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Memorial Day Travel Rush — A Sign Of What's To Come For Summer
Vehicles head east out of Los Angeles on the Interstate 10 Freeway in Alhambra, California on May 27, 2021, ahead of the Memorial Day weekend.
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Frederic J. Brown
/
AFP
)
Millions of people are headed back home this Memorial Day after a busy weekend of packed airports and record road trips.
Doug Shupe, a spokesperson for the Auto Club of Southern California, told LAist that he expects 3.5 million people to have traveled 50 miles or more in our region alone.
“Typically, the Memorial Day weekend is indicative of what's to come, and with us breaking record travel volumes for Memorial Day, we are anticipating a very busy summer ahead,” he said.
Tips for getting back into town
Travel times are expected to be up to 90% longer than normal, according to Bob Pishue, a transportation analyst at INRIX. And the roads are typically jam packed in the afternoon, so the worst travel times will be between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Monday.
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Shupe said the key to avoiding most of the congestion is to leave as early in the day as you possibly can, or much later into the evening.
You should also inspect your tires, battery, and the rest of the vehicle before you hit the highway so you don’t have to make any unexpected pit stops along the way. Shupe said AAA expects to have helped 95,000 stranded drivers across California during the long holiday weekend.
“Nobody wants to break down on the side of the road any day of the year, but particularly after a long weekend, enjoying a great time with friends and family,” he said. “We want everybody to get home on time, but most importantly, safely.”
Looking ahead to the summer season
Summer is looking like it could be an incredibly busy travel season, so Shupe said you should start making plans sooner than later if you’re hoping to get out of town for upcoming holidays like July 4.
High demand and reduced schedules will mean fewer options, he said, and you don’t want to miss out on that perfect place you’ve been saving for.
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“During the pandemic, a lot of people canceled trips or postponed plans,” Shupe said. “So many people still haven't gone on their big trips, and that's what we're seeing right now."
More people have been booking their bucket list, once-in-a-lifetime vacations that they weren’t able to do during the pandemic years, he noted. Shupe said they’ve also been seeing more people traveling by themselves, and that’s a trend that is expected to continue throughout the rest of the year.
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
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