Millions To Travel During Labor Day Weekend

MADISON, Wis. -- Millions of vehicles are expected on area roadways this Labor Day holiday weekend as travelers enjoy the last "official" three-day weekend of summer.

But AAA Wisconsin said it predicts a small decrease in the number of Americans traveling 50 miles or more from home this holiday weekend, continuing a declining summer holiday travel trend that began with Memorial Day.

AAA Wisconsin officials said that high gas and food prices and other economic factors are keeping more people at home this Labor Day weekend.

AAA predicted that nearly 34.38 million Americans will travel this Labor Day holiday weekend, down 0.9 percent, or almost 320,000 travelers, from the 34.7 million who traveled last year.

According to AAA, approximately 28.64 million Americans -- more than 83 percent of all holiday travelers -- are expected to travel by automobile, a 1.1 percent decrease from last year. Another 3.96 million people, 11.5 percent of holiday travelers, will travel by airplane, a 4.5 percent decrease compared to last year. And a projected 1.8 million Americans, 5 percent of holiday travelers, are planning to travel by train, bus or other mode of transportation, a 12.5 percent, or 200,000 travelers, increase over last year.

In the Great Lakes region -- including Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio -- AAA said 5.1 million people are expected to travel for the Labor Day holiday this year, a 0.8 percent decrease compared to the number of people who traveled last year. Of those, AAA said 4.5 million will go by auto, while 400,000 other residents will travel by air.

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation said construction crews will take a break over the Labor Day holiday, which means holiday travelers will find fewer work zones.

Don Greuel, of the Wisconsin Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Project Development, said construction crews will open up as many lanes as possible starting at noon on Friday, Aug. 29. They won't resume work until 6 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 2.

The Bureau of Transportation Safety said peak holiday travel times are expected to be between noon and 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 29 and again on Monday, Sept. 1.

But the DOT noted more than 300 law enforcement agencies will be continuing their drunken driving crackdown to get intoxicated drivers off the streets.

Greuel said that as the construction season ends, many projects are wrapping up.

Greuel noted that the Marquette Interchange, for which all lanes of traffic were opened earlier this month, provides wider ramps, right-hand entrance and exit ramps, and longer merge lanes, making it safer and improving traffic flow. He said that some in-car navigation systems might not be updated with the interchange's new design features and recommended people planning to drive through it go to Mchange.org to familiarize themselves with how to travel through it.

Elsewhere in the state, officials said travelers will find work zones along US 51 through Wausau, US 51 north of Tomahawk, and on WIS 441 in Appleton. For a list of other projects, visit this Web page.