More than 2.6 million Michiganders are expected to travel at least 50 miles during the Fourth of July travel period, a record for Independence Day travel in the state. The projection covers Saturday, June 27 through Sunday, July 5 and points to one of the busiest holiday stretches Michigan has seen.
More than two million of those travelers are expected to drive, making highways the main pressure point as families head out for the holiday. On the national scale, 72.2 million people are expected to travel at least 50 miles during the same period, underscoring how broad the holiday rush is this year.
AAA said the demand should stay strong even as gas prices remain volatile and recent conditions are uncertain. As of Wednesday, July 17, Michigan drivers were paying an average of $4.15 per gallon, 98 cents more than a year earlier, a reminder that the trip home may cost more than the trip out.
Debbie Haas said traveling for Independence Day is a tradition for many families, and she said vacations remain one category where consumers are still willing to spend even if that means cutting back elsewhere. She added that with an extended holiday travel period, busy roads, steady demand for flights and continued interest in cruises are expected in many parts of the country.
AAA recommended leaving before noon on most days if possible to avoid the worst congestion, and before 11 a.m. on Friday, July 3. That advice is aimed at the kind of traffic wave Michigan is likely to see as the holiday window opens and closes, especially with more than 2.6 million people on the move. The bigger question is not whether the roads will be crowded, but how early travelers will need to leave to miss the heaviest backups.
