Memorial Day weekend travel expected to near 2005 record, AAA says

KANAWHA COUNTY, W.Va. (WCHS) — AAA predicts nearly 44 million Americans will travel over the upcoming Memorial Day weekend. This year’s total number of travelers is a 4% increase over last year and comes close to matching 2005’s record.

Gas prices are 11 cents higher than a year ago, but that hike isn’t expected to discourage holiday travel. In West Virginia, that translates to road trip.

Out of the estimated 200,000 West Virginians expected to travel, nearly 90% will go travel by car, light truck, SUV or motorcycle, according to AAA.

“It is going to be a very busy Memorial Day Holiday for travel. We’re expecting over 214,000 West Virginians to travel in the period between Thursday and Monday,” Lori Hawkins with AAA told Eyewitness News. “They’ll be a part of about 44 million travelers nationwide.”

Motorists looking to dodge a traffic squeeze should avoid traveling Thursday and Friday afternoon and try not hit major cities during rush hour.

Hawkins said not many West Virginians will be flying.

“Only abut 8% will be flying as far as West Virginia itself, but that’s actually a small increase from last year,” she said. “Just under 6% more travelers than we had a year ago on Memorial Day. Airports nationwide are going to be very busy. We’re, in fact, expecting them to be the busiest they’ve been since the big travel year of 2005.”

The highway is where most of the 12% of the people who live in West Virginia are expected to be traveling over the holiday weekend.

West Virginia troopers will be out on the highway to participate in accident reduction efforts by looking for seat belt violations, intoxicated drivers, speeders and other traffic violations.