More Delawareans will take to the roads over the Fourth of July weekend, Wilmington-based AAA Mid-Atlantic reported.
The nearly 43 million people Americans projected to travel represents the highest Fourth of July travel volume on record and five million more travelers compared to Memorial Day weekend.
AAA Mid-Atlantic projects more than 115,000 Delawareans will take a trip, a 1.6 percent increase over last year. AAA defines the holiday travel period as Thursday, June 30 to Monday, July 4.
“Lower gas and airfare prices are prompting more people to travel for the long Fourth of July weekend,” says Jim Lardear, Director of Public and Government Affairs for AAA Mid-Atlantic. “Nearly 10,000 more Delawareans will travel for Independence Day compared to Memorial Day.”
AAA expects most U.S. drivers will pay the lowest Independence Day gas prices since 2005. The price of gas in Delaware is $2.17, more than 50 cents below the same date a year ago
From July 1 through July 5 of last year, AAA Mid-Atlantic helped more than 25,000 motorists with vehicle issues, 1,089 of that number were in Delaware. The primary reasons for roadside service include dead batteries, lockouts and flat tires
Air travel will show the highest growth by mode as airfares are down by 15 percent for the year. According to AAA’s Leisure Travel Index, average airfares for the top 40 domestic flight routes will be nine percent less this Independence Day, with an average roundtrip ticket costing $207.
Hotel costs have fallen slightly compared to last Independence Day. AAA Three Diamond Rated hotels will average $185, while a AAA Two Diamond Rated hotel will average $144 nightly.
Also spurring travel is the fact that 2016 will be the fourth consecutive year of a five-day Independence Day holiday travel period.
2016 Projected Independence Day Holiday Travelers
Delaware
| NUMBER OF TRAVELERS |
Total Population |
2016 Travelers |
% population traveling |
% change vs. 2015 |
| Delaware TOTAL Auto, Air & Other |
945,934* |
115,404 |
12.2% |
1.6% |
| Delaware Auto |
86.9% of people travel by car |
100,269 |
10.6% |
1.6% |
| Delaware Air |
7.4% of people travel by air |
8,513 |
0.9% |
1.4% |
| National TOTAL |
324.5 million* |
42.9 million |
13.2% |
1.3% |
| National Auto |
84.4% of people travel by car |
36.3 million |
11.2% |
1.2% |
| National Air |
7.8% of people travel by air |
3.34 million |
1% |
2.2% |
July 4th Holiday 2015 – Toll Plaza Traffic Counts (Friday, July 3 through Sunday, July 5)
| I-95 Newark Toll Plaza Friday: 113,582 Saturday: 69,729 Sunday: 122,063 |
Biddles Toll Plaza Friday: 65,763 Saturday: 47,264 Sunday: 60,064 |
Dover Toll Plaza Friday: 60,064 Saturday: 44,678 Sunday: 65,376 |
