Travelers take to the roads and the skies for Thanksgiving

The average price of gasoline nationwide is $2.08, 72 cents lower than last year’s Thanksgiving Day average.

The state’s largest airports say the bustling Thanksgiving travel period will be busier than this time a year ago, in line with a national trend.

The average price of a gallon of gas nationally is $2.09, according to the Energy Information Administration, the Department of Energy’s independent analysis arm. “Oil inventories still very high, that’s weighing on oil prices which are low and that is translating into these low gas prices…”

Travelers can expect busier roads this year compared to last Thanksgiving.

“But you never know what to expect from that other driver”, Kindhart said. “We got our cellphone chargers, we have auto chargers, outlet charger for the plugs”.

“Always”, he said. “In-laws”.

He said you have to stand and fight for the freedoms that we have.

Almost 89 percent of those visiting family and friends out of town will go by auto, and about 8.5 percent plan to travel by air, the travel group said.

“Wherever you can save a penny it helps”, he said. “I will definitely fill up here on the way back”, Pine said. “It’s allowing me to free up some extra money for Christmas shopping and black Friday shopping, so definitely enjoying the gas prices right now”. That’s the most travelers since 2007 – an increase of more than 300,000 people over past year. The American Automobile Association estimates that at least 46.9 million Americans will travel more than 50 miles from their home, with close to 42 million people driving to their destinations.

“It also marks the seventh consecutive year of travel growth for this holiday”.

Meanwhile, beginning Wednesday, Illinois State Police will be conducting roadside safety checks and participating in additional traffic enforcement details, concentrating on speeding, drunken driving, seat belt usage and distracted-driving violations, said Illinois State Police Capt. Louis Kink.

“I-10 from Baton Rouge over to Slidell was real heavy, but once I got on 59 coming up to Hattiesburg, it backed off a little bit”.

Additionally, all lanes on the Delaware Memorial Bridge also are open through the weekend to handle holiday traffic. “I noticed that they asked us to take off our belt, but I think it was just kind of the person that was doing it themselves”.