Memorial Day weekend travel expected to be up, even with record high gas prices
BOSTON – Even though gas prices have hit record highs, more Americans plan to travel over this long weekend than last Memorial Day.
"We're going to just see the kids, and then go right back to Maine. It's as far as we're going to go," said Paul Billings, who stopped at a highway rest-stop in Newton just as traffic started to tick up Thursday.
He joins more than 39 million Americans, and most plan to travel by car.
"Our daughter's getting married in Rhode Island," said Gary Wheeler.
The pain at the pump is real. In the Fenway neighborhood, Shell and Sunoco stations across the street from each other are both charging $5.19 for a gallon of regular gas.
"It's scary because I mean, even Diesel at $7.17," said Brianna Opoku. "That's how we get our food. That's how everything is delivered to us."
For people leaving Massachusetts this weekend, where the average price per gallon of regular is $4.73, you're probably best off waiting until you cross the border.
Connecticut and New Hampshire have the lowest averages in New England at $4.67 a gallon. Rhode Island is also lower than Massachusetts at $4.71. But fill up before you go to Maine, where the average is $4.74, higher than in any other New England state.
If you think it can't get any worse, brace yourself. AAA predicts the heightened travel will drive prices even higher.
"When we see travel tick up for the Memorial Day holiday, summer vacation season, that boosts demand," said AAA Southern New England spokesperson Mary Maguire. "When we see increased demand, that pushes up prices at the pump."