May 25, 2019
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.