AAA Central Penn estimates slight increase in Memorial Day weekend travel

• Katie Knol
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  Katie Knol is WITF's General Assignment Reporter & Host.
  
  She graduated from Penn State University in 2024, earning bachelor's degrees in journalism and political science. She has also worked at WPSU, the News Lab at Penn State, The Daily Collegian and CommRadio.

More people are expected to head out on the road this Memorial Day weekend than last year, according to AAA.

Doni Lee Fox, AAA Central Penn’s public relations manager, said approximately 45 million people across the country will be traveling 40 miles or more, most of them by car.

“We like to remind people to be vigilant on the roadways as we expect more people, especially coming through the Keystone State,” Fox said. “We know it’s a popular area for people traveling through the state.”

Forty-five million travelers is a slight increase over last year’s 44.8 million, despite the higher fuel prices largely due to the ongoing war in Iran.

As of Thursday, the average cost of a gallon of gas in Pennsylvania was $4.63. Fox said AAA’s Central Penn region, which includes Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Huntingdon, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon, Mifflin and Perry counties, has lower gas prices compared to the rest of the state.

Memorial Day generally signals the start of summer. The weather is getting warmer, and families have a long weekend to enjoy.

But with rising costs, Fox said people are adjusting their holiday plans.

“Some people may shorten their trip, so maybe they’re not driving as far to save on gas,” she said. “Some folks that are cruising, we see instead of flying to a cruise port out of Florida, they’re actually driving to one of the local cruise ports to save on that airfare.”

More drivers means more traffic on major roadways. Fox advised drivers to check on the traffic before hitting the road to avoid areas with accidents or roadwork. For those staying local, she recommended avoiding interstates and relying on local streets.

During last year’s Memorial Day weekend, AAA provided emergency roadside assistance to 350,000 motorists across the country. Fox said drivers should make sure their tires are properly inflated, the battery is charged and fluids are topped off before starting a road trip.

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