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Drivers see lighter Parkway congestion on Labor Day

According to AAA, the peak travel window on Labor Day was expected to fall between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m., but along the Garden State Parkway, some travelers say traffic has been lighter than they anticipated.

Kaiden Keitt

Sep 7, 2026, 5:26 PM

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As people make their way down the Jersey Shore for one last beach day, drivers are seeing some of the busiest travel hours of the Labor Day holiday.

According to AAA, the peak travel window on Labor Day was expected to fall between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m., but along the Garden State Parkway, some travelers say traffic has been lighter than they anticipated.

Drivers News 12 spoke with reported some additional congestion on other roadways across the New York-New Jersey region, but overall, many said they were able to get to and from the Shore in a reasonable amount of time.

AAA says Labor Day is typically the least traveled of the major summer holiday weekends.

Some drivers, however, believe another factor could be keeping people off the roads - gas prices. One traveler said filling up costs around $50 compared with about $35 a year ago.

“Close to $50. I try not to think about it. I just pay what I need to pay and move on,” that driver said.

Another driver heading to Atlantic City said it was the lightest traffic they had ever seen.

Asked why they thought the roads were so clear, the driver had a simple explanation.

“Probably because of gas prices,” they stated.

For drivers still on the road this Labor Day, the afternoon hours remain a key time to watch for heavier traffic, particularly as weekend travelers make their way home.

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