As the Labor Day weekend approaches, residents in Pike County are gearing up for the first big football weekend and the last farewell to summer.

Whether heading into Troy for game day or heading out of town on Sunday to go to the beach, plenty of traffic is sure to fill U.S. 231 in upcoming days.

And not surprisingly, the Alabama Department of Public Safety will be stepping up patrols during the weekend.

According to a release from the department, the official Labor Day Holiday period will be from 6 p.m. today through midnight Monday, Sept. 2. However, Alabama troopers are extending their added patrols until midnight Tuesday, Sept. 3.

Drivers can expect to see more troopers on the roadways, watching for speeders and unsafe drivers, and additional seatbelt and safety checkpoints. And, as always, troopers are reminder drivers not to get behind the wheel if they are under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

With the AAA projecting more than 34.1 million travelers on the roads this weekend – an increase of 4.2 percent over last year –it’s a fair bet that thousands will be passing through Pike County.

Given that, we urge everyone to be alert; be attentive; and be safe out on the roads.