A record-breaking 46.9 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more away from home this Independence Day, an increase of more than 5 percent compared to last year.
INRIX, a global transportation analytics company, predicts travel times in the most congested cities could be twice as long than the normal trip, with Tuesday being the busiest day.
"This Independence Day will be one for the record books, as more Americans take to the nation's roads, skies, rails and waterways than ever before," said Bill Sutherland, senior vice president, AAA Travel and Publishing. "Confident consumers with additional disposable income will look to spend on travel this holiday, building on an already busy summer travel season."
The worst day and time for Fourth of July travel for many large cities will be Tuesday, July 3 from 3-6:30 p.m., according to AAA.
"With a record-level number of travelers hitting the road this holiday, drivers must be prepared for delays around major metros," says Scott Sedlik, general manager and vice president - public sector, INRIX. "Although travel times are expected to nominally increase throughout the week, Tuesday afternoon will hands down be the worst time to be on the road. Our advice to drivers is to avoid peak commuting hours altogether or consider alternative routes."
