Memorial Day weekend kicks off with high travel numbers
More than 500,000 Kentuckians expected to hit the road as summer travel season kicks off
LEXINGTON, Ky. (ABC 36 NEWS NOW) – The Memorial Day travel weekend is officially underway, marking the unofficial start of summer.
Nationwide, more than 39 million drivers are expected to hit the roads, including around 500,000 Kentuckians, according to AAA. While that’s still a high number, experts say the year-over-year growth is starting to slow.
“So we are seeing a slowdown and we kind of are projecting that’s due in part to the economy, the uncertainty,” said AAA spokesperson Kara Hitchens. “People are kind of uncertain, prices are still kind of high for a lot of folks, so there is still a bit of a slowdown,” said Hitchens.
Meanwhile, drivers across Kentucky’s regional roads can take steps to avoid unexpected traffic delays, including construction slowdowns on major interstates.
“AAA still has the TripTiks it can help you navigate your travel with your TripTik and give you information on where construction zones may be, and obviously you can go online and look at Kentucky Transportation’s website,” said Hitchens.
There is one piece of good news for travelers, gas prices are trending down.
“So the good thing that people can know is that gas prices are down right now,” Hitchens added. “In the years past, gas prices have been close to $4 dollars a gallon,” said Hitchens.
Experts also urge drivers to check their vehicles before heading out, making sure everything is in good shape and doesn’t need repairs or maintenance.
