CROWDED HIGHWAYS EXPECTED FOR THANKSGIVING
TRAVEL
Drivers urged to plan ahead and be patient
COLUMBUS - Roads across Ohio will be crowded with extra travelers
heading out for Thanksgiving. Traffic volumes increase by about 62 percent for
the holiday, making it the busiest travel holiday of the year.
"We are urging
holiday travelers to plan ahead and be prepared for heavy traffic, especially
around our major cities," said Ohio Department of Transportation Director
Jerry Wray.
ODOT is wrapping up
another near-record construction season with around $2 billion invested into
roads and bridges. This investment to improve the state's transportation
network also means a lot of orange barrels.
"Where we can, we
open as many lanes as possible in active work zones. However, it is important
for drivers to pay extra attention, obey all signs, and leave plenty of space
between their vehicle and the one in front of them when driving through work
zones," said Wray.
Information about the
location of work zones can be found on OHGO.com
or the OHGO app.
Users can also access more than 600 live traffic cameras, real-time highway
speeds, and traffic alerts with OHGO.
ODOT will utilize more
than 130 digital message boards along our highways and social media posts to
remind travelers to buckle up.
“We work hard to make
our roads safe, but we need everyone riding in a vehicle to do their part too.
Wearing a seat belt is one of the easiest ways to protect yourself if you are
involved in a crash,” said Wray.
According to the Ohio
State Highway Patrol, of the nine peopled killed during the Thanksgiving
holiday in 2016, six were not wearing seat belts.