ALDOT pauses road construction through Thanksgiving travel weekend

Roughly one-sixth of the entire U.S. population is set to hit the road or take to the skies during some portion of the extended Thanksgiving holiday weekend, marking the third-highest late November travel volume since AAA began tracking the figure two decades ago.

The motoring organization estimates 54.6 million people will venture at least 50 miles from home for the five-day period between Nov. 23 and Nov. 27, including 48.7 million bound for their holiday destinations by car.

In Alabama, the state highway department is tapping the brakes on ongoing highway construction projects during the heightened travel period, an effort to reduce risk and distractions for both motorists and pedestrians.

“For the safety of the traveling public, construction industry workers and maintenance crews, the Alabama Department of Transportation will have no temporary lane closures on interstates after noon Wednesday, Nov. 23 through 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 27,” the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) said in a pre-Thanksgiving release.

“Throughout the year, ALDOT limits road construction during major holidays. Emergency lane closures may be possible, depending on specific circumstances on interstates and other state roadways.”

Nationwide, the Thanksgiving-week travel turnout marks a 1.5 percent increase over the same holiday-period volume last year, and, as AAA notes, nearly returns U.S. holiday travel to its pre-COVID-19 level. The estimated 55 million people expected to take a trip this week brings Thanksgiving travel totals, says the nonprofit, to “98% of pre-pandemic volumes.”

“Thanksgiving is typically the most traveled holiday of the year,” said ALDOT Drive Safe Alabama coordinator Allison Green in the agency’s statewide bulletin. “Halting road work during this time will help alleviate congestion on Alabama highways. Drivers can do their part to make sure they get their passengers to their holiday celebration safely by focusing on their responsibilities behind the wheel.”

ALDOT offers the following road safety tips and information ahead of the busy Thanksgiving travel period:

  • Do not drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Designating a sober driver before drinking is key to preventing deadly crashes.
  • Buckle up, every seat, every time. Surviving a crash is much more likely when wearing a seatbelt. More than 50 percent of people dying in crashes in Alabama are not wearing a seatbelt.
  • Limit distractions. A driver who is distracted is 23 times more likely to get into a crash than someone who is driving alert. Drivers should never text, tweet, or use a mobile device while operating a vehicle.

Motorists planning their holiday travel route can find Alabama traffic and road condition information at www.ALGOtraffic.com or via the ALGO Traffic app.