The Labor Day holiday weekend, the unofficial end to summer, is nigh, and with it comes many cars on Columbus-area roadways.
So many cars, in fact, that the Ohio Department of Transportation put out an infographic Sept. 3 outlining when the busiest times on interstates and other Columbus roads will be for the weekend.
Ohio's capital city will see heavy traffic from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 4, while traffic is expected to be a bit calmer for the weekend itself.
ODOT expects only light traffic from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sept. 5, and no traffic issues on Sept. 6 and Sept. 7. The traffic will come back after the weekend, with moderate traffic expected during the commuting hours from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sept. 8.
ODOT is reducing the size and scope of its work zones across the state to accommodate the holiday weekend's extra traffic, ODOT spokesperson Matt Bruning said in an ODOT video.
In 2025, 27 people were killed in 23 crashes around Ohio over the Labor Day weekend, a 35% increase over 2024. Fifteen of those crashes and 17 deaths involved drivers who were impaired by alcohol or drugs, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
The Highway Patrol will be out in full force over the weekend looking out for violations that contribute to crashes and fatalities, such as speeding, impaired driving, not wearing a seatbelt and distracted driving, Highway Patrol Lt. Brice Nihiser said in an ODOT video.
"You're going to see more troopers on the road probably this weekend than you typically do, and that's because our mission is to reduce fatalities. We want to drive those fatalities down, and until we have zero roadway fatalities, our work isn't done," he said.
Traffic fatalities in Ohio in 2026 are currently up 4% over 2025, according to Nihiser.
The Ohio Traffic Safety Office offers a free $15 credit for ridesharing services in several of Ohio's largest cities during holiday weekends in an effort to reduce impaired driving. Residents of Franklin, Cuyahoga, Hamilton, Montgomery, Lucas, Summit, and Butler counties can claim the voucher.
Here are some construction projects to look out for during the holiday weekend:
The Interstate 71 southbound ramp to Main Street will close overnight from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. Sept. 10.
ODOT Detour: I-71 southbound to Spring Street to Broad Street to Parsons Avenue to Main Street
The I-71 southbound ramp to Main Street will close from 7 p.m. Sept. 11 through 5 a.m. Sept. 14.
ODOT Detour: I-71 southbound to Spring Street to Broad Street to Parsons Avenue to Main Street
I-71 southbound between East Town and Main streets will be reduced to two lanes 7 p.m. Sept. 11 through 5 a.m. Sept. 14.
Broad Street eastbound and westbound at Interstate 270 will be reduced to one lane overnight from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. starting Sept. 8 through Sept. 12.
Broad Street westbound at I-270 will be reduced to one lane overnight from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. starting Sept. 8 through Sept. 12.
Reporter Nathan Hart can be reached at [email protected], @NathanRHart on X and nathanhart.dispatch.com on Bluesky.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: ODOT shares travel tips, worst times to drive for Labor Day weekend | Getting There