Get ready to join the crowds.
AAA predicts this Fourth of July will be the busiest one ever for travelers.
The TSA anticipates screening more than 12 million people at its checkpoints between Wednesday and Sunday, but most vacationers–more than 41 million—- are expected to drive.
That’s not a mirage you’re seeing…..the highways are heating up; full of travelers.
Hitting the road in the dog days of summer doesn’t affect William Hechler and his family. They and their three pooches are from Arizona and on their way to Maine.
“It’s been really nice actually, roads have been great,” Hechler said.
Don Jorgensen: What about your buddies here?
William: Well they’re doing pretty good they’re good troopers as long as they are with us, they’re happy.
Even though we’re getting ready to celebrate America’s independence, as you can tell by this sign any nationality is welcomed at the Beaver Creek Welcome Center.
“I just had some people in here from Brazil, long ways away from home,” Janice Eppler said.
Janice Eppler has worked at the Minnesota information center for three years. She says they typically get between 800 to 1,000 visitors who stop by each day. But she says Wednesday has been especially busy.
“There’s been a lot of traffic a lot of traveling a lot of people looking for information,” Eppler said.
Walter Funk and family are from California traveling to St. Cloud. They don’t think traffic is bad at all.
“It’s hard to talk about that when you live in LA, traffic was heavy when we hit Kansas City other than that it was wonderful and traffic really doesn’t phase me that much,” Walter said.
“We’re coming across country, so for us this isn’t traffic, so we’ll see what happens when we get to the cities, but for us this isn’t traffic,” Christy Funk said.
They’ve planned a family reunion this year and are excited to celebrate the 4th of July with relatives they’ve never met.
“I told them they’re going to have at least 50 cousins, so they’re really excited right guys,” Christy said.
No matter who you’re traveling with this 4th of July, there’s a pretty good chance you won’t be taking the road less traveled.
One reason AAA says this holiday will be busy on the highways is because gas prices are cheaper this year. The nationwide average is down 12 cents from 2018.
