Memorial Day travel: Estimated 37 million people expected to drive this holiday weekend
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Millions of people are expected to fuel up their cars and stretch their travel legs this holiday weekend.
The most popular way to travel this Memorial Day weekend, according to AAA, will be by car. It is estimated that more than 37 million people are driving.
"The worst part is right here in Ohio. They don't have a fast lane for the E-ZPass. It's horrible. The traffic is just unnecessary," Melpo Christofidou of Philadelphia said about her drive to Chicago.
That did appear to be the snag since their toll plaza is not as automated as Pennsylvania. This family thought of flying from Philadelphia to Chicago but decided on driving.
"Three people flying to Chicago from Philadelphia, the prices were horrible. They doubled from last year," Christofidou said.
A little less than 3.5 million people will be flying. For drivers, they can expect to see gas prices down from this time last year. AAA said the national average last year was $4.60. It's now $3.5 per gallon. Pennsylvania is above that at $3.68 per gallon.
"I didn't get gas in Pennsylvania. I'll wait until I get to Ohio because it will be like a 50 to 60 cent per gallon difference," Thomas Umpleby of Ohio said.
West Virginia is around $3.41 per gallon and Ohio is 10 cents more at around $3.51 per gallon.
"A lot of traffic. The cops are out. That's a good thing to keep the tariff under control," Kathleen Miller of Brownsville said.
Police are expected to be out in high numbers. KDKA-TV saw troopers in Ohio using the radar gun on cars driving on State Route 7.
"A guy went by me with Michigan plates. He gets pulled over. There was an Ohio State Patrol sitting at a turnaround and pulled over right away," Umpleby said.
Crossings state lines back into Pennsylvania, state police were watching the turnpike like hawks.
"I saw eight cops. They stopped driers," Christofidou said.
If you haven't left yet, here are some tips from AAA.