Expect lots of company if you’re traveling Memorial Day weekend

AAA is projecting 43.8 million travelers will go 50 miles or more from home over the holiday travel period that runs Thursday through Monday. (BILL UHRICH — READING EAGLE)

If you’re hitting the road this Memorial Day weekend, expect to have some company.

AAA is projecting 43.8 million travelers will go 50 miles or more from home over the holiday travel period that runs Thursday through Monday.

That would amount to a 4% increase over last year, coming up just short of the 2005 record of 44 million Memorial Day travelers, officials said.

“We haven’t seen Memorial Day weekend travel numbers like these in almost 20 years,” Paula Twidale, senior vice president of AAA Travel, said in a release. “We’re projecting an additional 1 million travelers this holiday weekend compared to 2019, which not only means we’re exceeding pre-pandemic levels but also signals a very busy summer travel season ahead.”

AAA is expecting 38.4 million people to travel by car over the holiday weekend, the highest number for the holiday since it began tracking in 2000.

Gas prices

Gas prices are similar to last year when the national average was roughly $3.57, AAA said. As of Wednesday, the national average was $3.61 and Pennsylvania’s was $3.77.

Gas prices in the region as of Wednesday: Berks County, $3.76; Montgomery County, $3.66; Chester County, $3.65; Delaware  County, $3.66; Lehigh County, $3.76; and Schuylkill County, $3.69.

Other modes

AAA said 3.51 million travelers will take to the air, an increase of 4.8% over last year and a 9% jump compared to 2019. That means this will be the most crowded Memorial Day weekend at airports since 2005, when 3.64 million people flew.

Travel by other modes — including buses, cruises and trains — is expected reach 1.9 million people, a 5.6% increase over last year.

“This category took the biggest hit during the pandemic with fewer people taking public transportation or not cruising at all,” Twidale said. “Now – five years later – we’re back to 2019 numbers. Travel demand has been soaring, and long holiday weekends create the perfect windows for getaways.”

Travel times

If you’re planning your getaway for Thursday or Friday, your best bet is to leave early so you don’t have to deal with commuters. If you’re heading back home Sunday or Monday, avoid afternoon travel, according to INRIX, a provider of transportation data and insights.

“Travel times are expected to be up to 90% longer than normal,” Bob Pishue, transportation analyst at INRIX, said in the release. “Travelers should stay up to date on traffic apps, 511 services, and local news stations to avoid sitting in traffic longer than necessary.”

Your worst and best travel times, respectively:

• Thursday: noon to 6 p.m.; before 11 a.m. and after 7 p.m.

• Friday: noon to 7 p.m.; before 11 a.m. and after 8 p.m.

• Saturday: 2 to 5 p.m.; before 1 p.m. and after 6 p.m.

• Sunday: 3 to 7 p.m.; before 1 p.m.

• Monday, 3 to 7 p.m.; after 7 p.m.

PA Turnpike

The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission is projecting 2.9 million motorists will use the roadway over the holiday travel period. That’s a 1.5% increase over last year, officials said in a release.

Officials offered the following breakdown of total traffic:

• Thursday: 680,000

• Friday: 710,000

• Saturday: 540,000

• Sunday: 480,000

• Monday: 490,000

State police will have increased patrols to respond to incidents and to be on the lookout for speeding and aggressive and distracted driving.

Turnpike construction and maintenance projects will be suspended beginning Thursday at 3 p.m. through Monday at 11 p.m.

Weather

The AccuWeather forecast for Berks for the holiday weekend includes a chance of rain some days.

• Thursday: Clouds and breaks of sun; humid with a heavy thunderstorm from late morning on that can bring flooding downpours, hail and damaging wind gusts. High temperature of 82.

• Friday: Partly sunny, very warm and less humid. High temperature of 87.

• Saturday: Clouds and sun with a thunderstorm. High temperature of 85.

• Sunday: Partly sunny. High temperature of 84.

• Monday: Mostly cloudy and humid with showers and thunderstorms possible. High temperature of 79.