Memorial Day traffic to be the most in a decade
Travelers hoping for a respite from holiday traffic might be out of luck this Memorial Day weekend, as more than 950,000 people in New Jersey plan to travel through Monday, according to a survey from AAA.
That figure will be part of 37.2 million travelers nationwide expected to be on the move between Thursday and Monday, a 4.7 percent increase from last year and the highest travel volume in 10 years, according to AAA.
The unofficial start to summer, Memorial Day traffic will see a 4.6 percent increase in the state, up from 917,000 in 2014, as travelers make their way to the shore, the mountains or to barbecues and other get togethers. That figure is the second highest of the decade for the state.
“After another cold winter, New Jerseyans are excited to finally trade in boots and jackets for flips flops and shorts,” AAA New Jersey spokesperson Cathleen Lewis said. “With the second-highest Memorial Day weekend travel expected this decade, it’s clear that New Jerseyans are ready to come out of hibernation and explore our national parks, beaches and great cities.”
More than 90 percent of people will travel by automobile, nearly 865,000 in the state and 33.3 million nationwide. Those figures are up 5.1 and 5.3 respectively from Memorial Day weekend 2014. AAA defines travel as going farther than 50 miles from home.
Airline travel is up more than 2 percent, with more than 62,000 predicted to travel out of New Jersey and 2.6 million nationwide.
Train, bus, and watercraft travelers are predicted to see a dip this year, with less than 32,000 in the state planning to use those modes of transportation, a 3.8 percent decrease. National numbers are down 3.6 percent from last year to roughly 1.6 million.
There are a number of economic factors contributing to the traffic increase this holiday weekend, including that the average price per gallon of gas is nearly a dollar lower than last year.
“A strong employment market and low gas prices have driven consumer optimism to new highs and boosted Americans’ disposable income,” Lewis said. “This is welcome news for the travel industry.”
As of Tuesday, New Jersey’s average price per gallon was $2.52, compared to $3.42 in 2014 and the high of $3.77 in 2011. Nationally, the average price is $2.70 per gallon, down from $3.64 in 2014.
Sunny weekend
Also encouraging travelers will be sunny with temperatures in the 60s throughout the weekend, according to the National Weather Service.
Friday should be sunny in Morris County, with a high of 68 degrees and wind as fast as 16 miles per hour throughout the day, before hitting a chilly low of about 38 degrees.
Saturday will be more of the same, sunny with a high of 68 and a low of 46 degrees with potential winds reaching 11 miles per hour.
Sunday temperatures will rise, hitting a high of about 78 degrees by the afternoon and only dropping to 57 degrees at night.
Memorial Day Monday features the only possibility of rain, with a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms during the day and a 40 percent chance at night. Temperatures are expected to hit a high of 77 degrees with a low of about 63 Monday evening.
Click It or Ticket
Motorists should remember to use seat belts this holiday weekend, as many local police departments are in the middle of a “Click It or Ticket” enforcement campaign, running nationally through then end of the month.
Law enforcement officials are cracking down on unbuckled drivers and passengers at “high visibility” checkpoints, and additional roadway patrols to ensure motorists are wearing their seat belts.
“Using a seat belt is the simplest way for a driver and his or her passengers to protect themselves when traveling,” Acting Director of the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety Gary Poedubicky said. "In 2012 alone, seat belts saved an estimated 12,000 lives nationwide.”
About 87.59 percent of New Jersey motorists currently use seat belts, and Poedubicky said this year’s goal is to increase that rate to 90 percent.
This year’s campaign will emphasize enforcement on rear seat passengers and during the evening hours, when seat belt usage is traditionally lower.
Approximately 374 New Jersey police agencies participated in last year’s “Click It or Ticket” campaign, which resulted in 26,635 seat belt citations, 4,363 speeding summonses, and 944 drunk driving arrests.
Staff Writer Michael Izzo: 973-428-6636; mizzo@GannettNJ.com
TRAVEL BY THE NUMBERS
Automobile
• New Jersey – 864, 910 (90.2% of travelers), a 5.1% increase from last year
• Nationally – 32.972 million (88.6% of travelers), a 5.3% increase from 2014
Air
• New Jersey – 62,455 (6.5% of travelers), an increase of 2.2% from those who flew in 2014.
• Nationally – 2.6 million (7% of travelers), an increase of 2.4% from last Memorial Day.
Train, Bus, Watercraft or Other Mode
• New Jersey – 31,741 (3.3% of travelers), a 3.8% decrease from 2014
• Nationally – 1.644 million (4.4% of travelers), a decrease of 3.6% from Memorial Day 2014
“After another cold winter, New Jerseyans are excited to finally trade in boots and jackets for flips flops and shorts,” said Cathleen Lewis, Director of Public Affairs and Government Relations for AAA New Jersey. “With the second-highest Memorial Day weekend travel expected this decade, it’s clear that New Jerseyans are ready to come out of hibernation and explore our national parks, beaches and great cities.”
A number of economic factors are contributing to the large increase in holiday travelers this year. “A strong employment market and low gas prices have driven consumer optimism to new highs and boosted Americans’ disposable income. This is welcome news for the travel industry,” continued Lewis.
IMPACT OF GASOLINE ON TRAVEL PLANS
Travelers continue to benefit from substantially lower gas prices compared to recent years. Today’s national average price is $2.70, $0.94 lower than last year ($3.64). In New Jersey, the average price for a gallon of gas is $2.52, $0.97 lower than last year ($3.49). AAA predicts most U.S. travelers will pay the cheapest Memorial Day gas prices in at least five years.
Memorial Day gas prices, average per gallon, in New Jersey for the past five years
2015: $2.52(as of May 19, 2015)
2014: $3.49
2013: $3.42
2012: $3.56
2011: $3.77
2010: $2.66
AAA’s projections are based on economic forecasting and research by IHS Global Insight. The Colorado-based business information provider teamed with AAA in 2009 to jointly analyze travel trends during the major holidays.