Memorial Day Weekend Traffic Will be Heavy

Wisconsin motorists and out-of-state tourists will swarm onto highways during the Memorial Day weekend and may encounter work zones where they will need to stay alert, slow down, and not tail-gate. 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.

During the Memorial Day weekend last year, there were seven traffic fatalities. On average during the last five years, nine people died in Memorial Day weekend traffic crashes, according to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.

With heavy traffic anticipated, which could cause unexpected back-ups and slow downs, motorists should allow extra time to get to their destination, be patient when encountering traffic congestion, and, if possible, avoid driving during peak travel hours of between noon and 8 p.m. on Friday, and noon and 8 p.m. on Monday. As always, they should drive sober and buckle up. Approximately 400 law enforcement agencies throughout Wisconsin will have more officers patrolling for longer hours to crackdown on unbuckled drivers and passengers as part of the Click It or Ticket mobilization, which runs until June 4.

Motorists can check online for traffic information, including travel times, lane closures and incidents, at www.511wi.gov or by calling 511 on their phone (prior to driving).

Significant road construction projects that may affect highway travel include the following:

• Mitchell Interchange in Milwaukee County
• I-94 in Milwaukee County
• I-94 in Kenosha County
• I-43 in Ozaukee and Sheboygan counties
• US 41 in Winnebago and Brown counties
• I-94 in Eau Claire County

Work on the Wisconsin River bridges on I-39/90/94 in Columbia County is being suspended for the summer months and all lanes are now open.