintenance work from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
“We also enhance our highway patrollers in a lot of areas that are really heavy because they can get on the scene quicker, remove disabled vehicle debris or help clear crashes to the shoulder and get those lanes open as soon as possible,” Gischlar said. “Those are some of the things that we’re doing to try to get out of people’s way and help keep traffic moving around the holidays.”
The westbound span could be closed for the following days and times:
- Saturday, Dec. 27 — 8 p.m. to 8 a.m.
- Sunday, Dec. 28 — 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.
- Monday, Dec. 29, and Tuesday, Dec. 30 — 8 p.m. to 5 a.m.
- Friday, Jan. 2 — 9 p.m. to 8 a.m.
- Saturday, Jan. 3 — 8 p.m. to 9 a.m.
The eastbound span could be closed for the following days and times:
- Monday, Dec. 29, and Tuesday, Dec. 30 — 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
- Friday, Jan. 2 — 9 a.m. to noon
Virginia
In Virginia, the state’s department of transportation will make life easier for its resident travelers.
A lot of the highway work zones will be suspended, along with the temporary lane closures on Virginia’s interstates and major roads being lifted from noon on Wednesday to noon on Friday, and from noon on Wednesday, Dec. 31, to noon on Friday, Jan. 2.
But travelers could come across semi-permanent work zones that will stay in place, despite the lifted lane closures.
Virginia residents can look to VDOT’s travel advisories website for any travel alerts. They can also check out the free mobile 511 app.
Tips on driving safely on the roadways during the holidays include putting on your seat belt, not looking at your phone while driving and leaving early for extra time to get to your destination.
WTOP’s Alan Etter contributed to this story.
