Look for delays all along I-85 | Transportation

SALISBURY - If Sunday night is any indication of weekend travel on 85, drivers should probably be prepared for delays.

Even without any serious accidents or construction, there were long back ups and starts and stops on 85 from Gaston County up through Davidson County, then again near the new outlet mall in Mebane.

One rest stop worker from 85 in Cabarrus gave this assessment: "It was crazy out here yesterday, it was bumper to bumper, gridlock, you would have thought you was up north...it took me 30 minutes to get home and I only live 10 minutes away from here."

AAA estimated that 500,000 North Carolinians hit the road for the Thanksgiving weekend, and most of them made the return trip on Sunday.

AAA says you can expect heavy traffic over the next few weeks through the Holidays, particularly on the weekends.

Shopping malls in Concord and Mebane and the big light shows in McAdenville and at Charlotte Motor Speedway are also putting more drivers on the road.

Construction crews are working to widen 85 in Rowan and Davidson, and to replace the Yadkin River bridge.

As of now that work is not having an impact on drivers, but since there are workers in the area there are plenty of signs that drivers need to slow down.