Plan ahead for road closures at popular destinations

Published on June 12, 2014 03:47 PM in Safe Driving

Dust off your almanac and download a freeway app for your smartphone if you are driving through any of the top metropolitan areas this summer.

Roadway construction could make travel a dusty slog if you don’t know how to navigate around road closures.

“We encourage people to plan ahead and do their research,’ said Nancy singer, spokesperson for the Federal Highway Administration.

The federal agency and every state offers traveler information on construction projects. The state sites have detailed maps and closure information.

“We do construction work at night when traffic volumes are lower,” said Kelley Markham of California Department of Transportation, District 7 office in Los Angeles. “That’s a good tip for people visiting.”

Markham has some additional tips. Drivers need to stay especially alert while driving through cone zones to avoid workers and they should breath deep when they encounter delays.

“Pack their patience,” Markham said. “They’re going to need it if their traveling Interstate-5 at night.”

The same holds true in other major metropolitan areas as well. In New York, major renovation is underway in the Lincoln Tunnel and George Washington Bridge. The 74-year-old tunnel carries more than 40 million vehicles annually and is undergoing major renovation.

In Orlando, home of Disneyworld, the Florida Department of Transportation is closing major arteries near the popular tourist attraction. Like construction sights elsewhere, closures will occur at night.

Planning to visit any of the cities listed in Trip Advisor’s most popular U.S. traveler destinations? Check out related websites for lane closure and construction information:

Federal Highway Administration: National Traffic and Road Closure Information

https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/trafficinfo/

New York, N.Y.

For New York City and surrounding areas:

http://www.511ny.org/

George Washington Bridge closures:

http://www.panynj.gov//bridges-tunnels/gwb-upper-deck-steel-rehab.html

Bayonne Bridge:

http://www.panynj.gov/bridges-tunnels/bayonne-bridge.html

Lincoln Tunnel:

http://www.panynj.gov/thehelixfix/?tabnum=2

Chicago, Ill.

http://www.gettingaroundillinois.com/

San Francisco, Calif.

http://baybridgeinfo.org/

Las Vegas, Nev.

http://www.nevadadot.com/Projects_and_Programs/Road_Projects/District_1_Construction_Report.aspx

New Orleans, La.

http://www.gohsep.la.gov/evacinfo/rdclosureindex.htm

Los Angeles, Calif.

http://i-5info.com/

San Diego, Calif.

http://sdcounty.ca.gov/dpw/roads/roadclose.html

Seattle, Wash.

http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/northwest/king/construction/

Washington. D.C.

http://ddot.dc.gov/newsroom

Orlando, Fla.

http://www.cflroads.com/