Local law enforcement prepare for thousands of Memorial Day travelers

HENDERSON COUNTY, Tenn. — AAA projects nearly 40 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home this Memorial Day weekend. Law enforcement in West Tennessee said they will be out looking for distracted and impaired drivers.

Scott Young is headed from Jackson to Nashville. “A lot of cops,” he said. “Pretty smooth for the most part.”

AAA projects the total number of Tennessee travelers to top 785,000 for Memorial Day weekend, up almost 2 percent from last year. “We have told our patrol to be on high alert,” Capt. Tracey Grisham with the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office said.

Grisham said deputies will be watching for suspicious activity and erratic drivers. “Speed limits are not set just because one person thought it was a good idea,” he said.

The Tennessee Department of Transportation said it will suspend all construction-related lane closures on interstates and state routes beginning at 12 p.m. Friday through 6 a.m. Tuesday.

“Every year traffic increases during holiday time, and we want to make sure that we give maximum roadway space for travelers,” TDOT Community Relations Officer Nichole Lawrence said.

TDOT said drivers may still see some lane closures and restrictions while traveling through long-term construction projects. “Be aware of what’s around you,” Grisham said.

Young said so far traffic in the Jackson area has not been bad. “Not too terrible,” he said. “Just gotta make sure you’re not going too fast.”

Lawrence encouraged people to buckle up and put down the distractions.

TDOT said people can dial 511 from any landline or cell phone for travel information.