Thanksgiving Wisconsin Traffic: 5 Timely Traffic Tips

Planning to hit the road for Thanksgiving, but dreading the traffic that goes along with that on Wisconsin's packed roads? What about if you have to travel through Chicago?

A Patch.com report out of Illinois takes a look at how to travel in the Chicagoland area this Thanksgiving. As far as Wisconsin goes, here are 5 tips to help you along your way:

1. Know Peak Travel Times In Your Area

Although most major highway construction work has concluded for the year, motorists traveling over the Thanksgiving holiday period may still encounter ongoing road work along with the potential for heavy traffic in key travel corridors. Officials with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) expect peak travel periods to occur between noon and 8 p.m. on Friday, November 17 and also on Sunday, November 26.

2. Get The Best Intel

Before taking to the highways, motorists can get updated information on work zones and incidents by dialing 511 or visiting 511wi.gov. Statewide travel information also is now available via Twitter at Wisconsin511@511WI.

3. Plan An Alternate Route Ahead Of Time

Nothing is worse than getting stuck in traffic while knowing that you're running later ... and later. The kids are hungry, you're low on gas and your spouse is questioning your sense of directions. Now's not the time to improvise. According to Peter Greenberg, "Try to plan your route along less popular freeways. Even if the mileage is a bit more it will be worth it when you’re driving 65 for that extra 10 miles than stuck locked in traffic for an extra 2 hours. This is also a good idea for those traveling very long distances where weather may be an issue."

4. Designate A Navigator

“Traffic crashes tend to peak over the next couple months due to several factors including an abundance of holiday travelers and hunters, the potential for rapidly changing weather, decreasing daylight, and increasing deer activity,” said David Pabst, director of WisDOT’s Bureau of Transportation Safety. “It’s the responsibility of every driver to watch their speed and following distance, always drive sober and alert, and ensure everyone is buckled up.”

Designate a navigator in your vehicle to help you through sticky traffic situations. The last thing anyone needs is yet another accident because someone is checking the map app on their phone while they're behind the wheel.

5. Leave Extra Time For Your Return Trip

More than a million Wisconsinites will be traveling over the Thanksgiving holiday, with only 82,000 of those being through the air. That leaves a lot of drivers on the road - and a lot who will be eager to get back home on Sunday to get their lives in order before the week starts. According to Peter Greenberg, Sunday is by far the worst day to be making your return trip, and the traffic will only increase as the day goes on and the last of the stragglers are getting back on the road.

Patch.com Photo By Scott Anderson