Officials prepare for holiday travel
Published 12:00 am Thursday, September 2, 2004
It is the last warm weather holiday of the year, and many are predicting a busy Labor Day weekend, with motorists taking to the roadways for one last vacation.
"We're anticipating this Labor Day travel season will be busier than last year," said Bevi Norris, spokeswoman for AAA East Central region. "We're predicting that holiday weekend travel will be up 2.2 percent over last year, with 34.1 million travelers in the country."
Norris said the increase in travel can be attributed to an upturn in the national economy.
Traveling may not only be crowded, it may also be expensive: Norris said
gas prices across the country are hovering at $1.87 per gallon. "But really it doesn't seem to have an impact at all on travel," Norris said. "People tend to follow through with their travel plans in spite of the price."
Law enforcement agencies plan increased patrols over the weekend. Ohio State Highway Patrol Lt. Carl Roark said throughout Lawrence County, troopers will pay particular attention to impaired drivers.
"We're planning saturation patrols with a number of hours for officers working overtime for the specific focus of apprehending impaired drivers," Roark said. "This is in conjunction with the 'you drink, you drive, you lose campaign.'"
Roark said he encourages travelers to use their safety belts and plan on having a designated driver of they plan to consume alcohol.
For Lawrence Countians, travel locally could be hindered somewhat by road construction projects.
State Route 93
is
reduced
to
one
lane
just north of State Route 373, 15 miles north of Ironton, for a bridge replacement project. Ohio Department of Transportation District Nine officials said traffic is being maintained with the
use of
temporary traffic signals, and an 10-foot width restriction is in effect. Completion should be some time after the Labor Day weekend.
State Route
243
is
closed
at
its
junction
with
State Route
7
in
Rome
Township for reconstruction of the State Route 243/State Route 7 intersection. While it is closed, traffic is
being
detoured
by
way
of
State Route 7 to Beulah Lane.
The route is expected to reopen Saturday.
In neighboring Scioto County, work continues on the U.S. Grant Bridge linking downtown Portsmouth and South Shore, Ky.
Work also continues on a resurfacing
project
on
U.S. 52. Contractors are working
on the roadway from the western corporation limit of Portsmouth to just west of County Road 49 (Carey's Run Road).
Throughout construction, traffic will be
maintained
in one lane in each direction when crews are working in the construction
zone;
lane
restrictions
will
be
lifted
for
the holiday weekend. The scheduled
completion date is Oct. 31.