BOSTON, MA - In anticipation of heavy traffic on Labor Day weekend and as part of the Patrick-Murray Administration's commitment to provide travelers with the best possible information online, Transportation Secretary James A. Aloisi, Jr. today announced that MassHighway's (MHD) internal system of 70 live traffic cameras will be available for public viewing on the agency's website at www.mass.gov/511/cameras. Prior to Memorial Day the Massachusetts Turnpike unveiled a set of live traffic cameras on its website at: http://www.masspike.com/travel/cameras.html.

'I urge residents and visitors to drive safely over Labor Day weekend and plan ahead using these new online tools,' said Transportation Secretary James A. Aloisi, Jr. 'As Governor Patrick continues to reform our state's transportation agencies our priorities will be customer service and safety, and a big part of that is delivering information to travelers more efficiently and effectively than ever before.'

As part of the Administration's commitment to transparency and innovation, the Executive Office of Transportation will provide media outlets with an XML feed of the cameras so they can be integrated into existing media websites and traffic web pages. The new live cameras will show traffic on Interstate 93 from Somerville to Canton, Interstate 95 from Westwood to Wakefield, Route 3 from Burlington to the New Hampshire border and the mainland side of the Sagamore Bridge in Bourne. The cameras will provide a complete view of traffic flow in these areas and allow viewers to better plan their commutes and vacation excursions.

'This website is part of our ongoing efforts to provide drivers with up-to-date and accurate information that they can use to inform their travel plans,' said MassHighway Commissioner Luisa Paiewonsky.

In anticipation of heavy traffic volume on the holiday weekend the Turnpike's toll plazas will be staffed appropriately and the Turnpike and MHD will halt construction activity on the state's highways.

PLAN AHEAD TO AVOID HOTSPOTS

Drivers are urged to plan their travel accordingly to avoid peak traffic volumes. Historically the heaviest Labor Day weekend traffic on I-90 (MassPike) occurs Thursday and Friday in the westbound direction and Monday in the eastbound direction from 1:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m., especially at the I-84 interchange at Exit 9 in Sturbridge. Traffic at Exit 9 has averaged 36,000 vehicles on the Monday of Labor Day weekend.

On I-90 traffic will also be heavy at Exit 11A [I-495], which handles cars headed south to Cape Cod and north to New Hampshire and Maine. An estimated 40,000 vehicles will use this interchange on Friday of Labor Day weekend. Traffic at Exit 10 (I-290) interchange will be busy as well. The Tanglewood Jazz Festival will bring extra volume at Exit 2 in Lee.

Cape Cod-bound traffic can be expected to begin to slow down during the early afternoon hours of Friday, Sept. 4 along Route 3 southbound and Route 25 eastbound. The traffic backups could begin earlier if weather conditions are favorable. MassHighway will provide message boards in the vicinity of the Sagamore and Bourne bridges.

Outbound traffic from the Cape should begin increasing late morning Monday (Labor Day) and continue through the evening hours. Delays are often experienced on Route 3 northbound from Plymouth to Braintree.

Lane shifts and lane drops will be at the following locations:

• Middleboro/Raynham line, I-495 northbound - permanent lane split with Jersey barriers at the Taunton River Bridge for construction of center deck section. Breakdown lane closed with two lanes of thru traffic.
• Fall River - I-195 eastbound and westbound at Government Center lane drop - permanent high speed lane closure for bridge painting and fire proof installations. Breakdown lane closed with two lanes of thru traffic.
• Somerset - I-195 eastbound at Route 103 - Right lanes closed with Jersey barriers for excavation beneath the overpass. Breakdown lane closed with two lanes of thru traffic.
• New Bedford - I-195 eastbound and westbound at Route 140 - lane shifts to low speed side. Breakdown lanes closed with two lanes of thru traffic.

Traffic crossing into New Hampshire on I-93 and I-95 will be heavy on Friday afternoon, with backups on I-95 northbound and I-495 northbound near Salisbury associated with the New Hampshire I-95 tolls. Heavy traffic is expected on I-93 and I-95 in the afternoon and early evening hours Monday.

Traffic in and out of New Hampshire will experience lane shifts and drops at the following locations:

• Wilmington/Tewksbury, I-93 northbound lane drop beginning just north of Exit 41 (Route 125) and continuing to the New Hampshire border. The breakdown lane will be in use with trucks excluded on weekdays from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. From the New Hampshire border southbound I-93 will have three lanes in operation and expand to four just north of Exit 41. The breakdown lane will be in use with trucks excluded on weekdays from 6:00 a.m. to 10 a.m.
• Newburyport - I-95 northbound lane drop beginning just north of Exit 57 (Route 113) in Newburyport and continuing over the Whittier Bridge Merrimack River crossing to the I-495 - I-95 interchange, where the roadway transitions back to four lanes to the New Hampshire border.
• Salisbury - I-95 southbound lane drop beginning at the I-495 south exits in Salisbury to the Whittier Bridge Merrimack River crossing to the area just north of Exit 57 (Route 113) in Newburyport.

Drivers are invited to call 511 for route specific information. Compliments of McDonalds and Gulf, free coffee will be served at the 11 service plazas along the Turnpike on Monday night into Tuesday morning, from 10:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.

DRIVE SAFE, CONSIDER PUBLIC TRANSIT

As part of their continued effort to keep Massachusetts roadways safe, the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security (EOPSS) is providing federal grant funding to the Massachusetts State Police and over 240 local police departments to crack down on drunk driving through Labor Day. Police will be conducting extra high-visibility enforcement statewide, and will focus on impaired drivers.

'We want people to have fun, but we want them to do so responsibly,' said Sheila Burgess, Director of Highway Safety for EOPSS . 'Drivers need to think about the decisions they make before they get behind the wheel, and hopefully, increased police presence on the roadways will encourage driving that is safe, and of course - sober.'

Residents and visitors are also encouraged to take public transit to get to their destination. Visit the MBTA online at www.mbta.com to start planning your trip. As a reminder, the MBTA bus, subway, and commuter rail will all on run on a Sunday schedule on Labor Day, Monday, September 7. To learn about Regional Transit service in regions outside MBTA service area visit: http://www.eot.state.ma.us/rtas/rtaMap.asp?mde=info.

JOIN TURNPIKE'S FAST LANE PROGRAM TO SAVE TIME AND MONEY

To save time, money and gas, motorists are encouraged to join FAST LANE. Since the MassPike's free transponder program began in mid-February, over 203,000 transponders have been distributed.

Visit the Westborough or Charlton MassPike (I-90) Service Plazas to receive a free transponder for the FAST LANE automated toll service that will be ready for motorists to use the next day. Sign-ups are available from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 3 at the Westborough Westbound Service Plaza and Friday, September 4 at the Charlton East and West Service Plazas. Also, transponders are available and ready to use the next day at FAST LANE Service Centers in Auburn, Natick and East Boston. All three FAST LANE Service Centers offer convenient Saturday hours and the Auburn location offers Sunday hours. FAST LANE is also available for non-commercial accounts at many Registry of Motor Vehicles branch offices and at certain Herb Chambers dealerships.

STAYCATIONS - MASSACHUSETTS HAS A LOT TO OFFER

The lodging industry performance in Massachusetts is outpacing the U.S. averages, suggesting travelers are opting to stay closer to home for their vacations.

'In tough economic times some of the best vacations can be right here at home. The Commonwealth has a diverse landscape and cultural riches just waiting to be explored,' said Betsy Wall, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism. 'The trend of 'staycations' remains strong and with all Massachusetts has to offer, it truly is all here.'

For more information on tourism and travel in Massachusetts, and to find out where you next 'staycation' can be, visit: www.massvacation.com.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR RESIDENTS AND VISITORS

For eco-driving and maintenance tips visit: http://www.eot.state.ma.us/gastips/

To learn more about bike and pedestrian paths in Massachusetts visit: http://www.mhd.state.ma.us/default.asp?pgid=content/bikepaths01&sid=about or http://www.mass.gov/dcr/recreate/biking.htm

For transportation news and updates visit EOT's blog at http://www.mass.gov/blog/transportation or follow EOT on twitter at http://www.twitter.com/massdot.

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