Thunderbolt 12: Looking at how busy the roads are ahead of Fourth of July weekend

Fourth of July this year is expected to break holiday travel records, according to AAA.

News 12 Staff

Jun 30, 2023, 11:02 AM

Updated 545 days ago

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You may notice extra traffic on your way in and out of work today because AAA is calling this year the busiest Fourth of July weekend of the year.
Over 43 million people are hitting the road for Fourth of July, and over 1 million in New Jersey alone. This is not counting the people from other states coming to New Jersey or passing through.
Prices for gas are much lower this summer than what travelers saw around this time last year when gas was around $5 a gallon. The national average now is around $3.50 a gallon.

When is the best time to travel?

News 12 New Jersey has been monitoring road conditions over the last 24 hours and noticed travel times are worse around midday through 6 p.m. And if you are heading down to the Jersey Shore Friday, make sure to give yourself extra time as this weekend may set a new record for the number of people traveling by car.
AAA says driving in 2023 is up 2% from 2022 and up 4% from 2019. The worst time to drive Friday is after noon. Driving after 5 p.m. is even worse.