Hitting the road this Memorial Day weekend? Construction work on most projects will be suspended

MILWAUKEE -- Construction work on most major highway projects throughout the state will be suspended during the three-day Memorial Day weekend to help travelers reach their destination safely and efficiently, according to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT).

DOT officials said in a release issued to FOX6 News that most construction in highway work zones will stop by noon on Friday, May 27, and will not resume until 6 a.m. on Tuesday, May 31.

Peak travel times for the Memorial Day weekend are expected to be from noon until 8 p.m. on both Friday, May 27, and Monday, May 30.

“Although most lanes through work zones will be open to handle the heavy holiday traffic, drivers may still encounter narrow lanes, lane shifts and rough pavement. They will need to stay alert, slow down, and not tailgate. Rear-end collisions caused primarily by distracted driving, speeding and following other vehicles too closely are the most frequent type of crash when approaching and driving through work zones,” says Don Greuel, WisDOT chief project services engineer said in the statement.

According to the DOT, during the Memorial Day weekend last year, there were 13 traffic fatalities in Wisconsin.

“To prevent deaths and injuries, law enforcement agencies in Wisconsin will be out in force during the holiday weekend to crackdown on unbuckled drivers and passengers as part of the Click It or Ticket mobilization, which runs until June 5,” says David Pabst, director of the WisDOT Bureau of Transportation Safety said in the statement.

The Wisconsin State Patrol will also be using its aircraft for traffic safety enforcement. The dates, times and locations of many of the aerial enforcement missions may be announced in advance on Twitter (@WisconsinDOT, #WisDOT).

Significant road construction projects that may affect highway travel during the Memorial Day weekend include the following: