Get ready to jam.

Monday is back-to-school day for an estimated 40,000 college students on O'ahu, and that means drivers should expect more traffic — and more traffic jams — in the weeks ahead.

By the end of next week more than 60,000 university and private high school students will be back in class and on the road.

So what's a driver to do? Anything you can to help, officials said yesterday.

"It's a great time to use transportation alternatives, whether it's commuting by car pool, van pool, bus, bicycling or walking," state Transportation Director Rod Haraga said yesterday.

Drivers also should consider leaving a little earlier or later than usual to beat the jam, and make sure their cars are in good shape before setting out, he said.

State and city officials say they've ordered a halt to most construction and road repair projects until Sept. 6 to help ease the traffic crunch.

City officials also have launched a new semester-long bus pass designed to encourage more students to ride the bus. The pass, which costs $100, is available to University of Hawai'i-Manoa, Chaminade and Hawai'i Pacific University students, city officials said.