AAA Expects Record Number of Travelers this July Fourth Holiday

The Auto Club projected that among the 3.5 million Southlanders expected to travel this Fourth of July holiday, 2.8 million will travel by car, 471,000 by air and 278,000 by other means, such as a bus, train or cruise ship.

Top Destinations for Southern Californians are Las Vegas, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle for Alaska cruises and local travel, and the Grand Canyon, in that order. Anaheim, home of the Disney Resort, is expected to be the fifth most popular destination nationwide for travelers, according to the AAA.

After several weeks of declines at the pumps, Southern California gas prices are hovering at or near the same levels as this time last year. The average pump prices are now about $3.70 a gallon for regular but could increase closer to the holiday as a 5.6-cent gas tax increase in California takes effect on July 1.

Traffic congestion is expected to be especially heavy on the afternoon of Wednesday July 3 throughout Southern California due to holiday travelers, the Auto Club said. In the Los Angeles metropolitan area, holiday traffic will almost triple travel times at the peak and traffic will be the worst between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on July 3.

The AAA said it expects to rescue nearly 367,000 motorists at the roadside this Independence Day holiday. Dead batteries, flat tires and lockouts will be the primary reasons for vehicle troubles.

According to AAA’s Leisure Travel Index, air fares on average are 10 percent more expensive compared to last Independence Day, while average car rental rates are 5 percent higher than last year, at $69 daily.

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