If you're planning on driving this Thanksgiving holiday, you'll be joining 2.2 million Ohioans.
AAA is predicting that this year will be the highest single-year increase in Thanksgiving travel since 2005.
Drivers should expect congested roadways and plan for more time to reach their destination, especially in the afternoon and evenings Wednesday and Sunday.
The Ohio Department of Transportation will suspend roadwork and open as many lanes as possible during those days. However, drivers should plan for delays in these work zones:
- I-75 in Toledo, Dayton and Cincinnati.
- I-70 in Springfield and Zanesville.
- I-70/71 in downtown Columbus.
- I-76 and I-77 in Akron.
A map of all work zones, updated traffic conditions and live traffic cameras is available at OHGO.com or on the OHGO app.
During the holiday travel period, AAA said it expects to respond to more than 400,000 roadside assistance calls. Troopers will also have an increased presence on Ohio’s roads.
Last year during the Thanksgiving holiday reporting period, there were 11 fatal crashes that killed 11 people on Ohio’s roadways, according to a news release. Five of those fatalities were the result of impaired driving and four were unbuckled when a seatbelt was available.
What to expect for gas prices this Thanksgiving
Gas prices around Cincinnati have fallen over the last week and are now averaging $3.22 per gallon.
GasBuddy reported the average price of gas nationally fell 1.9 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.39 per gallon Monday. The national average is up from a month ago 2.8 cents per gallon and is $1.30 higher than a year ago.
In Greater Cincinnati, GasBuddy reported on Monday the cheapest station in Cincinnati is priced at $2.93 per gallon, which included stations at Sam's Club, Speedway and Thornton's around Mount Airy and College Hill. Sam's Club and Costco both require memberships to pump gas.
Find where you can get the cheapest gas in Cincinnati.
On Tuesday, the White House announced President Joe Biden is releasing 50 million barrels of oil from the nation's emergency stockpile to lower energy costs amid a spike in gas prices and soaring inflation.
"American consumers are feeling the impact of elevated gas prices at the pump and in their home heating bills, and American businesses are, too, because oil supply has not kept up with demand as the global economy emerges from the pandemic," the White House said in a statement. "That’s why President Biden is using every tool available to him to work to lower prices and address the lack of supply."
More:Thanksgiving travelers face higher gas prices, but Americans will hit the road anyway
USA TODAY contributed to this report.
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