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Wisconsin Road Work Halts For Independence Day Traffic

State Officials Warn Drivers To Stay Alert During Holiday Travel

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Highway with construction cones
ITB495 (CC)

Independence Day is one of the busiest travel days of the year in Wisconsin.

The state Department of Transportation has suspended roadwork until Thursday to accommodate the additional traffic.

But David Pabst, of the Bureau of Transportation Safety, cautions drivers will still need to be alert in construction areas even if work crews aren’t on site.

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“The zones will still be there, and so people have to be mindful that there could be slowdowns due to traffic volumes, and the fact that there are traffic cones out there,” he said.

Pabst said another potential issue for drivers this year is buckled pavement caused by extreme heat.

That could lead to slowdowns and lane closures for drivers.

“A construction zone or a repair zone could pop up almost anywhere, so it’s important to check 511 before you leave home to make sure that the route you have is OK,” he said. “And then pay attention, because some of these pavement buckles could happen fairly quickly as the day builds and the heat builds.”

State and local law enforcement plan to patrol the roads, watching for distracted and impaired drivers as well as motorists who need assistance.

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