Best, Worst Times to Travel New York Highways for Christmas 2016

NEW YORK — With mild temperatures forecast and record numbers of travelers taking to the skies and highways, when should you time your Christmas trip to avoid traffic delays and aggravation?

A record number of more than 103 million Americans — 10.5 million of them from New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania — are expected to travel the Christmas 2016 through New Year's period, says AAA Mid-Atlantic.

So the key, say experts, is to leave for your destination early. Friday and Saturday, Dec. 23 and 24, will be busy travel days with packed highways.

The year-end holiday travel period is defined as Friday, Dec. 23, to Monday, Jan. 2, 2017. Because two holidays fall within that period, travel is often spread out. However, there will be pockets of heavy congestion.
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 Christmas Eve this year, that could mean additional traffic that travelers don’t typically expect.

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

On the back end of the holiday, Friday, Dec. 30, will be another busy travel day with people getting away for the New Year’s Eve weekend. And Monday, Jan. 2, should be another full travel day as families return home; students and many employees have that day off.

There is some good news: Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced Wednesday that temporary lane closures associated with road and bridge construction projects on New York State highways will not be permitted from 6 a.m. on Friday to 6 a.m. on Tuesday, and again from 6 a.m. on Dec. 30, to 6 a.m. on Jan. 3 in order to accommodate motorists during the busy year-end holiday travel weekends. Some work may continue behind permanent concrete barriers or for emergency repairs.

"We're putting Drivers First and taking action to limit delays and inconveniences on our roadways during this busy holiday season," Cuomo said. "We're doing everything in our power to help New Yorkers get where they need to go as quickly and with the least amount of aggravation possible."

The increase in holiday travel this year is being driven by additional consumer spending, a result of improvements in the labor market and rising wage, along with low gas prices and increased consumer optimism, says AAA. Plus having an extra day.

“This year more Americans ... will travel to celebrate the holidays and ring in the New Year than ever before,” said Ragina Cooper Averella, public and government affairs manager for AAA Mid-Atlantic. “Rising incomes and continued low gas prices, despite the recent rise at the pump, should make for a joyous holiday travel season.”

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. The average price as of Dec. 21 in New York was $2.44, up from $2.26 a year ago.

AAA said that nationally, gas prices are slightly higher for 2016 than they were for 2015, but they remain significantly lower than 2014.

The long range forecast indicates that rain showers could be possible on Dec. 23 and Christmas Eve, and that rain is possible during the week after Christmas. Preliminary forecasts say that temperatures are expected to be in the 40s on most days, and maybe hit the low 40s on Christmas Day in the Hudson Valley.

To check on road conditions anywhere in New York before you climb in the car, check the NY511.org site on your computer, tablet or phone.

Prepare Before Getting on the Road

AAA offers the following 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

By Patch Editor Deb Belt