MADISON, WI (WTAQ) – AAA expects a record number of travelers for the upcoming Independence Day holiday weekend.
Nearly 43 million Americans are projected to travel for the period from Thursday to Monday, July 4. That includes 923,770 from Wisconsin, which would be the highest travel volume on record.
“Independence Day is always the most-traveled holiday of the summer, but this year it will be bigger than ever, primarily because of low gas prices,” said Joseph J. Richardson Jr., President and CEO at AAA – The Auto Club Group. “Airports will be just as crowded as the roads, because low fuel prices are making it more affordable to fly. If fundamentals remain the same, this could be a record-breaking year for summertime travel.”
According to AAA, 84 percent of holiday travelers will drive to their destinations, an increase of 1.2 percent over last year. Air travel is expected to increase 2.2 percent over last year, with 3.3 million Americans taking to the skies this Independence Day.
“The peak travel times for motorists will be Friday and Monday afternoons,” said Nick Jarmusz, Wisconsin director of public affairs for AAA. “The best times to leave will be in the morning, because the roads will be less crowded and you will have more time to get to your destination safely.”
Jarmusz says that the increase in consumer confidence has been a continued falling of gas prices for Wisconsin drivers.
“The average motorist has saved about $100 on gasoline so far this year compared to the first six months of 2015,” Jarmusz said. “These low gas prices, combined with rising wages, are helping boost disposable income, making travel more affordable.”
Even with those bargain basement pump prices, last week’s acknowledgment that the lone fuel pipeline from Milwaukee to northeast Wisconsin being shut down indefinitely has some worried about supply. But Jarmusz says that drivers should take a deep breath.
“We don’t believe there’s really a shortage of gas coming into Green Bay so much as it’s costing more to bring that gas in,” explains Jarmusz. “So there’s going to be an elevated cost to bring the product into the Green Bay market, which will naturally get passed on to the customers. The statewide average is about $2.40, whereas in Green Bay we’re at about $2.48, and that’s kind of the difference that we’ve been seeing over the course of the past two months.”
WORK ZONE TIP SHEET
Before you hit the road for this week’s Independence Day weekend, here are major work zones to be aware of:
- I-41 in Brown County – there are narrowed travel lanes and shoulders in several locations and reduced speeds to 55 mph from Grant Street to Lineville Road. Also, the southbound I-41 off-ramp to Velp Avenue remains closed with a marked detour.
- I-43 and I-43/I-41 interchange in Brown County – I-43 between Atkinson Drive and I-41 is reduced to a single lane in each direction with speed reduced to 55 mph. The southbound I-41 off-ramp to I-43 remains closed with a marked detour. Also, the northbound I-43 ramp to I-41 southbound remains closed.
- Eastbound WIS 172 to southbound I-41 ramp closed June 20 for about six weeks to connect the existing ramp with new construction.
- Eastbound WIS 172 traffic seeking southbound I-41 will be detoured east on WIS 172 to Vanderperren Way, to Ashland Avenue and back to southbound I-41.
- In Manitowoc County, I-43 will be down to one lane near the village of Cleveland. Travelers can use I-41 as an alternate route north or south.
- US 10 eastbound between Winnebago County CB and I-41 northbound is reduced to a single lane.
- In Marinette County – US 141 southbound is closed in the village of Wausaukee from WIS 180 to north village of Wausaukee limit. A detour using local streets is posted.
- Zoo Interchange project in Milwaukee County – lane closures on I-94 eastbound at Sunny Slope Road and on I-41/I-894 northbound at National Ave. The system ramp from I-94 westbound to I-41/I-894 southbound and various other exit and entrance ramps remain closed.
- Lakefront Gateway project in downtown Milwaukee – access to the lakefront at Lincoln Memorial Drive is closed. Posted detours show alternate access to lakefront destinations and locations to re-enter the freeway system.
- In Elkhorn, the US 12/County NN Interchange has closures on its on/off ramps affecting travel to the Lake Geneva area. Adjacent collector/distributor roadways remain open providing access to I-43 ramps. Detour routes are posted.
- I-41/US 45 rehabilitation project in Washington County – a single lane closure on I-41/US 45 northbound from County Q to the I-41/US 45 split will be in effect from Thursday evening (June 30) until noon Friday (July 1).
- I-39/90 in Dane and Rock counties – new exit ramp location from I-39/90 southbound to WIS 59 (Exit 163) near Edgerton and Newville. Ramps to/from I-39/90 northbound at US 51 interchange (Exit 156) are closed until late September 2016. Alternate routes are required.
- Madison Beltline and Verona Road (US 18/151) interchange in Dane County.
- I-90 in La Crosse reduced to one lane of traffic in each direction.
- US 51 in Marathon County – single lane closures and a reduced speed limit of 55 mph between Decator Drive and County WW.
- WIS 29 in Marathon County – single lane closures and a reduced speed limit of 55 mph between Sunrise Drive and Business 51.
- US 51 in Oneida County – passing lanes between Rocky Run Road and South Blue Lake Road are closed. US 51 remains open to one lane of traffic in each direction.
- Business 51 (Post Road) in Portage County – single lane closures and temporary traffic signals between Green Drive and Springville Drive.
- WIS 54/Wood and Portage County U intersection – single lane closures and a reduced speed limit of 55 mph.
QUICK STATS ON JULY 4TH TRAVEL
Some interesting tidbits regarding Independence Day holiday weekend travel:
- Independence Day travel volume increased six out of the last seven years (2013)
- Auto traveler totals will set a new record for the third consecutive year
- Gas prices are forecast to be the lowest in 11 years
- 3.43 million air travelers is 17.4 percent above the 2000-2015 average
- Airfares for the top 40 domestic flight routes will average $207 — $20 less than last year
- Rebounding cruise bookings are driving the rise in other modes of transportation
- AAA cruise bookings for the Independence Day holiday are 35% more than last year
- Hotel costs are slightly lower: AAA Three Diamond hotels will average $185 a night — $10 less than last year; AAA Two Diamond hotels will average $144 — $1 less than a year before
- Daily car rental rates will average $75 — $4 more than last year
