Got Labor Day weekend plans?
The Virginia Department of Transportation is aiming to ease the stress on drivers this holiday weekend by suspending many highway work zones and lifting most lane closures on interstates and other major Virginia roads.
The changes will last from noon Friday until noon Tuesday, Sept. 6.
While lane closures will be lifted in most locations, VDOT said semi-permanent work zones will remain in place.
To help keep traffic moving over the holiday weekend, VDOT said, many regions have enhanced their safety service patrols along designated corridors to provide disabled vehicles services such as tire assistance, fuel, air compression, jump starts, water and phone access to local wrecker service and directions.
VDOT anticipates Labor Day weekend will bring peak congestion periods on Virginia interstates.
While the agency said it can’t predict exactly when congestion will occur this year, it estimated, based on historical traffic data, that drivers can expect moderate to heavy congestion from noon to 7 p.m. on Friday and throughout the holiday weekend, including Monday.
In addition to lifting lane closures across many work zones, VDOT said, all HOV restrictions on Interstate 66 and rush-hour tolls on the 66 Express Lanes inside the Beltway will also be lifted on Labor Day.
VDOT also has an interactive map of historical Labor Day weekend traffic data.
