WASHINGTON — Some Thanksgiving traditions never change — turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and pumpkin pie.
Not so with pre-Thanksgiving traffic.
It used to be gridlock on the day before Thanksgiving that frustrated holiday travelers. But for the past few years, the big getaway day has been coming earlier.
“It’s been well documented that Tuesday is the worst time to drive,” said WTOP traffic reporter Dave Dildine. “For at least the last five years, the worst getaway traffic occurs on Tuesday before Thanksgiving, and not Wednesday.”
Dildine cites statistics gathered by INRIX, a company that specializes in traffic intelligence.
Travel along Interstate 95 is a good indicator of how much worse traffic can be on Tuesday, instead of the Thanksgiving Eve travel woes of years past.
“On some routes, travel times on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving can be double the drive times the following day,” Dildine said.
Dildine said drivers have attempted to maximize their Thanksgiving vacations, while minimizing traffic congestion.
“Drivers have time-shifted back to Tuesday and even Monday, instead of traveling on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving,” he said.
Dildine said Tuesday volume delays can be prolonged, and last deep into the evening.
“On Tuesday, delays can persist well past 8 p.m. — much later than normal rush hours,” said Dildine. “On Wednesday, delays form by 10 a.m. and start easing by 6 p.m., or even earlier on some routes.”
For the return trip, Dildine said heavy traffic Sunday and Monday are reminiscent of weekend volume.
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