AUSTIN, Texas – Local officials provide information about upcoming holiday travel and preparations for winter.
What they’re saying:
The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) will be joined by AAA to discuss both upcoming holiday travel and preparations for the approaching winter season.
The backstory:
Texans are expected to travel in record numbers during Thanksgiving this year.
According to a forecast from AAA Texas, 5.8 million people in Texas will travel more than 50 miles from home during the Thanksgiving holiday travel period – between Nov. 25 and Dec. 1. That marks a 1.1% increase over last year.
Nearly 90% of Texans will drive to their destination. About 328,000 Texans will fly, while another 140,000 will use other means of transportation.
According to AAA, INRIX expects the roads to be the most congested on Nov. 25 and 26. Heavy return traffic is also expected on Nov. 30. As many as 29,000 roadside assistance calls are forecast in Texas during the holiday travel period, AAA said.
For air travel, most passengers typically flock to airports on the Sunday before and the Sunday after Thanksgiving. However, the day before Thanksgiving is also exceptionally busy. Officials at both Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) and Houston’s Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) said they also expect heavy traffic the Friday and Tuesday before Thanksgiving. Transportation Security Administration officials said that passengers should arrive at least 3 hours before their flight.
The Source: Information from TxDOT, AAA Texas and previous reporting.