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This 4th Of July Weekend Will Have The Worst Traffic Since 2002
If you were planning on traveling this weekend, brace yourself, for you are not alone. According to the Automobile Club of Southern California, this travel weekend will be the busiest one since 2002, as more than 3 million Southern California residents are expected to hit the road, air, or rails in celebration of the nation's birthday, which, blessedly, falls on a three-day weekend this year.
The L.A. Times reports that of those 3 million people traveling, 80% of them, or 2.4 million, will be driving—up 1% from last year. As for air travel, those stats are also up by about 3% from last year: about 375,000 are expected to travel by plane. KTLA notes that security at LAX has been stepped up in anticipation of the increase in travelers—which is expecting 1.2 million people passing through— so if you have a flight out of the airport this weekend, make sure to leave plenty of time.
So, why are more people traveling this year? Triple A told the Times that lower gas prices and higher "consumer confidence" are possible reasons.
But really, why travel when there are plenty of things to do around town this weekend—many of which include local fireworks shows if you're feeling festive.
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The Meaning Of 'Juneteenth,' America's Other Independence Day
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