HAMMONTON, N.J. (KYW Newsradio) — More than half a million Philadelphia-area residents will be traveling Memorial Day weekend, according to a AAA projection. That is a 0.2% increase compared to the same time last year. Ninety percent of those travelers will be driving.
If you hit the road before 11 a.m. on Friday, traffic should have been fairly light. The worst time was expected between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m., as holiday travelers and work commuters were sharing the road. Those who rode along the Atlantic City Expressway between 4 and 5 p.m. got free tolls through Zone 17 — formerly the Egg Harbor Toll Plaza, courtesy of Chickie's and Pete's.
Driving remains the most popular way to get to your Memorial Day destination, with 39 million Americans traveling by car, and an expected 525,000 people traveling in Philly's five-county region. Those traveling for the holiday will have to contend with higher gas prices and wet and cooler weather. Prices at the pump are about $1.50 more per gallon than they were last year, according to AAA.
"Gas prices are typically not a factor during a busy holiday travel period for Memorial Day," said AAA Spokesperson Jana Tidwell. "People just make up for it in other ways. They cut back their spending.”
Travel by bus, train and cruise increased by 5% from last year, which AAA said is due to expanded cruise capacity. Flying is the second most popular mode of transportation this weekend, with the top domestic flight being Orlando, Florida, and the top international flight being Rome, Italy.
AAA recommends departing early on Monday to avoid traffic on the ride home.
Rain and temperatures in the 50s and 60s are also in the forecast — a far cry from the sunshine and the 90-degree weather across the region earlier in the week. But cloudy skies did not stop Ocean City from hosting its annual unlocking of the ocean on Friday.
It was a somber start to the ceremony, with a moment of silence for a 20-year-old Exton man who never came back to shore after going out boogie boarding earlier this week.
Ocean City Mayor Jay Gillian said this tragedy is a reminder to respect the power of the ocean.
Men wearing suits and carrying briefcases were the first ones in the water for the Business Persons Plunge. Tom Giacinto wears the same suit every year.
“Yeah! Almost 20 years, and it’s a tradition. It’s fun, and it’s a nice promotion for Ocean City and the shore towns.”
Next stop for Tom is the dry cleaners to get this suit ready for next year.
Gillian says rain or shine, there’s never a bad day to be in Ocean City.
“We’re full. From tip to tip, we've got things to do.”
Locals said when it starts raining, that’s the perfect time to hit the arcade and the shops on the boardwalk or head over for some shopping and a bite to eat on Asbury Avenue.
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