Busy roads expected for July 4 weekend

VW independent staff/submitted information

Depending on your destination, be ready for some busy roads and highways during the upcoming holiday weekend.

AAA is projecting 50.7 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home this Independence Day weekend, setting a new record for the holiday. Domestic travel over the long weekend will increase by 2.1 million people compared to 2022. This year’s projection surpasses the previous July 4 weekend record set in 2019 of 49 million travelers. It also includes more than two million Ohioans, which would also be a new July 4 holiday record.

For purposes of this forecast, the Independence Day holiday travel period is defined as the five-day period from Friday, June 30 to Tuesday, July 4.

“We’ve never projected travel numbers this high for Independence Day weekend,” said Paula Twidale, Senior Vice President of AAA Travel. “What this tells us is that despite inventory being limited and some prices 50 percent higher, consumers are not cutting back on travel this summer. Many of them heeded our advice and booked early, another sign of strong travel demand.”

The July 4 weekend is expected to set a new record for the number of Americans traveling by car for the holiday. AAA expects 43.2 million people will drive to their destinations, an increase of 2.4 percent over 2022 and 4 percent higher than 2019. This summer, gas prices are well below what they were one year ago. The national average for a gallon of regular was $4.80 on July 4, 2022. Gas prices have remained steady the past couple of months, with the national average hovering around $3.50 to $3.60 a gallon, thanks to the lower cost of oil.

Air travel is also expected to set a new record. AAA projects 4.17 million Americans will fly to their destinations Independence Day weekend, an increase of 11.2 percent over 2022 and 6.6 percent over 2019. The previous July 4 weekend air travel record of 3.91 million travelers was set in 2019. The share of air travelers in the overall holiday forecast this year is an impressive 8.2 percent – the highest percentage in nearly 20 years.

Other modes of transportation are also on the rise this year. AAA expects 3.36 million people will travel by bus, cruise, or train over the long weekend, an increase of 24 percent over last year. While more travelers are turning to these modes this year, the number is not expected to surpass 2019’s total of 3.54 million.

INRIX, a provider of transportation data and insights, expects Friday, June 30 to be the busiest day on the roads during the Independence Day holiday weekend, with average travel times up nearly 30 percent over normal. INRIX recommends leaving in the morning or after 6 p.m. to avoid the heaviest holiday congestion.