AAA projects nearly 43 million Americans will travel this Independence Day weekend. This is the highest Independence Day travel volume on record and five million more travelers compared to Memorial Day weekend.
The holiday travel period is defined as Thursday, June 30 to Monday, July 4.
Thirteen (13.2) percent of Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home, a 1.3 percent increase over the 42.3 million who traveled a year ago.
In the Pacific Region, (AK, CA, HI, OR, WA), 6.6 million (12.4 percent of the population) are expected to travel, up 1.3 percent compared to last year. In Oregon, roughly 492,000 people are expected to take a 4th of July getaway.
“The 4th of July is the busiest travel holiday of the summer. All in all, 2016 is shaping up to be a record-breaking year for summertime travel,” says AAA Oregon/Idaho Public Affairs Director Marie Dodds. “Independence Day gas prices are expected to be the lowest since 2005 which is good news for everyone taking a holiday road trip.”
Most drivers will likely pay the lowest Independence Day gas prices since 2005. Despite seasonal increases in pump prices, travelers continue to enjoy substantially lower prices compared to recent years.
The current national average for regular unleaded is $2.29, and Oregon’s average is $2.53 -61 cents lower than a year ago.
