Here Are The Worst Times For Thanksgiving Travel On Long Island

LONG ISLAND, NY — On your mark, get set, go!

One of the busiest holiday weekends is almost upon us. For the first time since pre-pandemic, AAA predicts, drivers will fully return to the roads.

More than 54 million people are expected to travel at least 50 miles for a Thanksgiving meal, which would be a 98 percent increase from prior to 2020.

"Travel has nearly returned to normal and people are eager to see family and friends, making for a busy Thanksgiving holiday," said Robert Sinclair, Jr. of AAA Northeast.

AAA suggests avoiding travel between 4-8 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday of Thanksgiving week.

Additionally, and probably not surprisingly, some of the "best" bottleneck locations in the area are:

The Long Island Expressway eastbound Exit 13 to Exit 32, is expected to see a 97-percent increase, while in the reverse direction, heading west from Exit 44 to Exit 16 could see 21 percent more drivers, AAA said.

As more people get behind the wheel, more cars will pull over.

AAA estimates more than 411,000 members' vehicles will break down over the holiday weekend, a 5 percent jump from last year.