Thanksgiving Travel: Avoid Traffic In Dallas With These Tips

DALLAS, TX — Traveling during the holidays can be stressful — even overwhelming — in a city the size of Dallas. With so many families taking to the roads to visit loved ones, you can almost always expect traffic and delays.

But there is no need to worry. Google has assembled a Thanksgiving guide that covers everything from holiday traffic patterns to the number of people who searched for "ham shop" on the day before Thanksgiving. In fact, Google says the most popular unique search in Texas during the Thanksgiving season is "Bicycle Sharing Location." Who knew?

Anyway, back to traffic. Google monitors traffic on Dallas roadways year-round and has compiled that data to give you the best travel experience. It's not surprising that Google's initial recommendation for Thanksgiving travel is that you leave at 3 a.m. Obviously there will be the fewest cars on the road at a time like that. But if that's not possible, you can still avoid gridlock by leaving around 6 a.m.

You do have some leeway on that time slot as long as you make sure not to hit the roads at 3 p.m. on Wednesday. Google says that's the absolute worst time to hop on the highway. If you try to maneuver Dallas streets Wednesday afternoon, you could spend several hours waiting in traffic.

When the holiday is over and it's time to head back home, Google recommends leaving Sunday at 6 a.m. Waiting until Sunday affords you a lighter traffic backup and excuses you from dealing with the onslaught of Black Friday shoppers cruising around the metroplex.

That time slot is flexible, too — as long as you don't leave Saturday at 4 p.m. Google estimates traffic in and around Dallas will be heaviest at this time. And everyone wants to avoid that.

AAA (Triple-A) estimates Dallas has one of the worst traffic hotspots in the nation. Travelers in Dallas should expect to see the most traffic at southbound Interstate-75 at I-45/I-30, an area the insurer named the seventh-most congested roadway in the nation.

The findings from AAA also state travel to and from DFW International Airport will be worst on Wednesday between 8:00 and 9:00 a.m. Driving from Downtown Dallas to the airport will take drivers an estimated 46 minutes, although that number could further rise depending on accident conditions.

The report estimates drivers will pay the highest gas prices since 2014 during the Thanksgiving holiday. 89.3 percent of holiday travelers still drive to and from their destinations, which means 45.5 million Americans will be paying the national average gas price of $2.54 per gallon.

A survey from Harris Poll and Chevrolet found that more than half of parents in Texas say traffic is the most stressful part of a family road trip. But traffic shouldn't stop you from enjoying the holidays with your family. Because, according to the survey, 82 percent of Texas families say spending time with family is their favorite part of a road trip. And why wouldn't it be? Packing up the car and hitting the road is a great way to bond — if only you can convince your kids to put their phones down.

Lead image via Pixabay