WAUSAU, Wis. (WSAW) – Thursday is expected to be the busiest day on the road for people driving to their Memorial Day destinations.

AAA estimates more than 816,000 people will travel 50 miles or more. That’s over 30,000 more holiday travelers than last year, and second only to the all-time high set in 2019.

“Memorial Day will be the start to a very busy summer of travel,” said Debbie Haas, Vice President of Travel for AAA – The Auto Club Group. “American travelers are forecast to surpass pre-pandemic levels, making this the busiest Memorial Day holiday weekend in nearly two decades. The main driver of the projection is strong consumer interest in traveling both domestically and abroad.  Interest in traveling internationally is at the highest level in recent years.”

Wisconsin’s statewide gas prices average is currently tracking below prices from the same time last year, but average prices across the country – particularly outside of the Midwest – are tracking higher.

The Memorial Day travel period is from Thursday to Sunday.

The highest traffic volumes are from noon to 6 p.m. on Thursday and 3-7 p.m. on Sunday.

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