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JACKSON, MISS. – ‘Tis the season for holiday travel. With more vehicles on the highways, the Mississippi Department of Transportation wants to help keep your holidays merry and bright by limiting travel delays caused by highway construction.
MDOT will suspend all interstate and four-lane highway during peak Christmas and New Year’s travel times. All road construction requiring lane closures will stop December 24 and 25 and again December 31 and January 1. The closures will provide maximum travel capacity and minimal construction delays for holiday travelers.
“Even though no highway construction work will be occurring across the state, motorists should be aware that some lane closures will remain in place,” said Melinda McGrath, P.E., MDOT Executive Director. “These lane closures are there to protect motorists, and MDOT urges drivers to treat these areas as active work zones.”
Christmas and New Year’s are among the busiest travel days. MDOT actively monitors highways statewide through its Traffic Management Center (TMC). Using nearly 1,000 traffic cameras, congestion analysis technology, radar and temperature sensors, along with local agency communication, the TMC observes the most-traveled highways to keep motorists informed of real-time road conditions.
The TMC shares information through MDOTtraffic.com and the MDOT Traffic mobile app. Users can sign up for email or text alerts and also access live highway camera feeds. The resources are available free to the public.
“Travelers can know before they go about traffic along their routes,” McGrath said. “MDOT Traffic can help you avoid frustration by alerting you of upcoming congestion or crashes.”
MDOT’s TMC is the nerve center of Mississippi’s highway management system. Information is collected, verified and disseminated to necessary stakeholders like the media, state and local agencies, and travelers. The TMC is staffed 24/7 with locations in Jackson, Hattiesburg and the Gulf Coast. The TMC also shares important travel information with neighboring state departments of transportation.
In addition to the MDOT Traffic website and mobile app, real-time road conditions will also be posted on overhead digital message signs along state highways.
“Using these communication channels, MDOT is able to quickly and effectively notify travelers of concerns that may affect their plans,” McGrath said. “MDOT wants everyone to enjoy the holiday season with loved ones by making it to their destinations safely.”
For the most current travel and traffic information, visit MDOTTraffic.com, download the free MDOT Traffic app, and like @MississippiDOT on Twitter and Facebook.
