VDOT lifts lane closures for Memorial Day weekend to kick off summer travel season

RICHMOND — Each year, Memorial Day weekend is a busy travel time for motorists making their first warm-weather weekend getaways to the beach, the Blue Ridge or beyond. To help travelers spend more time at their destination than in traffic, the Virginia Department of Transportation will be suspending most highway work zones and lifting most lane closures on interstates and other major roads in Virginia from noon on Friday, May 26 until noon on Tuesday, May 30. 

While lane closures will be lifted in most locations, motorists may encounter semi-permanent work zones that remain in place during this time. Check VDOT’s Weekly Lane Closures and Travel Advisories for the latest travel alerts in your area and around the state.

Additionally, VDOT offers several resources to help plan travel ahead of time.

TRAVEL TRENDS MAP HELPS PREDICT PEAK CONGESTION 

Based on historical data, VDOT's online, interactive travel trends map shows peak congestion periods anticipated on Virginia interstates during the upcoming Memorial Day Weekend holiday period. While it cannot precisely predict when congestion will occur this year, it can help motorists avoid travel when roads have historically been busiest. 

Based on the historical data: 

• On Interstate 95 northbound, heavy congestion is expected on Friday and Saturday between Fredericksburg and the D.C. line and on Monday between Richmond and Northern Virginia.
• On Interstate 95 southbound, congestion is expected between the D.C. line and Richmond on Friday and Saturday, and on Sunday and Monday in Northern Virginia.
• In the Hampton Roads area, congestion is also likely, especially on Interstate 64 approaching the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel eastbound on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and going westbound on Friday and Monday.
• On Interstate 81 northbound, pockets of congestion may appear on Monday between Roanoke and Winchester. 

PLAN AHEAD WITH VDOT 511: REAL-TIME TRAFFIC INFO AT YOUR FINGERTIPS 

VDOT’s free mobile 511 app offers information about construction, traffic, incidents and congestion as well as access to traffic cameras, weather, EV charging stations and more. Use 511’s “speak ahead” option to alert you to incidents on your route.

Traffic information is also available at 511Virginia.org or by calling 511 from any phone.

NORTHERN VIRGINIA HIGH OCCUPANCY VEHICLE (HOV) SCHEDULE AND OTHER INFORMATION

• All rush-hour tolls on the 66 Express Lanes Inside the Beltway will be lifted on Memorial Day, Monday, May 29.
• Find directional schedules for the reversible Interstate 95 and 395 express lanes, and information for the 495 Express Lanes atexpresslanes.com.

HAMPTON ROADS HOV SCHEDULE, TUNNELS AND OTHER INFORMATION

• I-64/I-264/I-564 HOV Diamond Lanes and 64 Express Lanes – HOV restrictions and Express Lanes tolls will be lifted on Memorial Day, Monday, May 29.  

• Travel to Virginia Beach – Peninsula traffic to Virginia Beach is encouraged to use the I-664 Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel (MMMBT) as an alternative to the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel (HRBT). If traveling to Virginia Beach, take I-664 south to the MMMBT. Then take the Portsmouth/Norfolk exit (exit 15A) to I-264 east to Virginia Beach.
• Travel to Outer Banks – Traffic to the North Carolina Outer Banks should use I-664 and the MMMBT as an alternative to the HRBT to save time. From I-664 south, take the Portsmouth/Norfolk exit to I-264 east (exit 15A). Continue on I-264 east through the Downtown Tunnel and take the first exit to I-464 south (exit 8). From I-464, continue south onto the Chesapeake Expressway (Route 168). Continue south on Route 168 to the Outer Banks.
• Note: Motorists should be advised of potential lane closures and truck traffic restrictions on the Chesapeake Expressway (Route 168) due to recent damage sustained to the bridge. Travel updates for the Chesapeake Expressway bridge can be found on the City of Chesapeake’s website at www.cityofchesapeake.net/3171/Rt-168-Bypass-Bridge-Updates

STAY SAFE

• Do your part to make travel safer for all:
• If you plan to drink, have a designated driver 
• Don’t drive distracted, and speak up if someone else is doing so 
• Buckle up and ensure children and car seats are secured 
• Maintain a safe distance from the vehicle in front of you 
• Use your signals for lane changes and turns 
• Cars can heat dangerously fast on hot days: don’t leave children, elderly persons or pets in parked cars for any amount of time 

For questions or to report hazardous road conditions, contact VDOT’s 24-hour Customer Service Center by visiting my.vdot.virginia.gov or calling 800-FOR-ROAD (367-7623).