Record Thanksgiving Traffic: What Gloucester Twp. Holiday Travelers Should Know

GLOUCESTER TOWNSHIP, NJ — Thanksgiving is expected to shatter multiple travel records this year.

Nearly 82 million people will travel at least 50 miles from home during the Thanksgiving holiday period, which covers Tuesday to Monday, Dec. 1, according to AAA's travel forecast.

AAA expects at least 73 million people to travel by car, including more than 2 million New Jersey residents.

More than 17.8 million people are expected to travel by air this week, including more than 3 million on Sunday, according to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

"We are projecting that the Sunday after Thanksgiving will be one of the busiest travel days in TSA history," said TSA Chief of Staff Adam Stahl.

Here's what people traveling to and from Gloucester Township should know about the week ahead:

Travel By Car

Drivers should generally hit the road in the morning to avoid the worst backups during Thanksgiving week, according to AAA.

Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon are expected to have the worst traffic ahead of the holiday, while those getting home on Sunday should expect congested roads most of the day, according to INRIX, which provided travel insights for AAA's report.

But with record traffic predicted, drivers should expect large increases in travel times, AAA says.

Locally, drivers leaving the Philadelphia area for the Poconos can expect the worst traffic ahead of Thanksgiving, INRIX says. Peak traffic on the route will fall around 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, causing a 58 percent spike in travel time for in just over a 4-hour trip.

After Thanksgiving, the Philly region's worst traffic will be on Interstate 95 South around 2:15 p.m. Sunday, causing drives from Philadelphia to Baltimore and Washington, D.C. to take just over 2-and-a-half hours — 85 percent longer than normal.

Keep in mind that crashes, severe weather and construction could impact travel times. (See the forecast below.)

Here are the best and worst times to drive:

Air Travel

Philadelphia International Airport projected nearly 1 million guests for the holiday period (Nov. 21 to Dec. 2).

Greater air travel could mean longer wait times. The TSA recommends reaching the airport at least 2 hours before boarding times for domestic flights and 3 hours ahead of international flights.

Passengers can access all gates and terminals from any security checkpoint at the Philadelphia Airport. Those enrolled in TSA PreCheck can get expedited security check at the Terminal A-East, Terminal C and Terminal D/E checkpoints.

Passengers parking at the airport can reserve a spot with Park PHL. The Economy Lot fee is $15 per day, with complimentary shuttle buses running from the parking lot to/from the terminals. Park PHL valet parking starts at $50 per day when booked online ($60 if not reserved).

The airport also has more than 11,000 spots in its parking garages, which connect to terminals via pedestrian bridges. The garage rate is $28 per day.

Visit phl.org for average wait times at each terminal checkpoint. Here's more holiday travel information regarding Philadelphia Airport.

Weather Impacts

In the days ahead of Thanksgiving, storms are expected to delay travel throughout the United States — especially with flights — according to AccuWeather. Although conditions in the Mid-Atlantic region will be more mild by comparison, there will still be some impacts.

Along the East Coast, AccuWeather predicts some travel delays linked to rain and fog on Wednesday morning. Conditions should improve in the afternoon and evening, but some airlines may continue to experience delays.

Buses and trains could see an uptick in last-minute bookings as a result.

Here's the National Weather Service's forecast for Gloucester Township (as of 4 p.m. Monday):

• Tuesday: Rain likely, mainly after 5 p.m. Cloudy, with a high near 59. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
• Tuesday night: Rain, mainly before 1 a.m., then a chance of showers after 1 a.m. Low around 52. South wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100 percent. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
• Wednesday: Showers likely, mainly after 1 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 65. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
• Wednesday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 36. West wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
• Thanksgiving Day: Mostly sunny, with a high near 45.
• Thursday night: Mostly clear, with a low around 30.
• Friday: Sunny, with a high near 42. Breezy.
• Friday night: Mostly clear, with a low around 29.
• Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 42.
• Saturday night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 29.
• Sunday: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 49.
• Sunday night: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 39. Chance of precipitation is 40 percent.
• Monday: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 55. Chance of precipitation is 40 percent.