![AAA: Expect Lots of Traffic This Memorial Day](https://townsquare.media/site/36/files/2021/05/I-10-Closure-2-Listener-submitted-photo.jpg?w=980&q=75)
AAA: Expect Lots of Traffic This Memorial Day
The American Automobile Association says it’s expecting a major uptick in travel for this year’s holiday.
AAA says it expects a more than 60-percent increase in the number of drivers on American's highways and byways compared to 2020. In all, AAA says more than 37 million will travel more than 50 miles away from their homes during Memorial Day weekend (May 27-31). The organization says that number could fluctuate based on COVID outbreaks, the number of people who get vaccinated, and last-minute plans of Americans ahead of and during the holiday weekend.
Still, the estimate is about six million travelers fewer than the number of people who hit the road in 2019. Last year, only 23 million people traveled for Memorial day, the lowest figure on record since AAA began keeping these statistics in 2000.
AAA urges travelers to exercise caution and protect themselves against both road hazards and COVID-19.
“As more people get the COVID-19 vaccine and consumer confidence grows, Americans are demonstrating a strong desire to travel this Memorial Day,” Paula Twidale, senior vice president of AAA Travel, said in a press release. “This pent-up demand will result in a significant increase in Memorial Day travel, which is a strong indicator for summer, though we must all remember to continue taking important safety precautions.”
That travel increase would come despite the United States seeing its highest average gas prices since 2014.
As of this morning, the national average price of a gallon of regular gasoline is $3.04. In Louisiana, the average price is $2.72. That’s tied with Mississippi for the lowest in the country.
In the Acadiana Parishes, the average price hovers between $2.70 and $2.72. Vermilion and Jeff Davis Parishes are exceptions to this rule. Vermilion Parish’s average gas price is $2.77. Jeff Davis Parish’s average price is $2.79.
Jeff Davis Parish’s average is the highest along the I-10 and I-12 corridors in Louisiana. DeSoto Parish has the highest average price along the I-49 corridor. That parish's average price is $2.80.
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