Maryland Christmas Travel Guide: Find the Worst Times for Holiday Traffic

Experts say it’s a toss-up between Friday and Saturday for the worst day to hit the road this Christmas holiday weekend, when almost 2.2 million vehicles are expected to be on Maryland highways. Travelers should start their journey as early as possible, especially if they plan to start out on Friday, experts say.

A record number of more than 103 million Americans and more than 2 million Marylanders are expected to travel between Christmas 2016 and New Year's, says AAA Mid-Atlantic. Fortunately, the Maryland State Highway Administration says no major weekend lane closures will slow traffic, construction is taking the weekend off.

With many school districts closed Friday and early closings for many offices, AAA anticipates Friday, as well as Saturday, Christmas Eve, to be the busiest times to travel on the front end of the 11-day travel holiday. Also, with Chanukah starting at sundown on Dec. 24 this year, that could mean additional traffic that travelers don’t expect.

Next week as you try to return home, Monday, Dec. 26, roads will be filled with shoppers searching for after-Christmas sales and travelers heading home so they can return to work on Tuesday.

Travel Conditions, Traffic

To check on road conditions anywhere in Maryland before you climb in the car, check the MD511.org site on your computer, tablet or phone, or call 511 from your cell phone.

For real-time updates on major incidents follow the Maryland Transportation Authority on Twitter at twitter.com/TheMDTA. Find the agency at facebook.com/TheMDTA and mdta.maryland.gov.

Check the CHART website for any traffic alerts on Maryland highways.

Want to see for yourself how traffic is flowing on a road, say Connecticut Avenue or on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge? Simply go to the state’s system of live traffic cameras and click on the interactive map or the region you want, and select a location from there.

For Bay Bridge traffic information any time call 1-877-BAYSPAN (1-877-229-7726) or visit http://www.baybridge.maryland.gov/.

Gas Prices

Overall low gas prices, despite the recent rise at the pump, are fueling the boom in holiday travel, says AAA Mid-Atlantic.

As of Dec. 19, the national average price for a gallon of gas was $2.24 per gallon, nearly a quarter more than the average price on New Year’s Day 2016 ($2). Most drivers will pay the second-cheapest New Year’s Day gas prices since 2009, when the national average was $1.62. Maryland’s average price as of Monday was $2.29 per gallon, which is 32 cents higher than the state’s average for New Year’s Day 2016.

AAA has a Fuel Price Finder app to help you find the lowest gas prices near you and at more than 100,000 stations across the country.

Metro Train Service

If you’re visiting family and friends by train, or seeing the sights, Metro has a Christmas present for riders. The agency has stopped all SafeTrack repair work on the network of tracks — which is needed but has closed stations or allowed only single tracking at times when work is under way — from Dec. 20 through the end of January. Metro says the halt is to allow for presidential inauguration preparations, but it might help passenders, too.

In addition to a break from surge activity, there will be no scheduled maintenance on the Metrorail system over the Christmas or New Year’s holiday weekends. Trains will run on their regular weekend schedules on all lines.

On Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Monday, Dec. 26, the Metrorail system will open at 7 a.m. and close at midnight each day. Off-peak fares will be in effect all day, and parking will be free at all Metro-operated facilities. Metrobus will operate on a Saturday schedule on Dec. 24 and on a Sunday schedule on Dec. 25 and 26.

MARC Train Service

The following is the holiday operating schedule for the remainder of December for MARC Train Service:

• Up to and including December 23, full weekday service on all three MARC Train lines.
• December 24, Saturday Penn Line service.
• December 25, No MARC Train Service.
• December 26, "R" schedule on all three lines.
• December 27-30, Full weekday service on all three MARC Train lines.
• December 31, Saturday Penn Line service.
• January 1, No MARC Train Service.
• January 2, reduced service "R" schedule on all three lines.
• January 3, Full weekday service resumes on all three MARC Train lines.

Prepare Before Getting on the Road

AAA shares these tips for travelers who may encounter winter weather conditions:

• Check windshield wipers and inspect tires to ensure safe drivability before setting out.
• Pack an emergency kit containing a snow shovel, flashlight, ice scraper, jumper cables, warning devices and extra warm clothing for everyone riding in the vehicle.
• When driving, slow down and do not tailgate.
• Leave following distances to a minimum of five to six seconds to allow additional braking room should a sudden stop become necessary.

Before setting out on a winter road trip, travelers are encouraged to download the free AAA Mobile app for iPhone, iPad and Android at AAA.com/mobile.

All travelers can use the app to map a route, find lowest gas prices, and search for repair shops, while AAA members can access exclusive member discounts, make travel arrangements, and call 1-800-AAA-HELP to request roadside assistance.

»Patch file photo