The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) will help ease traffic over the Memorial Day weekend by opening lanes that are temporarily closed for construction or maintenance work on major roadways.

In general, lanes will clear from noon Friday, May 27 until noon Tuesday, May 31. Construction zones with concrete barriers and orange barrels will remain set up. With the kick-off of the summer travel season, it is critical that motorists obey the posted speed limits and pay attention to the orange signs in highway work zones throughout Virginia. They?re posted to guide drivers safely through construction. The fine for speeding in a work zone can be $500.The following lists services for motorists:

· 511 Travel Information Service - Dial 511 on your cell phone or visit www.511Virginia.org for information on current driving conditions and incidents on Virginia?s interstates, weather, regional tourist sites, food, lodging and emergency services. If you are calling from a landline or outside Virginia, you can reach 511 by dialing 1-800-578-4111.

· VDOT Highway Helpline - Dial 1-800-367-ROAD to report problems or unsafe conditions on Virginia?s roadways. Visit www.VDOT.Virginia.gov. The direct link to report problems is http://www.virginiadot.org/comtravel/eoc/citizen.asp.

· Smart Tag/ E-ZPass - Virginia?s electronic toll collection system is part of the E-ZPass network. Motorists can use either Smart Tag or E-ZPass on many toll facilities from Virginia to Massachusetts. For more information go to www.EZPassVA.com or call 1-877-762-7824.

· VDOT Safety Service Patrols ? They respond to traffic crashes and help provide traffic control. To aid stranded motorists, Safety Service Patrols provide basic automobile repair and first aid. The patrols operate on major highways in Northern Virginia, Fredericksburg, Hampton Roads and Salem regions.

· Smart Traffic Centers - VDOT operates Smart Traffic Centers in Northern Virginia, Richmond, Hampton Roads, Staunton and Salem. These centers monitor road conditions with the help of video cameras located above busy highway corridors. The Smart Traffic Centers warn motorists about traffic back-ups, crashes and other adverse road conditions through electronic message boards and highway advisory radio.

Major work zones and other traveler information

Northern Virginia I-95 - Fairfax County: Springfield Interchange Improvement Project is under construction from Springfield to the Capital Beltway. Visit www.springfieldinterchange.com for more information on the project.

I-95/495 - Alexandria: Woodrow Wilson Bridge Project is under construction between Telegraph Road in Virginia to Maryland 201. The speed limit has been lowered to 50 MPH throughout the 7.5-mile project corridor. Visit www.wilsonbridge.com for more information on the project.

I-95/395 HOV lanes - Will remain open in the southbound direction from noon Friday until 6 a.m. Sunday. The HOV lanes will be open for northbound traffic from 6 a.m. Sunday until 11 a.m. Tuesday.

Fredericksburg I-95 - Stafford County: Northbound and southbound work between Route 630 and Route 17. Richmond I-64 - Henrico County: Bridge rehabilitation project over Acca Yard just east of Staples Mill Rd.

I-85 - Dinwiddie County: The southbound right lane is closed in both directions between exits 61 and 63 for bridge repairs. Motorists are advised to expect delays.

I-85 - Mecklenburg County: The northbound right lane is closed between mile marker 1 and the North Carolina state line through December 2005 for shoulder widening. Motorists are advised to expect slower traffic in this area.

Hampton Roads I-64 - Hampton: Widening and interchange project between the Hampton Roads Center Parkway and the I-664 split.

I-64 HOV lanes: Reversible roadway will open to all eastbound traffic from 6 p.m. Friday until 11 a.m. Sunday. The reversible roadway will open to all westbound traffic 1 p.m. Sunday until 6 a.m. Tuesday. HOV lanes will then resume normal schedule. Motorists headed to the Outer Banks may want to take the Chesapeake Expressway, which is a toll road, to save time. For more information on the toll road, visit www.chesapeakeexpressway.com.

Motorists going to Virginia Beach may want to use I-664 Monitor Merrimac Memorial Bridge Tunnel as an alternate route to the I-64 Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel. The Monitor Merrimac Memorial Bridge Tunnel is less traveled than the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel. Jamestown-Scotland Ferry will operate on its normal schedule. The ferry schedule is posted on http://www.virginiadot.org/comtravel/ferry.asp.

Shenandoah Valley I-81 - Rockbridge County: Bridge construction over the Maury River and Buffalo Creek has closed the right shoulder.

Southwest Virginia I-77 - Wythe County: Bridges over the New River and Route 52 are being rebuilt. Motorists should be prepared to slow down through the work zone.

I-77/I-81 overlap - Wythe County: Due to high traffic volumes expected over the Memorial Day holiday, be alert to the possibility of slowed or stopped traffic in this area.

I-77 Big Walker Mountain Tunnel: Overnight lane closures from 11 p.m. June 2 until 8 a.m. June 3 due to testing of new portable ventilation units. Expect traffic delays overnight in this area