The roads of Texas are set to be brimming as AAA Texas projects a surge in travel for the 4th of July holiday this year—indicating a 5% uptick compared to last year, with an estimated 5.6 million Texans poised for a getaway, according to CBS Austin. It's a nationwide trend, too, with roughly 71 million Americans expected to embark on trips that span at least 50 miles from home.
Driving remains the predominant mode of transit, with Daniel Armbruster of AAA Texas noting "That’s a 5% increase over last year and with about 90% of those who are traveling doing so by car, roadways will be very busy," as mentioned in a statement by CBS Austin.
Interestingly, gas prices are envisaged to drop leading up to Independence Day, currently floating around $3.11 statewide, which fares better than the national average nearing $3.50, prices are anticipated to remain lowered till after Labor Day, as per FOX 7 Austin.
During this busy travel period, AAA Texas is bracing for over 41,000 calls for roadside assistance throughout the week, as per CBS Austin, the predominant issues being dead batteries, flat tires, and engine hiccups. Armbruster advises travelers to "Check your battery if it's over three years old. Check the fluid levels under the hood before you take off. Make sure they're in good condition. Also, inspect your tires," as stated by FOX 7 Austin.
The skies will not be any less crowded than the roads, with Austin-Bergstrom International Airport prepping for high traffic volumes though Leslie Ramirez, PIO for the airport, told FOX 7 Austin, "that one's a little weird since 4th of July falls on a Thursday. So we're expecting volumes to kind of be staggered throughout the week since different travelers will be taking different, you know, time off to coincide with the holiday," anticipating a jam-packed summer after recording over two million travellers in May alone. Officials urge flyers to arrive a solid 2.5 hours early for domestic flights, and even earlier, at 3 hours, for international ventures.
