Memorial Day 2022: When’s Best Time To Get Out Of Town In DC Region

WASHINGTON, DC — High gas prices won't deter drivers in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan region from heading out on Memorial Day weekend trips, according to an AAA travel forecast.

AAA is projecting 957,899 DC area residents will travel 50 miles or more over Memorial Day weekend from Thursday, May 26 through Monday, May 30, which would be an increase from 905,727 in 2021. Nevertheless, the number isn't anticipated to meet the pre-pandemic level of 1,073,865 over Memorial Day weekend 2019.

The trend for DC area travelers mirrors that of travelers nationwide. From May 26 to May 30, AAA expects 39 million people to travel 50 miles or more in the U.S.

"Despite record-high gas prices, 35 million Americans — including more than 865,000 Washington area residents - are expected to hit the roads this Memorial Day weekend," said Ragina Cooper Ali, the spokesperson for AAA Mid-Atlantic. Our roadways will be as crowded as they have been over the holiday since pre-pandemic, but airports, train stations and bus depots will also be extremely busy, so travelers should plan accordingly."

Most of the projected DC area travelers — 865,366 — will hit the roads, according to AAA. By comparison, 837,343 traveled during Memorial Day weekend 2021 and 959,605 in 2019.

A projected 77,843 will travel by plane in the DC region, up from 63,702 last year. Other methods of transportation such as buses, trains or cruises will draw an estimated 14,689 in the DC region, according to AAA. Based on AAA booking data in the U.S., the busiest air travel day for Memorial Day weekend could be Thursday, while Monday could be the least busy.

"While the increase in auto travel is notable given the pain at the pump, a sharp jump in air travel and travel by other modes of transportation suggests gas prices may be motivating some travelers to consider alternatives to driving," said Ali.

If you're heading out for a Memorial Day weekend trip, you may want to know the busiest times to avoid. INRIX, a company providing transportation analytics, predicts the worst time for travel delays will be the afternoons of Thursday, May 26 and Friday, May 27. In major U.S. cities like Washington, DC, drivers could experience doubled travel times during Memorial Day weekend. In the DC area in particular, INRIX expects a heavier traffic volume from 3:45 p.m. to 5:45 p.m.

The worst and best travel times from May 26 to May 30 according to INRIX are:

• Thursday, May 26: worst times from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m., best times before 6 a.m. and after 9 p.m.
• Friday, May 27: worst times from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m., best times before 7 a.m. and after 9 p.m.
• Saturday, May 28: worst times from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., best times before 10 a.m.
• Sunday, May 29: worst times from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., best times before 10 a.m.
• Monday, May 30: worst times from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., best times before 11 a.m.

Travel projections from Virginia Department of Transportation

For travel through Virginia, the Virginia Department of Transportation has an interactive map to check past Memorial Day weekend travel trends. Interactive data on major highways is available Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday in half-hour segments.

The interactive map is based on 2018 and 2019 Memorial Day weekends, as traffic volume and congestion fell during the pandemic. Based on the data, VDOT expects moderate to heavy traffic congestion between noon and 6 p.m. Friday and Monday and midday Saturday and Sunday.

"As we see traffic volumes rebound to pre-pandemic levels, it is anticipated that the Memorial Day traffic will also return to those levels," VDOT said in a news release. "While the travel-trends map cannot precisely predict when congestion will occur this year, it can help motorists avoid travel when roads have historically been busiest."

To alleviate traffic over the holiday weekend, VDOT will lift most highway work zones and lane closures on interstates and other major roads from 12 p.m. Friday, May 27 to 12 p.m. Tuesday, May 31. In Northern Virginia, HOV restrictions on Interstate 66 and rush-hour tolls on the 66 Express Lanes Inside the Beltway will be lifted on Monday, May 30.

Transurban, the operator of the Interstate 495/Capital Beltway Express Lanes, announced upcoming closures of ramps into Memorial Day weekend. The ramps to I-495 Express Lanes from northbound Gallows Roads, northbound Braddock Road will be closed Thursday, May 26 from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. and Friday, May 27 from 10 p.m.-5 a.m., as well as southbound Express Lanes from the entrance to the I-66 interchange.

In addition, the northbound I-495 Express Lanes ramp will be closed to westbound I-66 nightly from 11 p.m. to 4 a.m. Sunday, May 22 through Tuesday, May 31. Drivers can take a detour to Leesburg Pike, which reroutes back to westbound I-66.

In Hampton Roads, VDOT will lift HOV restrictions and express lanes tolls Monday, May 30 on I-64/I-264/I-564 HOV Diamond Lanes and 64 Express Lanes in Norfolk. Outside tolled hours 64 Express Lanes can be used for free. Local traffic to Virginia Beach and North Carolina's Outer Banks is encouraged to use the I-664 Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel as an alternative to the I-64 Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel.

Gas prices at record high

Prices at the pump continue to reach new highs as Memorial Day weekend travel approaches. Prices have not decreased since April 24, and new daily high prices have been recorded since May 10, AAA reported.

According to AAA, Monday's $4.467 average price per gallon was the highest ever in Virginia. The average was $4.45 on Thursday. A month ago, the average price had been $3.958, and a year ago, the average was $2.941.

In DC, the average price is $4.60 per gallon on Thursday, which is just below the highest average recorded on May 24 — $4.61. A month ago, that average had been $4.376. A year ago, drivers were paying an average $3.163 per gallon.

AAA attributed the continued increase to "tighter supply and increased demand."

"Gasoline is $1.05 more than it was on February 24, when Russia invaded Ukraine,” said AAA spokesperson Andrew Gross in a statement. "That sent shock waves through the oil market that have kept oil costs elevated. Domestically, meanwhile, seasonal gas demand is rising as more drivers hit the road, despite the pain they face paying at the pump."

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.