Massachusetts Labor Day Weekend Travel Guide

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

Fortunately, the highways won't be marred by road work this weekend. MassDOT will suspend scheduled roadway construction at noon on Friday, Sept. 1 until the start of normal business hours on Tuesday, Sept. 5.

MassDOT's Emergency Services Programs will be increasing patrols on all major roadways to provide roadside assistance. Call 911 to request assistance; more information can be found here.

RELATED: Gas prices are expected to spike dramatically, but briefly.

The MBTA schedule this weekend is as follows:

• All subway and commuter rail lines, buses, trackless trolleys, and commuter rails will operate on a Sunday schedule.
• This means some MBTA bus routes as well as the Needham Commuter Rail Line will not operate on Labor Day.
• All ferries and boats will operate on a Sunday schedule.
• The RIDE will operate on a Sunday schedule.
• On Saturday, September 2, and Sunday, September 3, MBTA Lowell Commuter Rail Line trains will be replaced with shuttle buses due to ongoing work installing federally mandated Positive Train Control equipment. On Labor Day, Monday, September 4, Lowell Commuter Rail Line trains will operate on the Sunday schedule effective May 22.
• For full MBTA schedule details, please visit http://www.mbta.com/events/.

Drivers may use the following tools for traffic and road conditions:

• 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 www.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.
• Visit MassDOT Highway Traffic and Travel Resources web page.
• 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.

The High Occupancy Vehicle lane on I-93 will have normal morning hours this week and open early for the afternoon commute at 2 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 31 and 1 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 1. The HOV lane will be closed on Monday, Sept. 4 and will re-open during regularly scheduled hours on Tuesday, Sept. 5.

There will be no lane restrictions on the Sagamore Bridge over Labor Day weekend.

Free coffee will be served at the 18 MassDOT service plazas from 10 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 4 to 5 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 5. There are 11 service plazas along the Mass. Pike, and plazas on Route 3 in Plymouth, Route 128 in Beverly, Route 128/I-95 in Newton and Lexington, Route 6 in Barnstable and Route 24 on the north and southbound sides.

RMV offices are closed on Monday, Sept. 4. The website will still be operational.

MassDOT urges drivers to remain cautious and make informed decisions on the road this weekend.

"We advise everyone who will be traveling during the Labor Day weekend to plan ahead, check traffic conditions before setting out onto the roadways, and make smart decisions regarding the best mode, route and time to travel," Transportation Secretary and CEO Stephanie Pollack said in a statement.

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