May 27, 2021 10:40 a.m.

As more people get vaccinated and travel restrictions ease, more travelers are anticipated to hit Oregon roads this Memorial Day weekend and over the summer.

A release from the Oregon Office of Emergency Management said travelers need to plan ahead, add travel time, and pack their patience for expected congestion and delays. The release said routes should be planned carefully, considering the many wildfire areas around the state and continued wildfire risk.

Traffic rates are nearly back to typical levels on all state roads. AAA estimates that 485,000 Oregonians are planning a trip to kick off summer. Nearly 93 percent will go by car. That is up 60 percent from last year when people stayed home due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The release said drivers should use www.tripcheck.com to check out road conditions before hitting the road. An Oregon Department of Transportation summer construction map shows major planned projects throughout the state: https://www.oregon.gov/odot/Pages/ConstructionMap.aspx. To reduce risk to drivers and crews while helping traffic flow, most ODOT construction crews will pause roadwork between Friday and Tuesday morning.