Memorial Day 2021: Best, Worst Times To Travel From Pennsylvania

PENNSYLVANIA — Memorial Day weekend travel is expected to be a lot different than it was a year ago, according to the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission and the American Automobile Association.

Fourteen months into the coronavirus pandemic, people in Pennsylvania are yearning to travel, especially now that more than 119 million Americans are fully vaccinated against the virus and have more flexibility on wearing masks.

That desire will likely manifest in a surge of travelers this Memorial Day weekend, AAA predicts, adding that between Thursday and Monday, more than 37 million people are expected to travel 50 miles or more from home.

The number represents a massive, 60 percent increase from last year when 23 million people traveled over the holiday, the lowest on record since AAA started recording in 2000.

Most Memorial Day travel will consist of road trips by car, AAA predicts. Auto travel is expected to increase 52 percent compared with 2020, and more than 9 in 10 Memorial Day travelers plan to drive to their destinations.

Specific to Pennsylvania, 2.1 million motorists will be traveling on the turnpike over the Memorial Day holiday weekend. This is almost 1 million more than last year’s travelers, which was a tally of 1.2 million during the same holiday period.

According to the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, these are the expected traffic breakdowns over the holiday weekend:

• Friday – 718,000 vehicles
• Saturday – 523,000 vehicles
• Sunday – 454,000 vehicles
• Monday – 487,000 vehicles

To help traffic keep moving, all turnpike maintenance work will be suspended from 3 p.m. Thursday through 11 p.m. Monday. Additionally, all available travel lanes will be open in each direction.

Partnering with travel analytics firm INRIX, AAA predicts that drivers will encounter the longest travel delays during the afternoons of Thursday and Friday.

Delays will be widespread, AAA predicts, but drivers in several major U.S. metros could experience double the travel times compared to a normal trip. Drivers in Atlanta, Houston and New York could see more than three times the delay on the busiest corridors.

Here’s another question: Is it safe to travel?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently updated its guidance to state that fully vaccinated people can travel domestically at low risk to themselves.

Vaccinated or not, travelers should take the proper precautions and heed a few tips before they hit the road:

• Plan ahead. Check with state and local authorities where you are, along your route, and at your planned destination to learn about local circumstances and any restrictions that may be in place.
• Minimize stops along the way. Pack meals, extra snacks and drinks in addition to an emergency roadside kit.
• Follow public health guidance and new mask guidance. If you’re unvaccinated, wear face masks and remember to socially distance. Wash your hands regularly and be sure to pack disinfecting wipes and hand sanitizer.
• Check with your hotel. Prior to any hotel stay, call ahead to ask what precautions it is taking and what requirements are in place to protect guests.

For other helpful travel guidance from AAA, visit the organization’s COVID-19 Travel Restrictions Map for the latest state and local travel restrictions. You can also use TripTik.AAA.com to plan your road trip and help determine which rest stops, gas stations, restaurants and hotels are open along your route.