The N.C. Department of Transportation is taking steps to help ensure safe travels for motorists this Fourth of July holiday weekend.

By avoiding traffic delays, motorists can reach their destinations quickly and safely, while cutting down on fuel consumption and costs. NCDOT reminds drivers to slow down, avoid distractions and be alert to their surroundings during this busy travel season.

Most construction work that affects travel lanes along interstates, N.C. and U.S. routes will be suspended from 8 a.m. Friday, July 1, until midnight Monday, July 4, with these exceptions:

• N.C. 42 in Hertford County will be closed east and west of Ahoskie Creek while a bridge is replaced.
• N.C. 94 in Tyrrell County will be closed at Elementary School Road and U.S. 64 because of a bridge construction project.
• Piney Green Road in Onslow County from U.S. 17 to N.C. 24 will have lane shifts throughout the project.
• High Hill Road in Onslow County is closed about 1 1/2 miles north of U.S. 17 for a culvert replacement.
• I-85 in Vance and Warren counties (just below Virginia state line) has northbound traffic shifting onto the southbound side to create a two-lane, two-way pattern in two locations, affecting traffic in both directions. The shifted sections are between mile marker 230 and 226 (starting just over four miles south of the North Carolina-Virginia state line), and again between mile markers 218.5 and 213.5 (about 16 miles south of the state line).
• I-540 at Old Holly Springs-Apex Road in Wake County is undergoing the construction of a new interchange, so traffic is in a two-lane pattern in both the north and southbound directions, causing a reduction of one lane in each direction.
•  I-85 in Rowan County near Salisbury between Innes Street and Jake Alexander Boulevard will have two of four lanes closed going south between exits 76 and 75. The closure is due to pavement rehabilitation and bridge replacement work.
• U.S. 23/74 in Jackson County will have lane closures due to a bridge replacement near Scott Creek.

Here are some additional tips for navigating the highways during the holiday travel season:

• Leave early to get a head start on your drive. Travel at non-peak hours when possible.
• Be patient and obey the posted speed limit.
• Slow down and pay extra attention when going through work zones. Even if work is suspended, you may encounter narrowed lanes and traffic shifts in work zone areas. There is an added $250 fine for speeding in a work zone, even when work is not actually taking place.
•  Use alternate routes when possible to avoid traffic congestion.
•  Don’t drive drowsy. Travel at times when you are normally awake, and take frequent breaks.
• Avoid distracted driving. When drivers stop focusing on the road ahead, they react more slowly to traffic conditions and are more likely to be involved in an accident.

Stay informed. For real-time travel information at any time, visit the Travel Services section of the NCDOT website or follow NCDOT on Twitter.