07/04/2024
Have an amazing Independence Day!
But....
Be careful out there folks! 4th of July week is one of the busiest travel days! Anticipate this July 4th week will be the busiest ever with an additional 5.7 million people traveling compared to 2019.
AAA service said it expects about 60.6 million people to hit the road — 28 million more than in 2023 — while approximately 5.7 million are expected to fly. AAA said the busiest day ahead is likely Wednesday, July 3.
“Drivers in large metro areas can expect the worst traffic delays on Wednesday, July 3rd, as they leave town, and Sunday, July 7th, as they return,” said Bob Pishue, transportation analyst at INRIX, which provides data and insights regarding transportation.
INRIX data reveals Interstate 94W from western Wisconsin to Minneapolis will hit its peak congestion period on Monday, July 8 around 4:45 p.m.
The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) also predicts a record-breaking Independence Day travel season, as the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) estimates a 5.4% increase over last year.
“This year’s record-breaking air travel is another good sign for our economy as more Americans take to the skies than ever before,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, in a statement.
According to AAA, both lower gas prices and cheap-ish airfare could be behind the push.
On the other side of travel, about 4.6 million people use transportation options like buses, trains and cruises — the latter of which is on a steep increase in popularity since most cruises were shuttered during the COVID-19 pandemic.