‘Gas prices are kind of elevated’: Memorial Day weekend travel kicks off

ALACHUA COUNTY, Fla. (WCJB) – As millions of travelers hit the road, one thing they are bound to see is the price of gas.

Gas prices in Florida are more than 15 cents more expensive than they were at this time last year, and one traveler TV20 spoke to at a rest stop says as he’s traveled through the different states, he’s watched the gas prices increase.

“Once you pass the state line, it’s a definite sticker shock,” shared Tennessee resident Jack Burgess.

Burgess was traveling through North Central Florida with his family as they head to Port Canaveral for a cruise. He says the high gas prices in Florida caught him by surprise.

“Everything’s been good, traffic’s been good. There’s some stuff coming up around Orlando. Gas prices are kind of elevated, you know there about 50 cents more than Georgia, but so far so good,” Burgess said.

Another resident from Kentucky, Danny Morris, shared the same concern over gas prices.

“It’s expensive, that’s for sure,” shared Morris.

As of Friday evening, traffic along much of I-75 was moving steady. According to a report from AAA, more than 43 million Americans will travel more than 50 miles from home through the weekend. This years number of expected travelers is a 4% increase from last year and is looking to surpass pre-pandemic levels.

“It’s always a lot of traffic but I didn’t see it any worse yesterday or today from what it was last month when I came through, so I was surprised, all the forecasts of how busy Memorial Day was going to be,” Morris said.

Morris says he’s glad his car gets good mileage and says people who have electric cars may run into problems when having to find a charging station along their route.

“They’re out a long time, it might be an advantage to some, but now keeping it charged up would seem to be a problem,” shared Morris.

Florida Highway Patrol troopers say you should drive prepared in case of traffic delays.

They say when heading out over the weekend you should anticipate heavy traffic and delays especially if you’re driving through metropolitan areas in the state.

They say you should have food and water in case you get stuck in traffic for an extended period of time. You also should double check having all the right tools to fix a flat tire. Troopers also add that if you’re pulling a camper or a boat, you should check the tires on those before hitting the road.

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