Metro Detroit 4th Of July Traffic: The Worst Time To Leave

METRO DETROIT, MI — The Fourth of July holiday is Thursday and Metro Detroit residents are already making plans to head out of town. If that includes you, know that this year you’ll be joined by more Americans than ever, according to a new report by the American Automobile Association, better known as AAA.

The motor club federation estimated that nearly 49 million Americans across the country plan to celebrate the nation’s 243rd birthday this year with a getaway trip.

The group expects travel volume overall to increase more than 4 percent compared to 2018, with 1.9 million more people taking a road trip or other type of vacation. That includes a record-high 41.4 million Americans who will be on the road, according to the analytics company INRIX. The company predicted drivers in major metro areas could see delays as much as four times as high as their normal commute. Wednesday is expected to be the worst day on the roads for the country as a whole.

That is true for Metro Detroit. Here’s what AAA expects for the local area:

• Worst day for travel: Wednesday, July 3
• Worst time to travel: 2-4 p.m.
• Delay multiplier: 2x

Lower gas prices and a strong economy are part of the reason more drivers are expected to be on the road this year, AAA said in a news release. The national average for gas prices was at $2.66, 19 cents cheaper than 2018, and that number was expected to drop further into the summer.

“As Independence Day approaches, it’s time for the much loved family road trip and this year will be one for the record books, with more Americans than ever planning vacations,” said Paula Twidale, vice president at AAA Travel. “This holiday builds on the strong travel demand seen for Memorial Day, and with schools now out of session across the country, families coast to coast are eager to travel.”

Some of the top travel destinations travelers are heading to this year: Orlando, Florida; Seattle; Las Vegas; New York; Boston; and Chicago.

Patch national staffer Dan Hampton contributed to this report.