Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Monday announced that temporary lane closures associated with road and bridge construction projects on New York state highways will not be permitted during the Thanksgiving weekend travel period.
Cuomo’s order continues from 6 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 22 through 6 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 27. Some work may continue behind permanent concrete barriers or for emergency repairs, Cuomo’s office said.
“This Thanksgiving weekend, thousands of families from across New York will travel near and far to visit loved ones and by suspending construction-related lane closures, we can help ensure they can get to their destinations as quickly as possible and without unnecessary delay,” Cuomo said in a news release.
AAA predicts that nearly 51 million people nationally will travel more than 50 miles from home from Wednesday through Sunday, and more than 89 percent of those travelers will be driving, Cuomo’s office said. That number is up an estimated three percent from the same period in 2016 and is the highest number of expected Thanksgiving travelers since 2005.
Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com