Aug 26, 2024 - Travel

How to beat D.C. traffic on Labor Day weekend

Cuneyt Dil

Illustration of a steering wheel as a clock with a highlighted portion in red — Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

We have tips to beat Labor Day weekend traffic.

The big picture: Peak congestion in the D.C. area is expected on the Baltimore/Washington Parkway southbound on Labor Day at 3:15pm according to INRIX, a transportation data company cited by AAA.

The route is expected to take 1 hour and 3 minutes — 44% worse than usual.

By the numbers: AAA's booking data points to a 9% increase in domestic travel compared to last Labor Day weekend, and the cost to travel is down 2%.

The best travel times, per INRIX:

Thursday, Aug. 29 before 11am
Friday before noon and after 7pm
Saturday after noon
Sunday before noon
Monday before 10am
Tuesday after 1pm

The bottom line: "Drivers should expect the most severe traffic jams before the holiday weekend as commuters mix with travelers," INRIX analyst Bob Pishue said in a press release.

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How to beat D.C. traffic on Labor Day weekend

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