Busiest Travel Days During 2018 Holidays In Maryland

Holiday travelers can expect to see more people on roads and airports this season. In Maryland, officials are preparing for the uptick and urge those heading out to do so as well. The Maryland State Highway Administration anticipates a 4 percent increase in holiday travel, mirroring the trend around the U.S., where an estimated 100 million drivers will be on the road.

About 3 million people in the Baltimore area are expected to travel, according to WBAL.

In the D.C. metro area, an estimated 2.8 million residents are expected to travel at least 50 miles from home, according to the AAA Mid-Atlantic, with 2.4 million going by car.

“Virtually everyone heading for the exits on the days leading up to Christmas Day will experience a significant increase in travel times and traffic congestion,” AAA Mid-Atlantic’s Manager of Public and Government Affairs John B. Townsend II said in a statement.

To facilitate the flow of traffic, Maryland and Virginia will be suspending non-emergency lane closures.

The busiest travel days ahead are expected to be Saturday, Dec. 22, and Sunday, Dec. 23, according to the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics.

Based on data from 2001, when Christmas and New Year's Day also fell on a Tuesday, the bureau expects the days just after Christmas will be among the busier days as well.

Citing cheaper gas prices, strong economic growth and robust consumer spending, AAA analysts said they expect a record number of Americans to travel for the year-end holiday period.

Maryland’s average gas price was $1.99 per gallon in 2015. Last Christmas, the average was $2.43 per gallon.

“Marylanders hitting the roads for the year-end holiday period will hear a little more jingle in their pockets, as they fill up with the lowest gas prices for the holidays since 2015,” Christine Sarames Delise, senior public affairs specialist for AAA Mid-Atlantic, said in a statement.

The average price of gas per gallon this Christmas will be $2.12 in Salisbury, $2.20 in Baltimore and Annapolis and $2.46 in the D.C. suburbs in Maryland, according to AAA.

Said Delise: "Drivers can thank lower crude oil prices and a surplus of crude for driving down these prices."

(For more news like this, find your local Patch here. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app; download the free Patch Android app here. And like Patch on Facebook!)

“Given the fact that Americans are traveling in record-breaking numbers of during the holiday period, it behooves holiday travelers to travel during off-peak hours to avoid significant delays, to plan ahead, to stay alert, and to avoid distractions,” Townsend said.

To help travelers plan, AAA Mid-Atlantic offered these projections:

• Best day to fly — Dec. 24
• Busiest days on roads in U.S. — Saturday, Dec. 22, and Sunday, Dec. 23
• Most congested roads in D.C. metro —I-495, I-95, I-270 north, US 50 east
• Worst day to travel — Dec. 20
• Worst time to travel in D.C. metro — 1:15-2:15 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 20
• Average long-distance trip for Christmas/New Year's holiday nationwide— 275 miles

For those who are flying, the TSA recommends arriving at BWI two hours prior to a domestic flight and three hours prior to an international flight to ensure there's plenty of time to complete each step in the security process before boarding.

SEE ALSO: Christmas, New Year's Travel Tips For BWI Flyers

Prepare Your Vehicle

Drivers should check their vehicles to ensure tires are filled and ensure belts and hoses are in good working order. Having a mechanical breakdown on the highway can be extremely dangerous, state highway officials warn.

If a breakdown occurs, pull as far off the road as possible and stay inside, then call #77, 911 or your roadside assistance service.

Prepare Yourself

• Put on your seat belt. It's the law.
• Do not use handheld devices while driving.
• Get plenty of rest before hitting the road.
• Travel at the posted speed limit.

Image via Shutterstock.