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Discover the best and worst times to drive during Thanksgiving week
A record number of travelers will hit the road this year for the holiday, reports AAA.
Of a record 79.9 million Americans traveling for Thanksgiving this year, 71.7 million will go by car — up 1.3 million from last year, according to AAA.
The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) has announced changes on the roads in anticipation of the busy travel period, which AAA has included the Tuesday before and the Monday after for the first time “to better capture the flow of holiday travelers.”
“With the Thanksgiving holiday next week, MassDOT is forecasting increased traffic volumes throughout the week with the heaviest outbound traffic expected in the afternoons of Monday through Wednesday,” said Jonathan Gulliver, highway administrator, in a statement. “We also expect returning volumes to be heavier on Sunday, December 1. We encourage travelers to make their trips outside of peak hours and drive safely.”
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Boston drivers will find the worst traffic on I-95 N from Boston to Portsmouth, N.H., according to transportation analytics company INRIX. Drivers can expect peak congestion on Tuesday, Nov. 26 at 3:45 p.m., with a travel time of 2 hours and 35 minutes and traffic 117 percent over typical volume.
There will be no scheduled construction work on major roadways outside of established work zones between 5 a.m. on Nov. 26 and 5 a.m. on Dec. 2., according to MassDOT.
MassDOT is extending the High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane hours on I-93 between Boston and Quincy from 1 to 7 p.m. on Nov. 26 and Nov. 27. The HOV lane will be closed Nov. 28-29. Due to increased travel in and out of Logan Airport, the Sumner Tunnel swing lane will not be deployed Nov. 28-29.
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In general, the worst times to travel during Thanksgiving week are between 1 and 5 p.m. on Nov. 25 and 27; 1 and 7 p.m. on Nov. 26; 7 and 10 a.m. on Nov. 29; 4 and 8 p.m. on Nov. 30; noon and 6 p.m. on Dec. 1; and 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Dec. 2. Minimal traffic is expected on Thanksgiving day.
The best times to travel during the holiday week are before 11 a.m. on Nov. 26; before 10 a.m. Nov. 26- 27; after 1 p.m. on Nov. 29; before 1 p.m. on Nov. 30 and Dec. 1; and before 8 a.m. and after 7 p.m. on Dec. 2, INRIX reported.
MassDOT “strongly urges all drivers to minimize distractions by turning off or putting away cell phones, traveling the posted speed limit, driving sober and devoting full attention to what is ahead on the road,” wrote local officials.
Finally, there’s good news at the pump, according to AAA: The national gas price average last year on Thanksgiving was $3.26 and this year falling oil prices may mean the average will go below $3 a gallon for the first time since 2021.
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