The increase comes despite an increase in fuel prices since Memorial Day, continued economic turbulence and one of the highest unemployment rates in the country.
Gas prices have risen about 14 cents on average since the beginning of the summer, the organization says, to reach a state average of $2.51 a gallon.
“In North and South Carolina, you have a proximity to good vacation spots, and you have higher unemployment rates than the national average,” said AAA Carolinas Spokesman Brendan Byrnes. “The proximity to great vacation destinations generally motivates people to travel more, but the fact that North and South Carolina have higher unemployment rates leads people not to travel.”
He explained one concern for North Carolinians in particular who take to the roads is road construction. In South Carolina, state law mandates road construction projects leave as many lanes as possible open on holiday weekends, he said, but in North Carolina it’s a judgment call by the managers of the projects.
“With the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, there are a lot more construction projects going on than usual, and motorists should be aware of that,” Byrnes said.
The North Carolina Department of Transportation issued a release this week noting four road construction projects that will affect holiday travel throughout the state, even as the vast majority of projects will be suspended.
One of those projects is located on Highway 220 at the Randolph County and Montgomery County line, where rest areas are currently being built. The right lane in each direction will be closed there, despite the fact no work will be going on
In addition to this project, Interstate 85 will be reduced to one lane in each direction for eight miles in Vance County, which borders Virginia.
Also on I-85, one of three lanes will be closed in both directions at Exit 113 near High Point.
On Interstate 95, Exits 25 and 33 in Robeson County will remain closed to traffic crossing over the interstate due to a bridge raising and rehabilitation project.
Byrnes said there are other precautions motorists can take to stay safe on the roads.
“You want to make sure that when you’re traveling your tires are properly inflated, we encourage people to carpool to cut down on traffic and to travel during the off-peak hours,” he said.
The DOT also included some travel tips in its release, including leave ahead of time to allow for delays and how to handle work zones throughout the state.
“Even though workers may not be present in the majority of work zones, drivers may encounter narrowed lanes and traffic shifts,” the release reads. “Be patient and obey the posted speed limit. The penalty for speeding through a marked work zone is $250.”
The final tip offered, “Use alternate routes, when possible, to avoid traffic congestion.”
The DOT’s free travel information line is 511, and more free travel information is available at www.ncdot.gov/travel.
Closings
For those planning to stay home next week, government offices for Richmond County, City of Rockingham and City of Hamlet will all be closed Monday.
In addition, the transfer station and garbage box sites throughout the county for the disposal of solid waste will be closed Monday. They will reopen on Tuesday.
In Rockingham, the Monday and Thursday garbage collection route will run on Tuesday and Thursday. The Tuesday and Friday route will be run on Wednesday and Friday.
As in any short week, street trash such as leaves, limbs and other yard waste is not a guaranteed pickup in the city.
City of Hamlet garbage collection routes will run on schedule.
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