MA Labor Day Travel Guide: Live Traffic, When Not To Leave

MASSACHUSETTS — Labor Day weekend is knocking at our door. The long weekend, signaling the de facto end of summer, is one of the most popular travel holidays of the year. In Massachusetts, this can cause headaches for travelers who want to squeeze in a few more beach days before the leaves change.

The top destination for Bay Staters this weekend is the Cape and Islands, according to a AAA Northeast survey of 437 travelers. Boston and the Berkshires remain popular destinations, and almost 40 percent of residents surveyed report they will travel out-of-state, with Maine the top destination, followed by New Hampshire, New York, Vermont, Connecticut and Florida.

AAA says the "car is king" when it comes to Labor Day travel, spurred on by falling gas prices and a forecast that's best enjoyed with the top down. Eighty-five percent of Massachusetts travelers are expected to get behind the wheel this year, according to AAA.

Fortunately, the highways won't be marred by road work this weekend. MassDOT will hold off on construction from 5 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 30 until the start of normal business hours on Tuesday, Sept. 3.

If you're driving...

Most vacationers are expected to leave Friday and come back Monday. More people will try to stagger one leg of the trip, and AAA advises heading home late Sunday or early Monday. A spokesperson for traffic-tracking company INRIX told Boston.com the worst time to drive is 4-6 p.m. Thursday, when you'll get hit with a double whammy of commuters and early travelers.

- The High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane on I-93 between Boston and Quincy will have normal morning hours this week and open early for the afternoon commute at 2 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 29, and 1 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 30. The HOV lane will be closed on Monday, Sept. 2 and reopen for regularly scheduled hours on Tuesday, Sept. 3.

- The additional "swing lane" on Route 1A southbound at the Sumner Tunnel will have normal hours on Friday, Aug. 30 by opening at 10 a.m., and it will not be closed on Monday, Sept. 2. The swing lane will resume normal operations on Tuesday, Sept. 3, closing at 5 a.m. and opening at 10 a.m.

- There will be no lane restrictions on the Sagamore Bridge or Bourne Bridge during Labor Day weekend period.

- Free coffee will be served at the 18 MassDOT service plazas from 10 p.m. Monday, September 2, through 5 a.m., Tuesday, September 3. The plazas serving free coffee include 11 service plazas along the Mass. Pike, plus plazas along Route 3 in Plymouth, Route 128 in Beverly, Route 128/I-95 in Newton and Lexington, Route 6 in Barnstable and the Route 24 northbound and southbound plazas.

- MassDOT’s Highway Assistance Program, sponsored by MAPFRE, will be increasing patrols on all major roadways to support roadside assistance needs. Requests for assistance can be initiated by calling 911.

- The Registry of Motor Vehicles offices are closed for Labor Day on Monday, Sept. 2.

- Don't litter: violators are subject to a fine of up to $5,500 for the first offense.

Live Traffic Map, Travel Alerts and Updates

The map below shows real-time traffic condition courtesy of Waze. You can use the search box at the bottom of the map to customize it to your travel plans. We'll also update this section with news of major backups as we hear about them:

For traffic and road conditions, drivers have a few options:

- Download MassDOT’s GoTime mobile app and view real-time traffic conditions before setting out on the road.

- Download Waze, the real-time traffic navigation app that provides motorists with real-time traffic conditions across Massachusetts.

- Visit mass511.com to view travel times, road construction, traffic alerts or crashes along a route. Incidents, road closures, lane closures, real-time live traffic cameras, and weather alerts/forecasts, can all be viewed on the interactive live Traffic Map.

- Dial 511 from a landline or cell phone to hear information on current conditions on major roadways.

- Register for a Mass511 account to create and personalize routes and alerts to be notified of events on those routes ahead of time.

- Check MassDOT Highway Traffic and Travel Resources.

- Follow MassDOT on Twitter @MassDOT as incidents that impact traffic flow are generally mentioned in tweets if they occur on the state’s major highways.

If you're taking public transit...

- All subway and commuter rail lines, buses, trackless trolleys, and commuter rails will operate on a Sunday schedule.

- There will be no service on the F1 Hingham-Boston ferry, and all other ferries and boats will operate on a Sunday schedule.

- The RIDE will operate on a Sunday schedule.

For more information: https://www.mbta.com/holidays.

If you're flying...

A report by Airlines for America (A4A) projects U.S. airlines to carry an average of 2.51 million passengers per day during the week-long travel period, with Friday, Aug. 30, expected to be the busiest day of the period, (2.98 million passengers flying aboard U.S. carriers), followed by Thursday, Aug. 29, with 2.82 million passengers. On Labor Day itself, 2.71 million passengers are expected on U.S. carriers.

Monitor www.massport.com for updated airline and airport information and Transportation Security Administration carry-on luggage regulations, The Massport website allows travelers to check flight status, parking conditions and public transportation options from their smartphone or tablet. Massport also encourages travelers to check with their airlines before heading to the airport for the most updated flight status and travel information.

The weather...

The latest forecast calls for a near-perfect Labor Day weekend across New England.