More than 47.7 million Americans will be traveling — mostly by car — during the Independence Day holiday period — today through Monday — as travel volumes are expected to nearly recover to pre-pandemic levels.
This is expected to be the second-highest Independence Day travel volume on record, trailing 2019 by 2.5%, according to AAA.
Travel will be up nearly 40% compared to last year.
Despite the highest gas prices in seven years, an expected 43.6 million Americans will drive to their destinations, the highest on record for this holiday and 5% more than the previous record set
in 2019.
Most locations in the Altoona area are selling regular unleaded for $3.19 per gallon.
“There was a major uptick in travel for Memorial Day, and it appears Independence Day will continue the trend,” said Bevi Powell, senior vice president, AAA East Central, in a statement.
More than 5.7 million vehicles are projected to use the Pennsylvania Turnpike during the Independence Day holiday through next week, a near return to pre-pandemic levels, according to a release.
Turnpike travel estimates per day are: Friday — 690,000; Saturday — 525,000; Sunday — 420,000; Monday — 525,000; Tuesday and Wednesday — 600,000; July 8 — 625,000; July 9 — 675,000; July 10 — 540,000; and July 11 — 535,000.