ATLANTA, GA — The highest gas prices in nearly four years aren’t stopping people from hitting the road during what’s expected to be a record Memorial Day travel period — and when you get out of Georgia matters if you want to avoid travel bottlenecks.
Leaving at the right time won’t just save you from frustration. Stop-and-go traffic reduces fuel efficiency by 10 percent to 40 percent, and with Georgians paying an average of $4.02 for a gallon of regular gasoline on Friday, that can make traveling even more expensive.
In its Memorial Day Weekend travel forecast, AAA said a record 45 million Americans are expected to travel 50 or more miles from home for Memorial Day Weekend, Most of them — 39.1 million — will be driving. All modes of travel are expected to increase this year.
The transportation analytics company INRIX predicts some of the worst Memorial Day Weekend traffic will hit major metro corridors Thursday and Friday afternoons, with several routes expected to see travel times nearly double.
More generally, here are the best and worst travel times throughout the long holiday weekend:
Thursday, May 21
Worst: noon-9 p.m.; best: after 9 pm.
Friday, May 22
Worst: 11 a.m.-8 p.m.; best: before 11 a.m.
Saturday, May 23
Worst: noon-5 p.m.; best: before 11 a.m.
Sunday, May 24
Minimal traffic disruption expected
Monday, May 25
Worst, noon-5 p.m.; best, before 11 a.m.
Sign up for free local newsletters and alerts for the
Across Georgia Patch
Patch.com is the nationwide leader in hyperlocal news.
Visit Patch.com to find your town today.