Here’s When You’ll Hit The Most Traffic This Weekend In New York

HUDSON VALLEY, NY — If you’re hitting the road for Memorial Day weekend, expect to be joined by more than 36 million other drivers. AAA estimates that nearly 5 percent more vehicles will hit the roads this weekend compared to last year, and drivers should expect to see delays on major roads that could be three times longer than usual.

In New York, AAA says the single worst time to drive this weekend is actually Friday, May 25 between 3:30 p.m and 6:30 p.m. Those behind the wheel during those times should expect to be on the roads 2.7 times longer than normal, AAA said, citing INRIX, a global transportation analytics company.

The busiest Memorial Day travel days nationwide are Thursday and Friday in the late afternoon as commuters and holiday travelers hit the road at the same time, AAA says. This can be as early as 3 p.m. and as late as 7 p.m., depending on the city.

Several major metros could experience double the travel times compared to a normal trip.

SEE ALSO:

• Memorial Day 2018: Check These Events In The Hudson Valley
• Metro-North Announces Service Changes For Memorial Day Weekend
• Westchester County Beaches Set To Open
• Solve Memorial Day Grilling Qs With LongHorn Steakhouse Hotline
• Higher Gas Prices, More Travelers: HV Memorial Day 2018
• Safety Tips For Memorial Day 2018 In The Hudson Valley
• Early Getaway and Memorial Day Transit For Rockland County

“Drivers should expect congestion across a greater number of days than in previous years, with the getaway period starting on Wednesday, May 23,” said Graham Cookson, chief economist and head of research at INRIX. “Our advice to drivers is to avoid peak commute times in major cities altogether — traveling late morning or early afternoon — or plan alternative routes.”

And high prices at the pump, usually a deterrent for potential drivers, aren’t expected to have much effect this year. Drivers — who account for 88 percent of Memorial Day weekend travelers — will pay the most expensive gas prices in four years. Gas prices averaged $2.72 in April, up 33 cents from last year. A quick check of gasbuddy.com finds that gas prices Friday morning in White Plains range from $2.99 to $3.45 per gallon.

“The highest gas prices since 2014 won’t keep travelers home this Memorial Day weekend,” said Bill Sutherland, senior vice president, AAA Travel and Publishing. “A strong economy and growing consumer confidence are giving Americans all the motivation they need to kick off what we expect to be a busy summer travel season with a Memorial Day getaway.”

Luckily, for commuters in the Hudson Valley, Metro-North will be running extra trains in the afternoon to get you out of New York City sooner. For a complete schedule, go here.

Orlando, Florida, is expected to be this year’s most-visited Memorial Day destination in the U.S., AAA said. Other popular destinations this year include Seattle, Honolulu, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Boston, Denver and New York City.

Patch reporter Dan Hampton contributed to this report.

Photo credit: Shutterstock