LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Nearly 51 million Americans are expected to travel over the next several days for the Independence Day holiday, according to AAA.
Of that, 43 million are expected to travel by car.
"Our highways will be very busy," said Lynda Lambert, a AAA spokesperson.
This is the highest number for Independence Day travel ever expected, even surpassing pre-pandemic totals. While it may take a little longer to get to your final destination, on the plus side, it likely won't cost you as much at the gas pump.
Lambert said gas prices in Kentucky are down more than $1 per gallon compared to this same time last year.
"It's been good. The traffic's been light, basically," said Mike Cross, a holiday traveler. "We fueled up in Indiana for $2.93 which was a big deal to us."
Other drivers our WDRB News crew spoke with at a rest stop in Simpsonville Friday afternoon said leaving early likely got them out of traffic woes.
"I left Illinois about 3 o'clock in the morning," said James Seward, who's headed to Gatlinburg for the 4th of July. "No traffic."
While gas prices have dropped since last summer, some in Kentucky could notice an increase starting Saturday, July 1. That's when the Commonwealth's gas tax is set to increase by about 2 cents per gallon.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear froze the state gas tax last year through an emergency regulation, but the General Assembly opted not to extend the freeze.
"(It's) going from 26 to 28 cents per gallon," explained Frank Raymond, an economics professor at Bellarmine University.
"I don't think consumers on balance will notice it, but certainly anybody who commutes a long distance -- they'll notice it. And small businesses, I'm always concerned about the effects on small businesses," added Raymond.
Lambert said the increase means for people who have a 12 to 15 gallon tank, each time they get gas, they'll likely now be paying about 25 to 30 cents more total.
Copyright 2023 WDRB Media. All rights reserved.
