RALEIGH – The following are highlights from this week at the N.C. Department of Transportation. The stories below are also featured in NCDOT Now, the department's weekly newscast.
Memorial Day Weekend Travel
One of the busiest travel times of the year is coming up with the Memorial Day weekend, and the N.C. Department of Transportation wants your trip to be safe
More travelers are expected to be on the road this Memorial Day weekend compared to last year. AAA Travel expects more than 42 million people nationwide will travel 50 miles or more from home between Friday and Monday. That’s a 7% increase over 2022.
NCDOT wants you to get to your destination safely. So, if you are headed out of town, follow these safe driving tips:
- Don’t drive drowsy
- Follow the posted speed limit
- Be alert of your surroundings
NCDOT will pause most road construction activities that require lane closures on interstate, U.S. and N.C. routes from early Friday morning, May 26, through Tuesday evening, May 30.
100 Deadliest Days
Memorial Day also marks the start of the 100 Deadliest Day of Summer. That’s the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day when the number of deadly crashes involving teen drivers typically rises. More people, including young teenage drivers, travel during this time.
The Governor’s Highway Safety Program is reminding parents, teachers and caretakers to talk to young people about the rules and responsibilities involved in driving. Speeding, distractions and drinking while driving are leading contributors to crashes involving teenage drivers, and all are preventable.
For more information, including ideas for conversation starters, go to
ncdot.gov and search “Teen Drivers.”
NC By Train New Schedule
Due to increased demand, NC By Train, North Carolina’s passenger rail service, announced additional trains and new schedules starting this summer.
Beginning July 10, five trains will travel each way between Raleigh and Charlotte. The number of daily departures between the two cities will increase from eight to 10.
The new schedule will include a mid-day departure from Raleigh, a late-afternoon departure from Charlotte and reduced travel times for rail passengers between North Carolina’s two biggest cities.
For more information about NCDOT Now, contact the NCDOT Communications Office at (919) 707-2660. Additional news stories from throughout the week can be found on
NCDOT.gov