Get the latest market trends in your inbox
Stay on top of the latest market trends and economic insights with the Axios Markets newsletter. Sign up for free.
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Denver news in your inbox
Catch up on the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Denver
Des Moines news in your inbox
Catch up on the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Des Moines
Minneapolis-St. Paul news in your inbox
Catch up on the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Minneapolis-St. Paul
Tampa-St. Petersburg news in your inbox
Catch up on the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Tampa-St. Petersburg
Photo: David McNew/Getty Images
Memorial Day weekend is one of the busiest travel weekends, but nearly 47.5 million Americans will avoid road trips because of road congestion — costing the U.S. close to $30 billion and 248,000 jobs according to a survey by the U.S. Travel Association.
Why it matters: Most of the drivers surveyed said they would be willing to pay more to avoid road congestion, a public response that could prompt Congress to move faster on infrastructure development.
Key findings:
- For every added hour of road congestion, there is an 18% drop in the number of Americans interested in traveling.
- Two-thirds of travelers said they'd rather pay a few dollars each way of the trip than spend an added 1.5 to 2 hours in traffic.
- Most drivers said an added gas tax would not deter them from traveling or negatively impact the experience.