AUSTIN, Texas —
This Fourth of July holiday, the American Automobile Association (AAA) says millions of Texans will be traveling to celebrate. Whether hitting the road or taking to the sky, this year is expected to see the most travelers on record.
A representative from AAA Texas said approximately 5.6 million Texans will travel for Independence Day. More than 80% of travelers will be driving and approximately 4.8 million will take a road trip.
The organization expects congestion on major highways like Interstate Highway 35 in Downtown Austin, U.S. 290 for people headed towards Houston and Interstate 10 for drivers going towards San Antonio.
AAA Texas said the Wednesday afternoon commute is expected to be very busy.
"They're usually busy anyways. But when you have regular commuters mixed in with those holiday commuters, that's when you start to see, those really big congestions that are larger than normal travel volume," Daniel Armbruster, media relations spokesperson for AAA Texas, said.
If you're leaving Wednesday, it's recommended that you depart as early as possible to try to beat the rush.
Before hitting the road, AAA recommends getting your vehicle checked out because this time of year, it sees an increase in dead batteries, flat tires and engine problems.
"Forty-one thousand motorists this week will be rescued in Texas by triple AA because of those top three reasons," Armbruster said. "It's really important to make sure if you're taking a road trip this summer, understand that the heat can exacerbate a lot of the issues that your car could have."
When it comes to air travel, approximately half a million people are planning to take a flight out of Texas for pleasure. So, as usual, you'll want to give yourself plenty of time, get to the airport early and try to check or reserve parking before heading out.
For those taking a road trip, the Monday after the holiday is also expected to be a busy day for travel.