Independence Day travel expected to set records in the commonwealth

RICHMOND, Va. (WWBT) -It could be a record-setting day for travel.

Experts predict that about 2 million Virginians will drive to their 4th of July destinations this year, and July 3 is expected to be the busiest day on the road.

The numbers are a nearly 4.5% jump from the year prior, though AAA says it is looking at a nine-day period this year as many people were traveling the week before the holiday, creating some interesting trends.

“There’s a couple of different groups that are traveling for this holiday. One group went out and is already on their week of vacation starting last weekend,” said AAA spokesperson Morgan Dean. “The second group is probably heading out today to get in their vacation.”

The holiday being on a Thursday impacts some people’s plans and makes it easier for them to leave the day before. Dean says the 4th is unique compared to other holidays because many people travel on the day of the holiday since many festivities are local.

He says traffic around fireworks time can also cause irregular patterns in different spots.

Licia and Alex Lehman were passing through Ladysmith on their way back to York, Pennsylvania, from Nags Head, North Carolina.

“I went to school in Virginia, so I know that we know that gas prices are lower in Virginia. So we try and fill up in Virginia,” Alex Lehman said.

The two said they left around 8:45 a.m.

“I’m questioning if it’s gonna get worse as we go up 95 to DC,” Licia Lehman said. “But we left when we left to avoid the work traffic around Richmond and DC,” Alex Lehman said.

While AAA does not track exact numbers each day, its team predicts most people will be traveling on the roads on July 3 based on the trends it has seen previously.

Eugene Officer and his wife are on a longer trip to New York for a family reunion on July 6. The two are driving from Florida but say traffic in the commonwealth has not been bad.

“We come from a place where traffic is terrible right now in Florida, and there’s so many people moving into Florida, and infrastructure’s not prepared to handle all the people, so this is a breeze,” Officer said.

He says they chose to drive because their dog cannot handle the plane ride, so they make a leisurely trip out of it, stopping when they want to.

Leaving early and being patient are AAA tips that seem to be paying off for this potentially record-breaking travel day.

Experts say traveling from 2 to 7 p.m. is the busiest time and advise people to leave in the morning or later at night if drowsiness is not a problem.

Traffic jams are likely to be at their peak between 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. on the 4th. Sunday, July 7, is also expected to be busy as travelers head home.

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