BY TANYA ALBERT
The Cincinnati Enquirer
With the cheapest Labor Day gas prices in nearly a decade, the roads are likely to be extra-crowded this weekend.
An estimated 36.6 million Americans are expected to take a road trip over the Labor Day weekend, according to the American Automobile Association (AAA). That's 5 percent more than the 34.9 million vacationers last year.
"There will likely be a lot of traffic in the construction areas, so expect delays," said Amy Frede, spokeswoman for AAA Cincinnati. "Safety is more important than getting there quickly."
One of the main reasons for the heavy travel: Gas prices haven't been this low during the Labor Day holiday since 1989.
In Cincinnati, self-serve regular unleaded gasoline was averaging about $1.05 a gallon this week, according to AAA Cincinnati.
That's nearly 23 cents lower than last year's prices.
That follows a nationwide trend.
Across the country, a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline averages about $1.08, the lowest price Labor Day weekend since 1989, when it was about $1.06 a gallon, according to AAA.
Based on a national average, drivers will pay about $1.17 for self-serve mid-grade gasoline this week, 18.1 cents lower than last year. Self-serve premium is going for about $1.22 a gallon, down 19.1 cents from last year.
With heavy traffic expected through the weekend, police are telling people to give themselves plenty of time to get to their destination.
According to AAA Cincinnati, people headed out of Cincinnati for the weekend should expect construction delays in these areas:
- Kentucky: Interstate 71 - 75 is closed to RVs and commercial traffic from the Ohio River to Erlanger. Oversized vehicles should take Interstate 275 to avoid the area. Long delays are likely in Lexington because of construction on I-75.
- Ohio: Interstate 75 near Piqua and Lima. Interstate 71 north of Columbus and near Ashland. Interstate 271 near Cleveland. Interstate 80 in Youngstown.
- Indiana: Interstate 74 near Shelbyville and Indianapolis. Interstate 65 near Frankfort.
But for those planning to speed to their destinations: Beware. State police across Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana said they will add extra patrols through Monday to try to keep the roads safe. In Ohio, Labor Day weekend has been the deadliest holiday over the past seven years, with 145 people killed during that span, said Lt. John Born, spokesman for the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
