Expect to share the interstates with more drivers in the next 10 days. A lot more.
AAA is forecasting the upcoming year-end holiday travel period will be the busiest on record. Some 107.3 million Americans will be traveling between Saturday, Dec. 23 and Monday, Jan.1, a 3.1 percent increase over last year.
And, AAA says most of them — 97.4 million — will be going over the river and through the woods right alongside you on the nation’s streets, roads and interstates.
Based on historical and recent travel trends, INRIX expects drivers will experience the greatest amount of congestion before the holiday week – on Wednesday, Dec. 20 and Thursday, Dec. 21 – in the late afternoon as commuters leave work early and mix with holiday travelers.
AAA suggests these are the busiest travel times in 10 major metro area:
- New York, Wednesday, Dec. 20 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
- Los Angeles, Wednesday, Dec. 20, 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.
- Washington, D.C., Thursday Dec. 21, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
- San Francisco, Wednesday, Dec. 20, 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
- Chicago, Thursday, Dec. 21, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
- Boston, Thursday, Dec. 21, 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Seattle, Wednesday, Dec. 20, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
- Atlanta, Thursday, Dec. 21, 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
- Houston, Wednesday, Dec. 20, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
- Detroit, Thursday, Dec. 21, 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
