Best and worst times to drive for Labor Day
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Hope you're on the right side of the highway. Or not on the highway at all. Photo: Kevin Carter/Getty Images
Stay off the roads Thursday evening, especially the 15 North, to avoid the worst Labor Day weekend traffic, according to forecasts from AAA and INRIX.
Why it matters: Peak holiday congestion could add serious time to your trip.
It'll take you more than 4 hours to drive north to Palm Springs if you leave Thursday at 5:45pm, according to INRIX, a transportation data firm that works with AAA to calculate travel times.
- If you must leave Thursday, go before 1pm if possible.
- Friday will likely be bad noon to 8pm.
- And Monday will be the worst from 2pm to 5pm.
Sunday is expected to be the easiest day to drive, according to INRIX.
State of play: In certain metro areas — including Boston and Seattle — holiday traffic could be twice as heavy as normal.
- Road trippers also face higher gas prices this Labor Day than last year, when the national average was $3.19 a gallon, per AAA.
The bottom line: When in doubt, hit the road early.