Labor Day Holiday Travel Forecast: Sun, Fun & 511
The forecast is great for the Labor Day holiday weekend, one of the heaviest traffic weekends of the year. In addition to your automotive safety checklist below, here are some further travel tips courtesy of Mark’s Automotive in Lexington Park, Maryland, across from NAS:Patuxent River.
The Maryland State Highway Administration maintains an information line for travelers to learn about incidents, travel times and general road conditions by calling 511 or visiting md511.org. If shore bound, simply call 511 and prompt “Reach the beach” to receive information about roads east of the Bay Bridge.
Visit www.md511.org to sign up for free emails and text messages with customized travel updates for your routes and times of travel. The Maryland Transportation Authority offers Bay Bridge information through 1-877-Bay-Span hotline.
SHA is increasing Emergency Traffic Patrols (ETP) along key interstate and other major routes and suspending all non-emergency roadwork on State roadways from Friday, August 30 through Monday, September 2. Congestion is expected to begin early Friday afternoon, August 30 and continue through most of the day and Saturday along routes including US 50 toward Ocean City, I-70 and I-68 west toward the mountains, and I-95 north toward Delaware. Saturday and Sunday travel over the Labor Day weekend is traditionally heavy, particularly along I-95, and delays should be expected most of the day on Monday, September 2, as travelers return home.
Safety Check List for Holiday Driving
• Make sure your vehicle is in good working order. Check belts, hoses and tires for any defects. Fixing a small problem before hitting the road can help avoid a major problem on the road.
• Buckle up! It’s the law.
• Make sure all passengers, even those in the back seat, are buckled up.
• Never drink and drive! If celebrating with alcohol, do so responsibly by planning ahead and designating a sober driver.
• Travel during off peak hours and allow extra time for unexpected delays.
• Slow down and pay attention, avoiding distractions such as cell-phone use.
• Observe all posted speed limits.
• In case of emergency along interstate routes, drivers with cellular phones can dial #77 to reach the Maryland State Police.
• Move over to the next lane away from emergency response vehicles.
• Share the road with pedestrians and bicyclists. Stop for pedestrians and pass bicyclists with at least three feet of space.
• See and be seen. If it rains, remember that Maryland State Law requires the use of headlights while windshield wipers are in use.
Source: Maryland State Highway Administration
