July 4th holiday travel: This is the worst time to hit the road

CHICAGO – Expect long lines at airports and even longer drives this Independence Day.

AAA is predicting this July 4th holiday travel period will be a record-breaker, with nearly 71 million Americans expected to travel at least 50 miles from home this week.

If you’re planning on driving, the busiest time to hit the road both Wednesday and Thursday is between 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.

In Chicago alone, 4.1 million people will be traveling for Independence Day, and 3.7 million of them are doing so by car. That means if you are taking a road trip, you’ll have plenty of company. So where will it be the most congested?

If you’re traveling from Chicago to Indianapolis using I-65, AAA says there is currently a 61 percent increase in volume, and your travel time is looking at close to five hours.

With the Fourth of July falling on a Thursday, travel really began at the start of the week, but it’s only ramping up.

Looking ahead, if you’re returning from your weekend away on Sunday, AAA suggests getting on the road before 11 a.m.

“Number one, if you are driving, you want to avoid the afternoon and evening hours. That’s when it’s going to be the most congested, and we almost always say this for every holiday: get up and go,” said Molly Hart, AAA spokesperson. “Give enough time to get to your destination safely, so that you’re not speeding, you’re not doing any type of distracted driving. We want everyone to enjoy this time with their family and friends.”

To help ease some of the traffic, the Illinois Department of Transportation began reopening some non-emergency closures. However, there are still work zones across the state.

Airports are also seeing record numbers this holiday, with popular destinations including Miami, Orlando, and Las Vegas.