61-Mile Yard Sale to bring higher vehicle, pedestrian traffic

There will be lots of great deals to be found at the 61-Mile Yard Sale, but deal-seekers bring a lot more traffic during the annual event.

Stretching from Jackson to Bloomsdale, Missouri, on Thursday through Saturday, droves of people will be out hunting for bargain prices on anything from collectible toys and books to lawn mowers and designer wear.

Because of this, the Missouri Department of Transportation is warning drivers to be aware of the higher number of vehicles and pedestrians out along U.S. 61 this weekend.

"It's a fun weekend that people look forward to each year," traffic engineer Craig Compas said in a news release. "But we want people to remember that there's more traffic and more congestion along [U.S.] 61 this weekend than any other, and drivers need to keep that in mind."

MoDOT will place message boards along the roadway to alert drivers of the unusual traffic patterns and promote safe driving, according to the release.

"We really want drivers to be alert, to be aware of their surroundings, to be aware of sudden stops and to look for pedestrian traffic," Compas said. "It's a big event locally, and we want everyone to enjoy themselves and be as safe as possible."

For more information, contact Compas at (573) 472-5310 or call MoDOT's Customer Service Center toll-free at (888) 275-6636.