Holiday traffic: What to know before you hit the roads for Thanksgiving

SAN FRANCISCO - Almost 80 million people are expected to travel 50 miles or more from home over this Thanksgiving holiday season, setting a new record, according to AAA. And of those, the majority, almost 72 million people, plan to drive. 

Figures show that’s up more than 1.3 million motorists compared with last year. "This year’s number also surpasses pre-pandemic numbers when 70.6 million people drove to their Thanksgiving destinations in 2019," the automobile association said.

The group also noted a benefit to many motorists: Gas prices have dropped. As of Tuesday, the average for regular unleaded in California was about $4.44 a gallon, down from $4.90 from a year ago, according AAA fuel figures. 

If you’re one of the many million who will be driving to their holiday destination, experts are offering some tips on how to avoid the most congested roads.

Traffic and transportation information site INRIX, identified some of the busiest roadways for the holiday travel season around the U.S. 

Here in the Bay Area, the corridor considered the most congested may not be a surprise: eastbound Interstate 80 from San Francisco to Sacramento.

INRIX said that the worst time to be on that stretch of I-80 will be Tuesday night with the peak congestion period hitting at 7:30 p.m.  

The travel time from San Francisco to Sacramento is expected to be almost 90% longer than the typical drive, taking an estimated three hours and change. 

In Southern California, northbound Interstate 5, from Los Angeles to Bakersfield, has been named as the most congested, peaking on Wednesday at 7:45 p.m., when it’s expected to take almost four hours of travel time, according to INRIX.

The transportation information site said its data showed, in general, the worst times to be on the road in the run-up to Thanksgiving were Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon.

And the best time was "Thanksgiving Day itself when interstates and highways are typically clear," researchers said.

SEE ALSO: Thanksgiving travel disruptions forecast from coast to coast this week

For the drive home, INRIX recommended leaving early in the morning on Sunday. For those planning to hit the road on Monday, they should expect the drive to include a mix of both holiday travelers and work commuters, the transportation site said.

Experts recommended using available resources to find ways to avoid accidents and backups.  

"With a record number of travelers expected to be on the road, drivers should follow traffic apps and local news alerts to avoid major delays," said INRIX transportation analyst Bob Pishue.

Best, worst times to travel by car during Thanksgiving period:

                                               Worst Travel Time        Best Travel Time                                                                             

• Mon., Nov 25             1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.       Before 11:00 a.m.
• Tue., Nov 26               1:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.       Before 10:00 a.m.
• Wed., Nov 27              1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.      Before 10:00 a.m.
• Thanksgiving Day                Minimal traffic expected
• Fri., Nov 29                 7:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.     After 1:00 p.m.
• Sat., Nov 30                4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.       Before 1:00 p.m.
• Sun., Dec 1                12:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.      Before 1:00 p.m.
• Mon., Dec 2                9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.       Before 8 a.m./After 7 p.m.

(Source: INRIX)