AAA: Virginia to See More Drivers Over Thanksgiving

If you're traveling over the river and through the woods to Grandma's house for Thanksgiving this year, you won't be the only one on the road. In fact, according to AAA, you'll see 1.2 million Virginians traveling on the road for the holidays, an increase of 3.8 percent from last year.

If you're trying to figure out the best time to leave or return home, you can check with the Virginia Department of Transportation, which has a forecast for different time periods for each day of the holiday based on previous Thanksgiving holiday road trends. For current Virginia road incidents, you can pull over and call "511," or from outside Virginia, call (800) 578-4111. You can also visit mobile511virginia.org.

Northern Virginia High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) Schedule

• HOV restrictions on I-66, I-95 and I-395 will be lifted on Thanksgiving, Thursday, Nov. 24.
  
  
• Normal HOV restrictions will be in place on Wednesday, Nov. 23, and Friday, Nov. 25:

I-95/I-395 – From 6 - 9 a.m., three occupants or more in a vehicle can use the HOV lanes heading north. From 3:30-6 p.m., three occupants or more in a vehicle can use the HOV lanes heading south.

I-66 – Inside the Capital Beltway, both HOV lanes: 6:3 0- 9 a.m. east 4 - 6:30 p.m. west. Outside the Beltway, left HOV lane: 5:30 - 9:30 a.m. east; 3-7 p.m. west.

• Weekend schedule for the I-95/I-395 reversible lanes: The lanes will be heading south from 1 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 25, until 2 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 26, and heading north from 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 26, through the rest of the weekend.

Travel trending upward 

“While not yet back to pre-recession numbers, 2011 marks the fourth straight year of growth in the number of travelers for the Thanksgiving holiday,” said Martha Mitchell Meade, manager of Public and Government Affairs for AAA Mid-Atlantic, in a news release. “Despite higher gas prices, pent up demand from the past three years and the desire to create lasting family memories seem to be overshadowing fears about our nation’s economic uncertainly as many are expected to choose family and friends over frugality.” 

Gas prices nationally average $3.39 per gallon of regular unleaded gasoline, 50 cents higher than one year ago, yet 59 cents less than this year’s peak price of $3.98 on May 5, according to AAA. Virginia’s average price for regular unleaded gasoline now stands at $3.29, a rate that is 52 cents more than this time last year. 

You can find try to find the lowest price gas near you by checking www.gasbuddy.com.