NASHVILLE (AP) — The state Transportation Department is shutting down road construction projects for the busy Fourth of July holiday weekend.

Construction-related lane closures will be suspended on interstates and state highways beginning at midnight on Thursday and running through 6 a.m. on Tuesday.

Transportation Commissioner John Schroer says that suspending roadwork will help travelers reach their destinations safely and with fewer delays. Some long-term lane closures will remain in place, and increased fines will still apply for speeding in areas where workers are present.

The AAA auto club projects that nearly 43 million people will be traveling this weekend. That would be a new Fourth of July travel record.

More than three-quarters of travelers will be driving on U.S. roads, including more than 744,000 in Tennessee.