TRAFFIC

Labor Day Weekend: 7 tips to help get you to your destination

Josephine Peterson
The News Journal

The last hurrah of summer will see more holiday travelers clogging Delaware's highways than we've seen for years.

Consumer confidence and steady gas prices will put more motorists on the roads than "we’ve seen in the past ten years,” said Ken Grant, spokesman for AAA's Mid-Atlantic region.

So we've asked the experts for tips to help you out get to your holiday oasis safely with the least amount of stress.

Labor Day Weekend at the Rehoboth Beach Boardwalk in 2015.

Target your travel time

Avoid traveling during Friday rush hour and Monday afternoon. Heaviest backups will be on I-95 near Churchmans Road, I-295 into New Jersey and Del. 1 in Sussex County.

Check traffic cameras

You can check out traffic cameras on the DelDOT traffic app or use your favorite traffic app to avoid delays.

Plan accordingly

While most road construction will halt for the weekend, work will continue along Del. 1 at U.S. 301 near St. Georges, an overpass at Little Heaven and the elevated NE Front Street intersection in Milford. 

Mentally prepare

Make sure you're well-rested and in the appropriate mindset to drive. Driving while upset or angry can be just as dangerous as driving when you are tired. Avoid distractions while driving and drive defensively.

Secure the bag(s)

Secure those boats, boogie boards, beach chairs and ice chests to your vehicle to avoid accidents.

Delaware toll plaza on I-95

Budget for gas

Be ready to spend more at the pump than last Labor Day weekend. Gas is 54 cents more per gallon than this time last year, Grant said. 

Keep some cash on you

No EZPass? Make sure you have exact change for tolls to keep traffic moving: $4 for the I-95 toll and $3 for Del. 1. DelDOT will thank you — they collected more than $2.6 million in tolls last Labor Day Weekend. 

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Contact Josephine Peterson at (302) 324-2856, jhpeterson@delawareonline.com, or Twitter at @jopeterson93.