MONTGOMERY – For the safety of the traveling public, construction industry workers and maintenance crews, the Alabama Department of Transportation will limit temporary lane closures on interstates after noon, Friday, May 25, through midnight, Monday, May 28. In Birmingham, I-59/20 northbound at milepost 124 will be closed Friday, May 25 and Saturday, May 26 from 11 p.m. – 5 a.m. Detour routes will be marked for motorists to follow.
No other temporary lane closures are planned around the state. “While most ALDOT construction will halt during the holiday, driving within the speed limit and watching out for shifting lanes and other changes in the roadway is still important in a construction zone,” said Allison Green, Drive Safe Alabama coordinator, ALDOT. “Before getting on the road, drivers can find out if there are construction zones along their route or traffic congestion by checking ALGOTraffic.com or the ALGO Traffic app.”
HOLIDAY DRIVING TIPS With increased traffic expected on roads around the state, ALDOT is asking travelers to allow extra time to reach their destination. ALDOT offers the following reminders for the Memorial Day holiday weekend:
* Don’t drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs. People are seven times more likely to die [1] in a crash when the driver is under the influence of alcohol or drugs, as shown in ALDOT crash reports. Designating a sober driver before drinking is key to preventing these deadly crashes.
* Wear your seat belt, in both front and rear seats. Surviving a crash is much more likely when wearing a seat belt. Latest stats from Drive Safe Alabama show that almost 60 percent of people dying in crashes [2] on Alabama highways are not wearing a seat belt.
More safe driving tips are available on the Drive Safe Alabama Facebook page [3]. (See Alabama Crash Facts [4] for more crash data.) ### ABOUT THE ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION ALDOT’s mission is to provide a safe, efficient, environmentally and economically sound transportation network across Alabama. For further information, visit www.dot.state.al.us. ABOUT DRIVE SAFE ALABAMA
