Labor Day Weekend Travel

The Labor Day holiday travel period begins today, Thursday, September 1, through Monday, September 5.

According to an article on Marketing Forecast, AAA forecasts 31.5 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home during the Labor Day holiday weekend, a 2.4 percent decrease from the 32.3 million people who traveled one year ago.

AAA Mid Atlantic says that the recent surge in economic uncertainty will deter some Virginians from traveling this Labor Day holiday weekend with close to 885,300 expected to journey 50 miles or more from home, a decrease of 2.3 percent (or just about 20,500 less) over last year’s holiday.

Meanwhile, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) has announced that it will suspend lane closures for temporary work zones on interstates and roadways throughout the state over the upcoming Labor Day holiday weekend.

Lane closures will be lifted from noon Friday, Sept. 2, until noon Tuesday, Sept. 6. Permanent construction zones with concrete barriers and orange barrels will remain in place.

For real-time traffic conditions or to view traffic cameras, visit VDOT’s 24-hour travel information website, www.511Virginia.org. 511Virginia is also available by calling 511 from any phone in Virginia. A mobile version of the 511Virginia website, designed for handheld devices, is available at mobile511virginia.org.

Remember to pull over when using your mobile phone or have another passenger in your vehicle use the device. Don’t drive distracted.

To report a road hazard or to get answers to your transportation question, you can call VDOT’s Customer Service Center at 1-800-FOR-ROAD (1-800-367-7623) around the clock.

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Virginia State Police Step Up Labor Day Enforcement

Motorists traversing the Commonwealth this holiday weekend can expect to see 75-percent of the State Police’s uniformed workforce on patrol statewide. Last year, Virginia experienced a sharp rise in traffic deaths over the Labor Day weekend with 14 people losing their lives during the four-day holiday statistical counting period. Seven were killed in traffic crashes in 2008.

In addition to "Checkpoint Strikeforce," which is a region-wide effort that combines stepped-up enforcement efforts and proactive public education to promote a multi-jurisdictional effort in the fight against drunk driving, the Virginia State Police will engage in the annual Operation C.A.R.E. traffic enforcement campaign. The Operation Combined Accident Reduction Effort (C.A.R.E.) is a state-sponsored, national program designed to reduce crashes, fatalities and injuries caused by impaired driving, speeding and failure to use occupant restraints.

Virginia State Police will increase visibility and traffic enforcement efforts throughout the Commonwealth through midnight Monday, Sept. 6.

In 2009, Virginia State Police arrested 164 drunk drivers during the four-day Labor Day weekend. Troopers also cited 9,398 speeders and 2,587 reckless drivers. They also issued 827 citations for adults who failed to buckle up, and 252 tickets to adults who failed to properly secure their infants and children.

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Labor Day Forecast -- Busier Roads, Higher Prices

Consumer Reports writes that more than 3 million additional travelers will be sharing the nation’s highways during the upcoming Labor Day weekend, though the cost of this year’s trip will be a little higher than in 2009.

"AAA anticipates a 9.9 percent increase in travelers between this past Thursday, Sept. 2 and Monday, Sept. 6, with an estimated 34.4 million Americans getting away on trips of at least 50 miles from home, up from 31.3 million during last Labor Day weekend. In addition, the total of those hitting the road by car is expected to jump 10.3 percent, to 31.4 million, an increase from 28.5 million last year.

"While highways will be the escape route chosen by an overwhelming number of leisure travelers—91 percent of all vacationers will be driving—another 5 percent, or 1.6 million people, are expected to fly, while the rest will travel by rail, bus, or boat."

 Read the complete article.

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VDOT Lifts Lane Closures for Labor Day Weekend Travel

To ease travel during the Labor Day holiday weekend, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) will open those lanes temporarily closed for construction or maintenance on major highways and roads. The lanes will be open from noon tomorrow, Friday, Sept. 4, until noon Tuesday, Sept. 8.

Long-term construction zones with concrete barriers and orange barrels will remain in place. VDOT reminds motorists to avoid distractions and to prevent accidents and fatalities during this last official weekend of summer, as well as any time they are behind the wheel.

VDOT also alerts Northern Virginia drivers to following conditions that may affect holiday traffic:

• Interstate 95/Interstate 395 high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes – The I-95/I-395 HOV lanes will run southbound from noon Friday, Sept. 4, until 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 5.
• The lanes will run northbound from 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 5, until 11 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 8.
• VDOT will lift restrictions on all HOV lanes on Monday, Sept. 7.

If you're going to be traveling this Labor Day weekend, VDOT also encourages drivers to follow these safety rules:

• Buckle up
• Drive alcohol and drug free
• Obey speed limits
• Share the road
• Pay attention in work zones

In addition, Virginia law now prohibits driving while sending a text or an e-mail. Exceptions are for emergency vehicle operators, drivers reporting an emergency or a driver who is parked.

Safe travels Loudoun County!

For the latest Loudoun County traffic news and information, subscribe to Loudoun County Traffic via your favorite RSS reader, or get Loudoun County Traffic by e-mail.