Community Corner

More Marylanders Traveling This Holiday Season

A slightly higher percentage of Marylanders will travel for December and January holidays.

One-third of Marylanders will travel during this holiday season, the second-highest year-end travel volume for state residents in the last 10 years, but they won't be going as far, according to a statement released by AAA Mid-Atlantic.

Nearly 1.9 people will travel, representing a 1.1 percent increase from the same period last year, the statement said.

, but only 871,000 Marylanders were projected to travel during the five-day Thanksgiving trip period. AAA Mid-Atlantic defines the end-of-year holiday travel period as Dec. 23 to Jan. 2.

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“While the economy is far from stellar, many Marylanders appear to be in a better financial situation this year or are willing to make the monetary sacrifice, which appears to be fueling this year’s growth,” said Ragina C. Averella, a AAA Mid-Atlantic spokeswoman.

But most travelers are staying closer to home this year when compared to 2010, with more than 1.7 million people expected to travel by automobile, despite record gas prices for the season, the statement said.

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The average round-trip is expected to be just 747 miles, AAA Mid-Atlantic said, marking a huge decrease from last year's 1,200.

Meanwhile, the average gas price in Maryland is $3.22, 21 cents higher than this time last year, according to AAA Mid-Atlantic.

Overall, 83.6 million Americans are expected to travel this season, AAA Mid-Atlantic said.

Given the large number of cars on the road, its perhaps no surprise that AAA Mid-Atlantic is also projecting it will respond to more than 800,000 stranded motorists nationwide, the auto club said. 

Some 63,000 calls are expected to come from the mid-Atlantic cluster of Maryland, Washington, D.C., Virginia, Delaware, Pennsylvania and New Jersey, a statement said.

To avoid becoming one of the 63,000 in this region, AAA Mid-Atlantic recommended having vehicle batteries, belts, hoses, tires, antifreeze and fluid levels checked before traveling.

So, how do I avoid sitting in traffic?

Dial 511 or go to md511.org, both services run by the Maryland Department of Transportation, to learn about major incidents, delays, estimated travel times and weather conditions in the state.


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