GDOT: Thankfully Keeping Roads Open For Turkey Day Travel, Retail Therapy

Here’s some good news for travelers during the Thanksgiving holiday: The Georgia Department of Transportation will suspend all construction-related lane closures on interstate highways and primary state roads in northwest Georgia from 5 a.m., Wednesday, Nov. 27, through 10 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 1, 2013.

“Northwest Georgians are very patient with our construction throughout the year,” Dewayne Comer, district engineer at the DOT office in Cartersville, said in a press release. “We appreciate it very much and enjoy giving them these well-deserved breaks from lane closures. We hope everyone has a safe and wonderful Thanksgiving.”

Department officials remind travelers to exercise caution nonetheless as heavy holiday traffic is expected throughout the state. In addition, crews may be working and equipment may be staged in proximity to roadways; and safety concerns may require some long-term lane closures remain in place. Also, incident management or emergency maintenance-related lane closures could become necessary on any route. 

GDOT urges travelers to call 511 for updated information about traffic on interstates and state routes. Georgia 511 is a free phone service that provides real-time traffic and travel information statewide, such as traffic conditions, incidents, lane closures, and delays due to inclement weather. Callers also can transfer to operators to request assistance or report incidents 24 hours a day, seven days a week. More information is available at www.511ga.org. 

Tell us what you think in the comments, share your photos and videos, and don’t miss any of the local news you care about—subscribe to Cartersville Patch's newsletter, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.