The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) will halt interstate construction beginning Thursday as travelers head to their Easter destinations.
“TDOT crews and contractors will stop all road construction work that requires lane closures beginning Thursday, March 28, at 6:00 p.m. through Monday, April 1 at 6:00 a.m.,” a release from the department says. “This will provide maximum roadway capacity to motorists expected to travel across the state this upcoming holiday weekend.”
However, TDOT is warning drivers that there could still be workers in construction zones, and to proceed accordingly.
“Motorists will still encounter some long-term lane closures on construction projects that will remain in place,” the release says. “While lane closure activity will be stopped, some workers may be on-site in construction zones, and reduced speed limits will still be in effect. Motorists are urged to adhere to all posted speed limits, especially in work zones, for their safety. Slower speeds are necessary for work zones due to the temporary layout of the roadway and will be enforced.”
The department says that through the first three months of the year, there have already been 27 crashes involving TDOT vehicles and equipment.
During Thanksgiving, TDOT made a similar move, halting “all lane closure activity on interstates and state highways in anticipation of higher traffic volumes across the state.”
“Thanksgiving is typically the most traveled holiday of the year,” Deputy Governor and TDOT Commissioner Butch Eley said at the time. “Halting road work during this time will provide maximum capacity on our highways and help alleviate congestion, especially during the predicted peak travel days of Wednesday and Sunday.”
Earlier this month, the American Automobile Association (AAA) published a research study conducted from 2017 to 2021 which found that “drowsy driving” is a major cause of roadway accidents and fatalities.
“Results show that an estimated 17.6% of all fatal crashes in years 2017–2021 involved a drowsy driver. Over the 5-year study period, an estimated 29,834 people were killed in crashes that involved drowsy drivers,” the research said. ‘The percentage of fatal crashes involving drowsy driving remained approximately constant over the study period; however, the annual number of fatal drowsy driving crashes increased significantly over the study period due to a large increase in total annual fatal crashes.”
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Pete D’Abrosca is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Pete on Twitter/X.
