These Are The Worst Times To Be On The Road This Memorial Day Weekend

22.05.2024 - 13:31 / forbes.com / Paula Twidale

The American Automobile Association (AAA) is forecasting that 38.4 million people will be hitting the road for Memorial Day Weekend—up 4% from last year and the highest number since the Triple-A started tracking the holiday’s traffic in 2000.

“We haven’t seen Memorial Day weekend travel numbers like these in almost 20 years,” said Paula Twidale, Senior Vice President of AAA Travel. “We’re projecting an additional one 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.”

Driving times over the long weekend are expected to be up to 90% longer than normal, according to INRIX, a provider of transportation data and analytics. “Travelers should stay up to date on traffic apps, 511 services, and local news stations to avoid sitting in traffic longer than necessary,” said Bob Pishue, transportation analyst at INRIX.

On the front end of the weekend, the worst time to be on the road will be between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Thursday and Friday. For the trip home, the no-go windows are 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday and 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Monday, according to INRIX data.

Over the weekend, these routes will see the worst traffic congestion in the country, according to INRIX:

Southern Californians should avoid the I-5 N between Los Angeles to Bakersfield on Thursday after 6 p.m., when INRIX expects an 84% increase in travel time, making the trip 2 hours and 45 minutes long.

Those fleeing Washington, D.C. should avoid the Baltimore/Washington Parkway N on Friday afternoon, whose traffic will peak around 2:15 p.m. The trip to Baltimore will take 1 hour and 21 minutes, 72% longer than normal.

On Thursday, New Yorkers don’t want to get stuck on the I-87 heading toward Albany around 11:45 a.m., when the trip will take 64% longer than typical.

San Franciscoans taking the I-80 E to the Napa Valley should avoid late Friday morning. At around 11 a.m., travel will be 56% slower than usual.

Floridians should stay off the I-75 S between Gainesville to Tampa on Sunday after 9 a.m., when the trip could take 3 hours and 47 minutes, or 88% longer than usual.

Vacationers returning from Galveston to Houston risk a 73% longer trip if they get caught on the I-45 N on Sunday around 5 p.m.

Likewise, Seattleites returning from Ellensburg via the I-90 E on Sunday around 4:30 p.m., will be punished with a 58% longer drive, estimated at 2 hours and 34 minutes.

Bostonians returning from Maine will find the stretch of the I-93 S between Manchester and Boston to be moving 50% slower than usual on Sunday around 8:45 a.m.