Here's When MD Toll Facilities Will Be Busiest Labor Day Weekend

BALTIMORE, MD — As Maryland families enjoy one last summer weekend before school starts, the Maryland Transportation Authority says more than 2.1 million drivers are likely to travel using its facilities over the Labor Day holiday weekend. Drivers should plan ahead, travel to the beach at off-peak times and put safety first. The estimated travel count would be a 1.5 percent increase in traffic volume compared to last year.

If you plan to spend your holiday weekend on the Eastern Shore, call 511 to get real-time traffic details east of the Bay Bridge and, when leaving the shore, points west to the bridge to avoid the worst of the Labor Day weekend traffic.

MDTA officials expect these vehicle counts at toll facilities between Friday, Aug. 31, and Monday, Sept. 3:

• William Preston Lane Jr. Memorial (Bay) Bridge (US 50/301) – more than 327,000.
• John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway (I-95) – more than 543,000.
• Fort McHenry Tunnel (I-95, I-395) – more than 465,000.

An additional 562,000 vehicles are projected to travel the Francis Scott Key Bridge (I-695), the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel (I-895), the Thomas J. Hatem Memorial Bridge (US 40) and the Governor Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge (US 301) combined. All totals represent traffic in both directions.

Given the sheer number of travelers, MDTA officials say the best times to travel the Bay Bridge this weekend are:

• Thursday – before 10 a.m. and after 6 p.m.
• Friday – before 7 a.m. and after 9 p.m.
• Saturday – before 8 a.m. and after 6 p.m.
• Sunday – before 8 a.m. and after midnight
• Labor Day Monday – before 10 a.m. and after midnight

Check traffic conditions before you hit the road:

• Call 1-877-BAYSPAN (229-7726) for 24/7 Bay Bridge traffic conditions or visit baybridge.com to view traffic cameras and to sign up for email alerts.
• Ease your travel with E-ZPass. E-ZPass transponders are now free and no $1.50 monthly fee is charged. Visit ezpassmd.com to enroll online and for a list of E-ZPass “On the Go” retail locations.
• Follow the MDTA on Twitter at twitter.com/TheMDTA. Find us on Facebook at facebook.com/TheMDTA. To sign up for email/text alerts or view real-time traffic camera images on MDTA roadways, visit mdta.maryland.gov.
• Know Before You Go - To view traffic cameras on MDTA roadways, visit mdta.maryland.gov. Call 511 or visit MD511.org for statewide travel information. When you call 511, just say "Reach the Beach." The free phone call can eliminate some of the hassle of your road trip.
• Need to rest or fuel up? Stop by the Maryland or Chesapeake House travel plazas along I-95 in northeast Maryland.
• Consider the Intercounty Connector (ICC)/MD 200 and I-95 Express Toll Lanes (ETL) in Baltimore during your holiday travels. Visit mdta.maryland.gov for toll rates.

Drunken Drivers

MDTA Police will be on the roads targeting aggressive and impaired drivers, seatbelt violators and criminal activity. Additional MDTA Police patrols will be on the lookout for impaired drivers at Maryland toll facilities throughout the holiday weekend.

The MDTA Police and Vehicle Recovery Units will have additional patrols on duty to respond quickly to incidents and disabled vehicles during the holiday weekend. In addition, the MDTA will lift construction-related temporary lane closures at its facilities from 5 a.m. Friday, Aug. 31, to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 4.

Construction Reminders

• I-95 improvement project north of the Fort McHenry Tunnelcontinues. Current traffic pattern features small or no shoulders through the work zone. All lanes are open in both directions.
• I-695 Curtis Creek Drawbridge Preservation Project has a traffic pattern featuring two-way traffic (one adjacent lane in each direction) 24/7 south of the Francis Scott Key Bridge.
• I-895 Patapsco River Flats bridge deck and superstructure replacement continues. Current traffic pattern features two-way traffic (one adjacent lane in each direction) 24/7 on I-895 across the Patapsco Flats bridge near Baltimore/Washington Parkway. Motorists should consider I-95 as an alternate route.

Safe Driving Tips

• Devote your full attention to driving – it is illegal to text and use hand-held cell phones while driving in Maryland.
• Buckle Up! Every Seat. Every Time.
• State law requires vehicles to move over when approaching an emergency vehicle or tow truck using visual signals. If you are unable to move over, slow down.
• Obey posted speed limits and overhead lane-control signals.
• Headlights are required at all times on the Bay Bridge.
• Keep your eyes on the road – do not sight-see.
• Do not tailgate - keep a safe following distance.
• Make sure your vehicle is “road ready.”
• If your vehicle becomes disabled, remain inside and call #77 for assistance.
• When contacting a dispatch center, motorists should be prepared to provide: The location of the emergency; a call-back telephone number; and details of the incident/disabled vehicle or other circumstances.

The E-ZPass Maryland Customer Service Centers will be closed on Monday, Sept. 3. Visit the website or use the automated system at 1-888-321-6824.

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