Indiana Toll Road and Mishawaka Police Department prepare for Thanksgiving holiday travel
MISHAWAKA, Ind. -- Thanksgiving holiday travel is already in full swing.
AAA is projecting that 71.7 million people will travel by car for the holiday season, a 1.3 million increase from last year. And the Indiana Toll Road is predicting a 5 percent increase in traffic volumes compared to last Thanksgiving.
"We certainly monitor, speak with, and read what AAA and other sources are telling us that travel will be nationwide. You take into account historical travel patterns in and around on what is the busiest travel season for us," Chief Operating Officer for Indiana Toll Road Rick Fedder said.
From winter maintenance to in-lane customer service, the Indiana Toll Road team is ready for this holiday season.
Fedder says crews have undergone winter training and that additional staff have been brought to the team for the winter season.
Good news for travelers is that construction projects have wrapped up for the year, and Fedder says there are no planned lane closures along the corridor.
If you plan on traveling on the Indiana Toll Roll Plaza, Fedder asks you to closely follow the signage to either EZ pass lanes or cash or credit lanes. Be prepared to sort to those lanes early to avoid last-minute lane switches and to have your pass or money on hand to speed up the process.
"We spend a lot of time and effort planning for these holiday seasons. We spend a lot of time efforting resources planning for the winter season. We are going to do our part; we're going to do what we need to do to help you keep going. We ask you to do your part as well. Be vigilant of people driving around you, slow down when you need to, don't follow too closely to others, use your blinker if you're going to change lanes safely and get back into that driving lane. Just leave room for others around you to drive during this holiday season. It's about getting to where you're going safely," Fedder said.
The Indiana Toll Road isn't the only one keeping everyone safe from the roads. Mishawaka Police Department will have safety patrols out this week as traffic is expected to be heavy, with busy roads and crowded shopping areas adding to the holiday stress.
Mishawaka Police Sergeant Steve Headley says despite it being the holiday travel weekend, they treat it like any other normal day.
"We treat just like any other regular patrol day. We handle a multitude of calls, and it doesn't matter whether it's an actual holiday or not," Headley said.
The night before Thanksgiving is known to be the busiest bar night of the year, known as Blackout Wednesday. Mishawaka police say for anyone who plans on drinking to arrange for a sober-designated driver.
Headley says if you see any suspicious behavior or need assistance, call 911.
"If you're driving, if you're traveling, it's obviously a very heavy travel day. We just ask that your vehicle is adequately maintained. Make sure you got good tires, that you check the air pressure fluids if you're taking a longer trip, make sure you have an emergency kit in case your vehicle gets stranded, things like a blanket and some food and some water, make sure you have an extra capacity to charge a cell phone in case you do get stranded or your battery runs out, and just make sure you take your time," Headley said.