To ease Thanksgiving traffic congestion statewide, Georgia Department of Transportation (Georgia DOT) announced today the suspension of construction-related lane closures on heavily traveled interstate highways and state routes from 6 a.m. Wed., Nov. 25 to 5 a.m. Monday, Nov. 30.The statewide lane restrictions help to reduce traffic congestion during the Thanksgiving holiday. Similar restrictions will be in place for Christmas and New Year’s.

“In order to provide a safer and less congested roadway, we are limiting construction-related lane closures,” said Georgia DOT State Construction Engineer John D. Hancock. “Although traffic volumes were down earlier this year due to COVID-19, unfortunately, fatalities on our roadways have been up. I urge drivers to watch your speed, put down your cell phones, be alert and make sure you and your passengers buckle-up. Let’s make this a happy Thanksgiving for all.”

A Safe Driving Media Toolkit is available that includes interview opportunities with GDOT experts and Georgia State Patrol officers, broll, pre-recorded clips of spokespeople addressing safe driving and what motorists can do to protect themselves and others, and materials and resources for use in coverage on safe driving during the holiday season.

While the road closures will be suspended, the department reminds travelers to exercise caution as crews may still work near highways, and safety concerns may require some long-term lane closures to remain in place. In addition, incident management or emergency, maintenance-related lane closures could become necessary at any time on any route.

For up-to-date information about travel conditions on Georgia’s interstates and state routes, call 511 or visit www.511ga.org before heading out. 511 is a free service that provides real-time statewide information on Georgia’s interstates and state routes, including traffic conditions, incidents, lane closures, and delays due to inclement weather 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Callers can also transfer to operators to request HERO assistance in metro Atlanta or CHAMP service on highways in other regions of the state.

Georgia Department of Transportation plans, constructs and maintains Georgia’s state and federal highways. We’re involved in bridge, waterway, public transit, rail, general aviation, bike and pedestrian programs. And we help local governments maintain their roads. Georgia DOT and its nearly 4,000 employees are committed to delivering a transportation system focused on innovation, safety, sustainability and mobility. The Department’s vision is to boost Georgia’s competitiveness through leadership in transportation.