VDOT lifts lane closures for merrier end-of-the-year travel – WTOP News

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The Virginia Department of Transportation is lifting lane closures for holiday travelers.

VDOT will be suspending many highway work zones and lifting temporary lane closures on interstates and other major roads from noon on Tuesday, Dec. 24, until noon on Thursday, Dec. 26, as well as from noon on Tuesday, Dec. 31, until noon on Thursday, Jan. 2.

While lane closures will be lifted in most locations, motorists may encounter semi-permanent work zones that will remain in place during the holidays, the agency said in a news release.

Holiday reversible schedules for the 95, 395 and 495 Express Lanes have not yet been released, but the information will be posted at expresslanes.com.

VDOT is also highlighting several resources to help plan travel ahead of time.

Travel trends map helps estimate congestion

VDOT’s online, interactive travel trends maps for Christmas and New Year’s holiday periods show peak congestion periods anticipated on Virginia interstates during the upcoming holiday travel period. While it cannot precisely predict when congestion will occur this year, it can help motorists avoid travel when traffic has historically moved the slowest.

Plan ahead with VDOT 511

VDOT’s free mobile 511 app offers information about construction, traffic, incidents and congestion as well as access to traffic cameras, weather, electric vehicle charging stations and more. By calling 511 from any phone in Virginia, use 511’s “speak ahead” option for hands-free and eyes-free audible traffic alerts for incidents and construction along your route. Traffic information is also available at 511.vdot.virginia.gov.

Hampton Roads tunnels and other information

For holiday travel requiring water crossings between the Hampton Roads Peninsula and Southside during construction of the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel Expansion Project, motorists are encouraged to monitor real-time conditions and consider alternate routes such as the I-664 Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel, the Route 17 James River Bridge, the free Jamestown-Scotland Ferry or I-95 to minimize potential delays.