Memorial Day 2018: Lane Closures Suspended, Patrols Beefed Up

ATLANTA, GA — The three-day weekend marking the unofficial start to summer kicks off Friday, and many Georgia residents will leave work early and hit the road to their respective destinations. With this in mind, two state agencies are doing their part to make your time on major highways and interstates as safe as possible.

The Georgia State Patrol said its troopers will be on "full patrols," targeting motorists who are driving impaired and violating seat belt laws. GSP notes the travel period is 78 hours long, beginning at 6 p.m. Friday, May 25 and ending at 11:59 p.m. on Memorial Day, Monday, May 28.

In 2017 during the similar travel period, GSP said it investigated 452 traffic crashes, which resulted in 274 injuries and six fatalities. Along with these collisions, troopers arrested 255 people for driving under the influence, and issued 9,433 citations and 11,862 warnings.

“Travel with caution and put safety first this weekend,” said Colonel Mark W. McDonough, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Public Safety. “Traffic will be heavier than usual as graduation ceremonies, special holiday events, and vacation travelers will add to the regular weekend traffic patterns. Also, be prepared should rain make driving conditions hazardous."

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To help ensure you're able to get from Point A to Point B without any interruptions, the Georgia Department of Transportation said it will also suspend construction related lane closures on all interstate and major highways from noon Friday to 5 a.m. Tuesday, May 29. This suspension will apply to interstates and state routes that directly serve the state's major tourism and recreation centers.

“We hope this suspension of major construction work will allow motorists to get to and from their holiday destinations with less congestion and less aggravation,” said DeWayne Comer, district engineer at the DOT office in Cartersville. “We understand that a lot of people are hitting the road for Memorial Day, the first holiday of the summer travel season, and we would like to make it a little easier for them to go through northwest Georgia."

GDOT notes that some work will continue on those lesser-traveled state and local road systems, and incident and emergency maintenance-related closures could become necessary on any route.

If you're going to be traveling by vehicle, make sure everyone is buckled in and that children are properly restrained. Of course, state troopers implore you not to text and drive, obey the posted speed limit and not drive impaired. If you know you'll be drinking alcohol, plan ahead and get a designated driver.

“These are some of the best steps we all can take to prevent serious injury and fatal crashes,” Col. McDonough added.

During the Memorial Day travel period, the Georgia State Patrol will again be participating in the national mobilization of the ‘Click It, or Ticket’ program. State troopers will be working alongside sheriff’s deputies and police officers to enforce Georgia’s seat belt laws and to educate the public on the importance of wearing seat belts while traveling in motor vehicles.

This statewide program is coordinated by the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety. The holiday traffic fatality count will be updated throughout the travel period on the Department of Public Safety’s Twitter account.

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