SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – We’re just a day away from celebrating the 4th of July, which means it’s going to be very busy out on the roads on Wednesday.
Reminder to practice water and boat safety for the Fourth of July AAA is forecasting another record-setting year for Independence Day travel overall, with almost 71 million people expected to go 50 miles or more from home over the next few days. More than 60 million of those people will go by car, and most will head out on Wednesday so they are settled and in place for Thursday’s holiday festivities. That means traffic will pick up, especially on the highways, as the afternoon wears on Wednesday.
AAA says the worst times to travel on Wednesday are from 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. as holiday travelers mix with unlucky commuters. If you want smooth sailing, get out the door after the morning commute but before noon Wednesday morning. The same goes for Thursday if you are planning on driving to catch an out-of-town fireworks show.
Wednesday is the most congested day of the entire travel period, with trips home scattered across the next four or five days, and fewer commuters once the holiday officially hits. As for the way back, Friday’s most congested hours will be 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. On Saturday, many will try to get an early start, so getting on the road before 10:00 a.m. is best practice.
Public safety officials are reminding all those drivers to get there safely. In 2022, 487 people were killed in traffic crashes during the Fourth of July travel period, 40 percent of those involved a drunk driver. If you are attending a party, make sure you organize a ride home or designate a sober driver. If you are hosting, make sure to offer non-alcoholic beverage options for your guests and encourage ride-sharing as people start to head out.
Bradley International Airport was busy early Wednesday morning, but things had calmed down by the time 22News arrived at 9:00 a.m. A few people played it safe and booked flights after the morning business rush, which is a good move on these pre-holiday travel days.
“Coming from Brimfield and going to Las Vegas for the weekend. Meeting friends from high school,” said Becky of Brimfield.
“From Springfield going to Nashville. I’m attending a wedding Friday night,” said Gayle of Springfield.
“We’re coming from Bridgeport, Connecticut and we’re going to Houston, Texas. Just going to the beach, enjoy the weather, see some family and some friends,” said Lydia of Bridgeport.
Truly headed all over the country from New England to celebrate the holiday.
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Duncan MacLean is a reporter who has been a part of the 22News team since 2019. Follow Duncan on X @DMacLeanWWLP and view his bio to see more of his work.
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