(Media release from the Georgia Department of Transportation):
To allow for an anticipated increase in Fourth of July weekend traffic congestion, Georgia Department of Transportation (Georgia DOT) will suspend lane closures on Georgia interstates and state routes beginning Friday, July 1 at 12 p.m. until 10 p.m. Tuesday, July 5.
While construction related lane closures will be suspended, Georgia DOT reminds travelers to exercise caution as crews may still work near highways, and safety considerations may require some long-term lane closures to remain in place. In addition, incident management or emergency maintenance-related lane closures could become necessary at any time on any route.
Georgia DOT’s 5-day travel forecast for the long holiday weekend indicates the heaviest traffic volumes may materialize as early as Friday, July 1, with moderately heavy traffic predicted on both Saturday, July 2 and Tuesday, July 5. Forecasts are based on historical traffic volumes on similar dates around the July 4 holiday.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) projects that approximately 43,000 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes in 2021. That is a 10.6 percent increase from the 38,824 fatalities in 2020. The increase in roadway deaths is the highest number of fatalities since 2005 and the largest annual percent increase since the NHTSA began the fatality data reporting system in 1975. Georgia DOT takes this historic rise in traffic fatalities on our roadways seriously and urgers all motorists to always Drive Alert Arrive Alive. Please work to eliminate unsafe driving behavior due to distracted driving, speeding and driving under the influence.
For up-to-date information about travel conditions on Georgia’s interstates and state routes, call 511 or visit www.511ga.org before heading out. 511 is a free service that provides real-time statewide information on Georgia’s interstates and state routes, including traffic conditions, incidents, lane closures and delays due to inclement weather 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Callers can also transfer to operators to request HERO assistance in metro Atlanta or CHAMP service on highways in other regions of the state.
