Fourth Of July Weekend Travel In Full Swing In Delaware Valley With Highest Gas Prices Since 2014
BELLMAWR, N.J. (CBS) -- It's the Fourth of July weekend and for those planning on traveling by car, it's going to cost a lot more this year. Gas prices are the highest they've been since 2014.
There's traffic everywhere, but some people are taking it in stride. It's expected now that the holiday weekend is here and a lot of people are heading out of town.
Fourth of July weekend travel is in full swing.
"We are heading to D.C. for the weekend to see the fireworks," Bellmawr resident Jennifer Still said.
Friends are loading up and heading to the Jersey Shore.
"It's so bad. When I say so bad, first it was an hour-and-30 right? Now it's like two hours," Cam Heron of Collegeville said.
Heron is referring to all the traffic.
AAA suggests 90% of travelers will go by car and travel volume is expected to set a record this weekend.
"There is a pent-up demand to travel," AAA spokesperson Jana Tidwell said. "It's been almost two summers since many people have traveled. They're ready to be back out there. They want that summer vacation, they want to be reunited with family and friends. People just want to get back to normal."
The great American road trip is back, but not everyone hitting those pumps is excited about the current cost of gas, which is over $3 in most areas.
"It's definitely discouraging," Bellmawr resident Steven Sill said. "Nobody wants to put out extra money that we would rather use for something else, that's for sure."
Bandmates from local group The Benders played in Atlantic City on Thursday night and are now heading to West Virginia to perform. Neither the traffic or gas prices are putting a damper on their holiday weekend.
"Regardless of the traffic and everything, it's good to be playing again, good to be making music again," Luke Anderson of The Benders said.
Some drivers are already planning ahead to beat traffic once the weekend is over.
"4 a.m. is when I'll probably leave because it seems like a time there shouldn't be many people on the road," Davis Myer, of Douglasville, Pennsylvania, said, "except it is 4th, so a lot of people may be doing what I'm doing so I may hit traffic, but hopefully not."
Even with high gas prices, AAA anticipates Fourth of July travel will rebound to pre-pandemic numbers.
