Nashville – The Tennessee Department of Transportation is once again halting all lane closure activity on interstates and state highways for the busy Labor Day holiday travel period. While AAA reports travel numbers are expected to be lower than last year, nearly a half million Tennesseans are still expected to travel by car this holiday.

Construction crews will stop all lane closure activity beginning at noon on Friday, September 4 through 6:00 a.m. on Tuesday, September 8. This will provide maximum roadway capacity for motorists traveling during the busy Labor Day holiday.

“The Labor Day holiday is one of the busiest travel periods of the year,” said TDOT Commissioner Gerald Nicely. “As thousands of people hit the road in Tennessee, we want to ensure they get to their destinations quickly and safely without road construction delays.”

While lane closure activity will be stopped, workers will still be on site in many construction zones. Drivers should obey all posted speed limits, particularly in construction areas. Slower speeds are necessary in work zones due to the temporary layout of the roadway and will be enforced. Drivers convicted of speeding through work zones where workers are present face a fine of $250 to $500, plus court fees and possible increased insurance premiums.

“During this Labor Day weekend, travelers will notice an increased number of law enforcement personnel on Tennessee’s roadways,” said Governor’s Highway Safety Office Director Kendell Poole. “Our main goal is for everyone to have a safe holiday, so we want to emphasize the importance of buckling up, obeying traffic laws, paying attention, and, above all, never driving drunk or impaired.”

The summer travel season is expected to close with fewer travelers during the Labor Day weekend than during the same period in 2008. AAA Auto Club South projects 567,000 Tennesseans will travel this Labor Day holiday, with 482,000 traveling by car and 11,000 traveling by air. Nationwide travel is expected to be down 13% compared to 2008. Tennessee, Georgia and Florida are anticipated to experience a 22% decline in travel compared to last year’s numbers.

For up-to-date travel information, motorists are reminded to call 511 from any land line or cellular phone or visit www.TN511.com. Travelers can also get up to the minute roadway information by following us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/TN511. Motorists are reminded that texting while driving is against the law in Tennessee, so please use these motorist information tools responsibly.

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NASHVILLE – The phrase, “I just got nailed by the cops,” is taking on a whole new meaning for Tennesseans.  Today, the Governor’s Highway Safety Office joined AAA and the Franklin Police Department to launch “100 Days of Summer Heat” and unveiled a new “Drive Drunk, Get Nailed” message.  GHSO has already spread the message to many in Middle Tennessee in a unique and surprising way.  Vehicles with 10 foot nails driven through the hoods have appeared in high visibility locations across Middle Tennessee since June 22 in an effort to spread the word.

“There is never a good reason for getting behind the wheel after you’ve been drinking,” said TDOT Commissioner Gerald Nicely.  “Unfortunately, many people are still not getting the message, so we hope this new campaign will help draw attention to the problem of drunk driving in Tennessee.”

The nailed vehicles are part of a campaign to make drivers aware that Tennessee’s law enforcement agencies will be stepping up enforcement on the roads this summer and watching for anyone speeding, riding without a safety belt, or driving while under the influence.

“Impaired driving will not be tolerated on the roadways of Tennessee this summer, or at any other time throughout the year,” said Franklin Police Chief Jackie Moore.  “If you are driving aggressively, impaired, or without a safety belt, you will get ‘nailed.’”

The heightened enforcement period, known as “100 Days of Summer Heat” is an annual event, but the message has never been communicated using such a bold method.  The GHSO team will place the nailed vehicles in a variety of locations around the Nashville area through July 3 before moving them to Memphis, and then to other cities across Tennessee.  At the same time, television viewers will begin seeing a new public service announcement featuring vehicles being nailed that will also deliver the message.  In addition, the GHSO team will place printed materials in bars and restaurants across Tennessee to remind everyone to drink responsibly.

“Our goal is to generate buzz in Tennessee communities with this campaign, and continue to save lives on Tennessee’s roadways at an unprecedented rate,” said GHSO Director Kendell Poole.  “Motor vehicle crashes continue to be the leading cause of death for every age group in the United States, and it is particularly disturbing that most of these crashes are preventable.”

AAA Auto Club South is joining the GHSO and various law enforcement officers from across the region to reinforce the message of safety.  Kevin Bakewell, Senior Vice President of AAA, Auto Club South added, “Texting and driving is distracted driving, and beginning July 1, it will be against the law in the state of Tennessee.  We are proud to join with TDOT and the Governor’s Highway Safety Office to announce that this practice will no longer be tolerated.”

Nashville - Motorists traveling through the volunteer state this Memorial Day holiday will have an open road and a new tool to help avoid traffic tie-ups.  The Tennessee Department of Transportation is suspending all lane closure activities on state roads and interstates and is launching TDOT’s first Twitter page to help keep motorists up to date about problems on volunteer state roadways.

“In addition to suspending all lane closure activity this Memorial Day we will be launching our latest informational tool for motorists,” said TDOT Commissioner Gerald Nicely.  “Twitter is one more way TDOT can help travelers stay informed about road conditions in the volunteer state.”

People wishing to receive TDOT’s Twitter updates can now follow TN511 on Twitter.  Motorists can also obtain traffic information on the TDOT web site and by calling 511 from any land line or cellular phone or by tuning into one of several Highway Advisory Radio stations located in most urban areas.

As in years past, TDOT will suspend all interstate construction that requires lane closures in anticipation of the busy holiday travel weekend.  No lane closure activity will occur on interstates or state highways from 12:00 noon Friday, May 22, until 6:00 a.m. Tuesday, May 26.  Long-term lane closures will remain in place for safety.

“Suspending construction on holiday weekends is a common practice for TDOT,” added Nicely. “As more motorists hit the road, it is vital to keep traffic moving to improve safety and help everyone enjoy their trip through Tennessee.”

Slower speed limits will still be in effect in construction zones. Even though lane closure activity will be stopped, workers will still be on site at many projects.  Fines for speeding in a work zone when workers are present can be as much as $500.

“With millions of motorists on our roadways, it is important for everyone to use caution,” said Governor’s Highway Safety Office Director Kendell Poole.  “If you’re traveling this Memorial Day weekend be sure to buckle up and slow down so that everyone can arrive at their holiday destinations safely.”

AAA estimates 32.4 million people will travel more than 50 miles this Memorial Day holiday including 27 million Americans who will hit the roads nationwide. In Tennessee, AAA projects 679,000 will travel by automobile.  A total of 813,000 Tennesseans are expected to travel this Memorial Day, a 1.4% increase over Tennessee’s 2007 travel numbers.  This year’s nationwide travel projections represent a 1.5% increase, from 31.9 million in 2008 to 32.4 million.

For more information on road conditions in Tennessee, visit the TDOT web site and click on the TDOT SmartWay icon for traffic cameras and real-time travel information.  Travelers can also dial 511 from any land-line or cellular phone or visit www.TN511.com to access valuable information about travel conditions anytime, or follow TN511 on Twitter.

TDOT Commissioner Gerald Nicely has informed all of the department’s crews and contractors to stop all road construction work requiring lane closures beginning at 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, December 23 through 6:00 a.m. on January 5.“Many Tennesseans traditionally take advantage of the opportunity to travel to visit family and friends during this holiday period,” said Nicely.  “We want to ensure that motorists traveling in Tennessee arrive at their destinations safely and with as little disruption as possible.”

Except for a few long-term closures which must remain in place for safety, all construction related closures will be suspended.  Workers will also be on site in some construction zones.  Drivers should obey all posted speed limits, particularly in construction areas.  Slower speeds are necessary in work zones due to the temporary layout of the roadway and will be enforced.  Drivers convicted of speeding through work zones where workers are present face a fine of $250 to $500, plus court fees and possible increased insurance premiums.

“Our goal is for everyone to have a safe holiday, and drivers are encouraged to obey speed limit and seat belt laws,” said Governor’s Highway Safety Office Director Kendell Poole.  “We also want to remind everyone to avoid getting behind the wheel if you’ve had too much to drink.”

Because of a weakening economy, AAA predicts holiday travel will be down slightly this year.  63.9 million Americans are expected to travel at least 50 miles from home during this Christmas holiday period – a decrease of 2.1 percent from 2007.  Most of the drop is because of decreased air travel.  However, due to falling gas prices, the number of people who say they’ll drive actually increased by 0.2% over last year.

The Southeast accounts for 28% of the nation’s travel with 18 million travelers.  AAA estimates that 1.4 million Tennesseans will travel during the Christmas holiday period.  Of these numbers, it is predicted that over a million will travel by car and 197,000 will travel by plane.

For up-to-date travel information, Tennessee motorists are reminded to call 511 from any land line or cellular phone or visit www.TN511.com (http://www.tn511.com/ ).