Congestion On Interstates, Worst Travel Times Predicted For 4th Of July In NoVA, DC

VIRGINIA — If you’re among millions of Americans who plan to travel somewhere else for the 4th of July, be prepared for disruption. If you’re driving, avoid peak traffic times in Northern Virginia and DC to remove a layer of stress in what the AAA predicts will be record-breaking Independence Day weekend travel this year.

The auto club predicts 50.7 million Americans, 2.1 million more than last year, will travel 50 miles or more from home this holiday weekend, surpassing the previous 4th of July weekend record of 49 million travelers set in 2019.

About 43.2 million people will travel by car, an increase of 2.4 percent over 2022 and 4 percent higher than in 2019, according to AAA. Air travel is expected to set a new record of 4.17 million people flying to their destinations, up 11.2 percent from 2022 and 6.6 from 2019, when the previous record was set.

Washington metropolitan area residents will represent about 1.2 million of Fourth of July travelers, according to AAA's prediction. About 1 million of these will be traveling by car, which is over 3 percent higher than last year and slightly above the pre-pandemic level of 2019. Air travel is expected to increase by 11 percent with over 94,000 travelers expected. About 58,000 will travel by other methods like bus and train, which is higher than last year's number but below the 2019 level.

"Nationally, and here, in the Washington metro area, we are seeing the highest projected travel volume for the 4th of July holiday weekend on record," said Ragina Cooper Ali, AAA Mid-Atlantic's public and government affairs manager. "Despite higher prices and limited inventory, these record travel volumes suggest consumers will not be deterred when it comes to summer travel."

In all of Virginia, 1.35 million are expected to travel for 4th of July, which includes 1.18 million hitting the roads. An estimated 107,000 will travel by plane, and 62,000 will travel by other methods like bus or train. All predictions are expected to be higher than last year's holiday travel, while vehicle and air travel could be above the pre-pandemic level of 2019.

Busiest Travel Times

Friday is expected to be the busiest travel time for the 4th of July weekend. Transportation data analyst INRIX expects travel times to be 30 percent above normal levels with the worst impacts in major metropolitan areas like Washington, DC.

For the DC region, the worst time for traffic congestion will be 5 p.m. Tuesday from Rehoboth Beach to DC along Route 50.

Overall, INRIX recommends traveling after 6 p.m. on Friday, as the worst travel times are expected from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday's worst travel time will be 1 p.m., so travel before 12 p.m. is recommended.

On Tuesday, July 4, the worst travel times are expected from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m., and travel is recommended before 11 a.m. and after 6 p.m. Wednesday's worst travel time will be 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., and travel is recommended before 2 p.m.

On a national level, no major traffic impacts are expected Sunday and Monday.

The Virginia Department of Transportation has its own travel predictions based on historical traffic data. Interstates 95 and 395 are expected to have congestion during the entire holiday travel period from Friday to Tuesday.

VDOT predicts moderate to heavy congestion is expected between noon and 6 p.m. Friday. On Monday and Tuesday, congestion is expected on routes to and from Virginia Beach from the mid-morning to evening, especially near tunnels.

Heavy congestion is expected on Friday, June 30 and Saturday, July 1 on I-77 northbound from midday to evening.

To help ease holiday travel, VDOT will lift lane closures in most locations from noon Monday to noon Wednesday, although semi-permanent work zones may remain. In Northern Virginia, rush hour tolls on I-66 inside the Beltway will be lifted on Tuesday, July 4. Any changes to I-95 and I-395 reversible lanes will be shared on the Express Lanes website.

In Hampton roads, HOV restrictions and Express Lanes tolls will be lifted on July 4 on I-64/I-264/I-564 HOV Diamond Lanes and 64 Express Lanes. Travelers heading to Virginia Beach and Outer Banks from inland via the peninsula are encouraged to use the I-664 Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel instead of the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel.

Air Travel

The Transportation Security Administration said Tuesday it has brought on additional staff to prevent security screening backups. On Friday alone, the TSA expects to conduct nearly 3 million screenings, surpassing pre-pandemic numbers in 2019.

“TSA is staffed and ready for the increasing travel volumes during this holiday travel period with the technologies and resources for improved security effectiveness, efficiency and passenger experience at security checkpoints,” David Pekoske, the agency’s administrator, said in a news release.

If you’re traveling by air, check the status of your flight on FlightAware.com, as airports brace for travel nearly equal to pre-pandemic levels.

The peak summer travel period is off to a rocky start. Thousands of air travelers saw their flights delayed or cancelled this weekend and Monday as thunderstorms rolled in across the Midwest and U.S. East Coast, and technology failures contributed to airline disruptions, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. FAA briefly paused operations at Washington, D.C.-area airports Sunday evening due to a problem with the communications system at a major air traffic control facility.

If your flight is canceled, most airlines will rebook it for free on the next available flight as long as it has seats, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.

If you want to cancel the trip entirely, you’re entitled to a full refund, even if you bought non-refundable tickets. You’re also entitled to a refund of any bag fees, seat upgrades or other extras.

And although airlines aren’t required to put you on another airline’s flight, they can, and sometimes do. Also, although they are currently not required to do so, some airlines offer hotel rooms and other accommodations if passengers find themselves stranded for reasons that are within the airline’s control.

The DOT also has an online dashboard that allows travelers to compare cancellation and delay policies of major carriers.

Flight cancellations trended lower throughout the spring of 2023 than last year, according to data from the FAA. Last year, some 52,000 flights were canceled from June through August. Airlines have hired about 30,000 workers since then, including thousands of pilots, and they are using bigger planes to reduce flights but not the number of seats.

Still, officials warn of lingering staffing shortages, notably among key air traffic controllers. The agency resorted to nudging airlines to reduce flights in the New York City area this summer, and it opened 169 new flight paths over the East Coast to reduce bottlenecks.

Gas Prices

July 4 travelers will find prices at the gas pump well below last year's levels in Virginia and across the U.S.

According to AAA, Virginia's current gas price average is $3.306 as of Thursday, compared to $4.67 a year ago. Northern Virginia's average price is $3.435, down from $4.861 a year ago.

The national average for gas is down four cents from last week to $3.54, according to AAA. Data from the Energy Information Administration showed gas demand fell slightly last week while gas supply increased. AAA believes prices could continue to fall next week if demand remains low.

"Gas prices are $1.30 per gallon less this year than last, but they are still high compared to historical averages," said AAA spokesperson Andrew Gross. "The previous record average high price for gas on July Fourth was $4.10 in 2008, while the low was $1.39 in 2001. Yet despite currently elevated prices, drivers are not cutting back on travel this summer."

AAA members can use the AAA Fuel Finder or use the AAA mobile app to find the lowest prices. Others can search gas prices by ZIP code or town using Gas Buddy.