Traffic & Transit Record 4th Of July Travel Expected — The Best And Worst Times To Hit The Road In CA A record 61.6 million people are expected to travel by car during the upcoming holiday weekend, according to AAA.

The extended Independence Day holiday travel period begins Saturday, June 28, and continues through Sunday, July 6. (Paige Austin/Patch)

California residents planning a road trip over the long 4th of July holiday can expect to share the road with more than 61 million other motorists, according to a travel forecast from AAA that projects 72.2 million people overall will travel at least 50 miles from home to celebrate Independence Day.

The extended Independence Day holiday travel period begins Saturday, June 28, and continues through Sunday, July 6. Domestic travel is expected to increase by 1.7 million people compared to 2024 and by 7 million more than in pre-pandemic 2019. “Summertime is one of the busiest travel seasons of the year, and July 4th is one of the most popular times to get away,” Stacey Barber, AAA Travel vice president, said in a news release, noting the 4th of July forecast comes after a record-setting travel forecast for Memorial Day.

If You’re Traveling By Car A record 61.6 million people will travel by car, 1.3 million more than last year, or an increase of 2.2 percent.

Drivers are seeing some increases at the pump, but summer gas prices are still the lowest they’ve been since 2021. The price of crude oil has kept gas prices on the lower side, but escalating tensions between Iran, Israel and the United States could affect the price of gas in California. In California, the average price of regular unleaded gasoline was $4.61 per gallon as of Friday. That compares to $4.65 a gallon a week ago, $4.84 a month ago and $4.80 a year ago.

Weather is also a wild card. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts an above-normal Atlantic hurricane season, and that could affect refineries along the Gulf Coast and disrupt fuel deliveries, causing a temporary increase in gas prices. AAA recommends getting routine vehicle maintenance ahead of your trip and packing an emergency kit. Last July 4th week, the auto club said it responded to nearly 700,000 emergency roadside assistance calls for issues like dead batteries and flat tires, plus people locking themselves out of their cars or running out of gas.

When To Get Out Of Los Angeles AAA’s transportation data partner, INRIX, expects the afternoons of Wednesday, July 2, and Sunday, July 6, to be the busiest travel days, with the most congested traffic during the afternoon hours. Drivers should hit the road in the morning to avoid the worst traffic, but should also be aware that construction, crashes or severe weather could affect travel times. If possible, travelers leaving Los Angeles should avoid the southbound Santa Ana (5) Freeway to San Diego on June 28, during the peak congestion time at 5 p.m. They should also avoid the southbound Las Vegas (15) from Las Vegas to Los Angeles on Sunday, July 6, during the peak congestion time at 5 p.m. When To Get Out Of San Diego AAA’s transportation data partner, INRIX, expects the afternoons of Wednesday, July 2, and Sunday, July 6, to be the busiest travel days, with the most congested traffic during the afternoon hours. Drivers should hit the road in the morning to avoid the worst traffic, but should also be aware that construction, crashes or severe weather could affect travel times.

If possible, travelers leaving San Diego should avoid the northbound I-15 Freeway to Palm Springs on Wednesday, July 2, during the peak congestion time at 5:45 p.m. On their return home, they should avoid the southbound I-15 on Saturday, July 5, during the peak congestion time at 3 p.m. When To Get Out Of San Francisco AAA’s transportation data partner, INRIX, expects the afternoons of Wednesday, July 2, and Sunday, July 6, to be the busiest travel days, with the most congested traffic during the afternoon hours. Drivers should hit the road in the morning to avoid the worst traffic, but should also be aware that construction, crashes or severe weather could affect travel times. If possible, travelers leaving San Francisco should avoid the eastbound I-80 Freeway to Sacramento on Wednesday, July 2, during the peak congestion time at 5:30 p.m. On their return home, they should avoid the westbound I-80 on Sunday, July 6, during the peak congestion time at 4:30 p.m. In general, here are the best and worst times to travel throughout the holiday period:

Saturday, June 28 Best: before 10 a.m.

Worst: noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, June 29 Best: before 11 a.m.

Worst: 2 to 4 p.m Monday, June 30 Best: before noon

Worst: 2 to 6 p.m. Tuesday, July 1 Best: before 2 p.m.

Worst: 3 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, July 2

Best: before noon

Worst: noon to 9 p.m. Thursday, July 3 Best: before noon

Worst: 2 to 6 p.m. Friday, July 4 Best: before noon

Worst: noon to 7 p.m. Saturday, July 5 Best: before 11 a.m.

Worst: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, July 6 Best: before 11 a.m.

Worst: noon to 6 p.m. Other Travel