Community Corner

Traveling for the Fourth of July?

Family and friends are our top reason for hitting the road, AAA says.

  • This article was written by Lanning Taliaferro and posted by Dina Sciortino

About 40 million people will travel over this Fourth of July holiday, according to Triple A. That's above the 13-year average of 38.9 million but slightly lower than 2012.

And we’ll be in cars. AAA expects that more than 84 percent of all travelers will choose the automobile as their primary mode of transportation—just like last year. Air travel should be nearly 8 percent of total travel share, a slight increase from 2012.

In particular, the Middle Atlantic states—New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania—aren’t seeing growth in leisure travel, the AAA study concluded.

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“Middle Atlantic residents still face too many negatives to allow a robust consumer spending recovery—a loss of about 1 percent of disposable income due to the ending of the payroll tax cut, high (though falling) debt burdens, modest employment growth, and a lack of confidence in the government’s ability to make things better.”

AAA opines that the cost of gas won’t be a factor, despite the fact that prices are up 2 percent.

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“...previous Holiday Travel Forecast surveys have shown that travelers tend to adjust their spending to compensate for high gas prices by spending less in other areas such as dining and accommodations. “

However, people will stick closer to home. The drop is probably due to the shorter holiday season relative to last year, when Fourth of July fell on a Wednesday, AAA said.

To check traffic conditions when you set out, go here.

Two out of three survey respondents who live in the Middle Atlantic plan to do their traveling to see familiy and friends. Other top things we’re planning: dining, shopping, going to the beach and visiting historic sites and parks.

What are your plans? Tell us in the comments.


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