Many people are hitting the roads or catching a flight for one last taste of summer as Labor Day weekend gets underway.
Some are taking the advice of auto club AAA and getting on the roadways early to avoid the worst traffic. There was a steady flow of drivers on the Capital Beltway in Virginia’s Tysons Corner as early as 5 a.m. Thursday morning.
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How congested might it get, if you leave at the wrong time?
AAA gave one example; leaving for a trip from D.C. to Baltimore using the Baltimore-Washington Parkway on Thursday afternoon would take you an estimated one hour and 35 minutes. That’s an 86% increase from the normal travel time.
The Maryland Department of Transportation said the later you get on the road Thursday and Friday, the more congested the Chesapeake Bay Bridge will be. More than 345,000 vehicles are expected to cross the bridge during the Labor Day weekend.
According to its website, MDOT said the best times to travel across the bridge are as follows:
- Thursday, Aug. 28 — before 11 a.m. and after 9 p.m.
- Friday, Aug. 29 — before 10 a.m. and after 9 p.m.
- Saturday, Aug. 30 — before 9 a.m. and after 6 p.m.
- Sunday, Aug. 31 — before 11 a.m. and after 6 p.m.
- Labor Day Monday, Sept. 1 — before 10 a.m. and after 10 p.m.
There is some good news in Virginia.
The Virginia Department of Transportation will be suspending many highway work zones and lifting most lane closures on interstates and other major roads Friday through Tuesday.
While lane closures will be lifted in most locations, VDOT said motorists may encounter semi-permanent work zones that will remain in place during this time.
Check VDOT’s Travel Advisories for the latest travel alerts in your area and around the state.
AAA also has some good news on what your trip may set you back, whether you are flying or driving. It said domestic round-trip flights are 6% cheaper compared to last year, averaging $720 a ticket and summer gas prices have remained low, matching summer averages in 2021.
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