Hitting the Roads Wednesday?: Expect Heavy Traffic

Photo credit: Gasbuddy.com

Chicago-area motorists hitting the roads this Thanksgiving may have one thing in particular to be grateful for: The lowest gas prices for the holiday weekend in seven years.

Gas prices are expected, or have already, dipped below $2 per gallon at gas stations throughout the area, according to GasBuddy.com. The average price for regular gas as of Monday in DuPage, Will, Kane, Kendall, Lake and McHenry counties was below the $2 mark while the average price remained above $2 per gallon in Cook County.

• Check out countywide gas price averages on GasBuddy.com.

The national average by Thanksgiving Day is expected to be $1.99 per gallon, which is the cheapest gasoline prices the country has seen since March 2009, according to a Gas Buddy press release. It is also nearly 80 cents per gallon cheaper than last year’s Thanksgiving and $1.29 per gallon cheaper than 2013.

The low gas prices come at a great time when many will be traveling for the holidays. In Illinois, AAA forecasts 2.2 million will be hitting the road during the Thanksgiving holiday travel period, which is defined as Wednesday, Nov. 25 to Sunday, Nov. 29.

“One holiday gift has come early this year. Americans will likely pay the lowest Thanksgiving gas prices since 2008. Lower prices are helping boost disposable income, and enabling families to kick off the holiday season with a Thanksgiving getaway,” said Beth Mosher, director of public affairs for AAA Chicago.

Gas prices are expected to continue to drop through the end of the year.

“With gas prices plunging under $2 just in time for Thanksgiving Day, it’s a perfect reminder- some folks automatically expect gas prices to rise in advance of a major travel holiday, that’s become a popular misconception and this holiday exemplifies the point. November gas prices have slid significantly lower and holiday travelers will certainly be the beneficiaries,” said Patrick DeHaan, a senior petroleum analyst with GasBuddy. “It’s a trend we expect will continue through the end of 2015, so if you like the prices you see on Thanksgiving, you’ll be delighted when Christmas arrives.”

The Illinois Tollway is forecasting 8.5 million drivers will be on its roadways over the Thanksgiving holidays. The most popular travel day is expected to be Wednesday when 1.7 million vehicles are projected to be on Illinois Tollways. To accommodate increased Thanksgiving holiday travel on the Illinois Tollway, most construction activity will be restricted over the weekend.

HOW TO SEARCH FOR LOCAL GAS PRICES: Click the magnifying glass icon at the top right corner of the graphic, type in your ZIP code or town and state, then hit return.