State Offers Thanksgiving Travel Tips, and Free Tolls

The six-day Thanksgiving period, as defined by the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics, features the most long-distance travel of the year. The average Thanksgiving long-distance trip length is 214 miles, and 91 percent of people use their own vehicle.

With that in mind, below is information from the state DOT on road, rail and air travel today through the weekend. And check out the free tolls info at the bottom!

Thanksgiving holiday traffic is expected to be at its peak on Wednesday, November 23 and Sunday, November 27.

I-90 Exit 9 connecting I-84 to Connecticut and New York experiences heavy traffic and busy toll plazas. To avoid delays on Wednesday and Sunday, drivers are encouraged to consider travel during the early morning or after 8 p.m. 

Traffic congestion is also expected at the I-95 and I-495 Turnpike interchanges along with I-495 and I-93 northbound leading into New Hampshire. “Safe travel is our top priority, and we encourage Commonwealth residents to plan ahead for holiday travel, whether on our roads or on our trains, buses, and airplanes,” said MassDOT Secretary and CEO Richard A. Davey.

MassDOT's Traffic and Travel Resources page includes links to all MassDOT travel resources. Visit MassDOT's online traffic camera webpage with more than 90 live traffic cameras throughout the highway system. The cameras refresh every 10 seconds to provide real time traffic views.  The 511 traffic alert system will include messages to alert customers to traffic advisories throughout the holiday weekend.

MassDOT will suspend highway construction projects on major roadways across the state from 5:00 am on Wednesday, November 23, through normal start of business on Monday, November 28.  For added convenience, free coffee will be served at all 18 MassDOT service plazas courtesy of McDonalds, Burger King, and Gulf between 10 p.m. on Thanksgiving night, Thursday, November 24, until 5 a.m. on Friday, November 25. 

MBTA HOLIDAY TRAVEL SCHEDULE, TAKING THE T TO LOGAN

The MBTA Thanksgiving Holiday service schedule for Wednesday, November 23 through Tuesday, November 29 is available at www.mbta.com Due to heavy traffic, residents are encouraged to use public transportation to get to and from Logan Airport.

On the day before Thanksgiving, an estimated 50,000+ drivers travel through the Ted Williams, Callahan and Sumner Tunnels. To accommodate MBTA customers traveling to and from Logan Airport, the Silver, Red, Orange, Green, and Blue Lines will offer additional service during peak airport travel times before the holiday and continuing through Tuesday, November 29.

The Silver Line stops at all Logan terminals. With low floors and plenty of space, the 60-foot-long Silver Line vehicles are ideal for customers traveling with luggage. Remember to buy a CharlieTicket when leaving Logan. A One-Day or Seven-Day LinkPass is available to use during the holiday weekend.

For more detailed information on service around the holiday, visit www.mbta.com or call an MBTA Customer Support Representative at 617-222-3200 or 800-392-6100, TTY 617-222-5146, Monday through Friday 6:30 AM to 8:00 PM and Saturday and Sunday from 7:30 AM to 6:00 PM.  

AIR TRAVEL

For air travelers, Massport recommends passengers allow extra time to check in and get through security and to always check their airline flight status before leaving for the airport. Visit www.massport.com for updated flight arrival and departure information.  

WINTER DRIVING

In wintry weather, motorists should drive with headlights on, observe posted speed limits, never drink and drive, make sure everyone is using a seatbelt and be on the lookout for changing weather conditions. Other safety precautions include obeying warning signs, keeping a safe distance between vehicles and using four-way flashers when stopped in traffic or traveling slowly. 

More information on safe winter driving is available at the MassDOT website.   For transportation news and updates visit MassDOT at our website: www.mass.gov/massdot, blog: www.mass.gov/blog/transportation, or follow MassDOT on twitter at www.twitter.com/massdot.

Thanksgiving-Eve Tolls Free for Turnpike Drivers 

Massachusetts Department of Transportation Secretary and CEO Richard A. Davey announced today that tolls for both eastbound and westbound drivers at the Allston/Brighton toll plazas (interchanges 18, 19 and 20) on the Massachusetts Turnpike will be free for drivers the evening before Thanksgiving, thanks to a partnership with Zappos.com, a leading online destination for apparel and footwear sales.

Zappos.com will pay the tolls between 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 23. Fast Lane customers will receive the benefit as well and will see a credit and message from Zappos.com on their next statement. “Our roads across the Commonwealth are heavily traveled the day before Thanksgiving,” said Secretary Davey. “By teaming up with Zappos, it is my hope that we can make drivers a little less stressed about their commute during the holiday.”

Matt Burchard, Zappos.com Sr. Director of Marketing, Photo, and Video, hopes this small gesture will help brighten the day for weary holiday travelers in Massachusetts. "Zappos is a company that was built upon service, and making people happy. We saw this as an opportunity to give thanks and hopefully make people happy.  It feels like the right time of year, and appropriate place, to do that."

Zappos.com will pay for all tolls and signage announcing the free tolls. Drivers must still stop at the tollbooth or go through the FastLane with their transponders. “Anything that can make the Thanksgiving holiday commute happier is certainly appreciated by travelers on one of the busiest days of the year,” said Greg Bialecki, the Secretary of Housing and Economic Development. “We look forward to making traveling to any of the great, historic destinations in Massachusetts for Thanksgiving a little bit brighter for the thousands of people who go through the tolls.”

Last year, 160,000 toll transactions were made at the featured interchanges on the night before Thanksgiving. Approximately 16,000 transactions occurred between 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m., an increase of 1,300 transactions from 2009. During the six-day Thanksgiving travel period, the majority of visitors come to Massachusetts to spend time with family and friends.

The number of long-distance trips (traveling more than 50 miles) increases by 54 percent. Based on data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism estimates that Massachusetts would see more than 500,000 visitors during Thanksgiving week.

Related Topics: Thanksgiving 2011