AAA reports a record number of travelers hitting the road this Thanksgiving. Of the 79.9 million Americans traveling for the holiday, 71.7 million will drive—an increase of 1.3 million compared to last year.
The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) has announced road adjustments ahead of the busy Thanksgiving travel period. For the first time, AAA has included the Tuesday before and the Monday after Thanksgiving in its travel predictions to better reflect holiday traffic patterns.
“With Thanksgiving approaching, we anticipate increased traffic volumes throughout the week, with the heaviest outbound traffic on Monday through Wednesday afternoons,” said Jonathan Gulliver, Highway Administrator. “Returning traffic is expected to peak on Sunday, December 1. We encourage travelers to plan trips outside peak hours and prioritize safe driving.”
Boston drivers should brace for the worst traffic on I-95 North between Boston and Portsmouth, N.H., according to transportation analytics company INRIX. Peak congestion is expected on Tuesday, Nov. 26, at 3:45 p.m., with travel times reaching 2 hours and 35 minutes—117% higher than usual.
MassDOT has announced that no construction will take place on major roadways outside of established work zones from 5 a.m. on Nov. 26 to 5 a.m. on Dec. 2. To ease congestion, the High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane on I-93 between Boston and Quincy will operate extended hours, from 1 to 7 p.m., on Nov. 26 and Nov. 27 but will be closed on Nov. 28-29.
Additionally, due to increased travel to and from Logan Airport, the Sumner Tunnel swing lane will not be in use on Nov. 28-29.
During Thanksgiving week, the worst travel times are:
- Nov. 25 and 27: 1–5 p.m.
- Nov. 26: 1–7 p.m.
- Nov. 29: 7–10 a.m.
- Nov. 30: 4–8 p.m.
- Dec. 1: Noon–6 p.m.
- Dec. 2: 9 a.m.–6 p.m.
Traffic is expected to be minimal on Thanksgiving Day.
For smoother travel, the best times are:
- Nov. 26: Before 11 a.m.
- Nov. 26-27: Before 10 a.m.
- Nov. 29: After 1 p.m.
- Nov. 30 & Dec. 1: Before 1 p.m.
- Dec. 2: Before 8 a.m. or after 7 p.m., according to INRIX.
MassDOT “strongly urges all drivers to reduce distractions by putting away or turning off cell phones, obeying posted speed limits, driving sober, and staying fully focused on the road ahead,” according to local officials.
In positive news for travelers, AAA reports that the national average gas price, which was $3.26 last Thanksgiving, may fall below $3 per gallon this year due to decreasing oil prices, marking the first time since 2021.
Image Credits- Boston Traffic