As the final holiday weekend of summer approaches, Americans across the country are gearing up for Labor Day travel, with many hitting the road early to make the most of the extended weekend. DC News Now reports that travelers have various plans, from catching Broadway shows in New York to attending an Irish Fest in Kansas City, and some are looking forward to relaxing on the beach in Virginia.
While travelers are enthusiastic about their getaway plans, the harsh reality of holiday travel congestion looms, with AAA warning of particularly busy roads throughout the Labor Day break, and advising the optimal travel times tend to be Saturday between 6 a.m. and 11 a.m., Sunday before 11 a.m., and Monday before noon, as stated in an interview by DC News Now, however, the return journey is expected to be slower with travelers like Julie Mason hoping her E-ZPass will ease the burden despite her plans to travel back home during peak traffic times on Monday afternoon.
Time Out adds financial relief to the travel narrative this year; roundtrip flights, hotels and car rentals are all seeing a reduction in price from the previous year. Despite the economic easing, transportation analytics firm INRIX cautions against afternoon traffic and recommends morning departures as the most effective strategy to avoid gridlock.
The holiday traffic isn't limited to the roads; the Maryland Transportation Authority is bracing for over 345,000 vehicles to cross the Bay Bridge from Friday to Monday, urging drivers to travel during off-peak hours to ease congestion, according to FOX 5 DC, with recommendations to use U.S. Route 50 to allow clear passage for emergency vehicles and residents.
