As Memorial Day weekend approaches, marking the unofficial start of summer, millions of New Yorkers and travelers across the country are expected to hit the roads and take to the skies.
Traffic is rarely easy to navigate in the five boroughs, but you can expect certain travel times to be worse than in other boroughs.
According to the American Automobile Association, the most common times for traffic congestion are Thursday from 12pm to 6pm and Friday from 12pm to 7pm. Drivers who want to avoid collisions should leave before 11am or after 8pm on those days.
But the absolute worst time and place to travel is 11:45 a.m. Thursday on Interstate 87 North heading into Albany, AAA said. According to estimates, the trip will take 64% longer than usual.
“Travel times are expected to be up to 90% longer than usual,” said Bob Picheux, a transportation analyst at data firm INRIX. 511 services and local news stations to stay up to date with the latest information.”
Drivers returning home on Sunday will depart before 1 p.m., and drivers returning on Monday will leave after 7 p.m. to avoid heavy traffic congestion, which is expected to peak between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. on both days, according to AAA. He said he should leave for the day.
Of the estimated 2.8 million people traveling to New York, 2.5 million are expected to drive to their destinations, according to the National Automobile Club, but a significant number will travel by plane. If you are departing from John F. Kennedy Airport, please be prepared for delays and allow plenty of time due to ongoing construction projects at the airport.
The MTA boasts that this is the “best way to travel over Memorial Day weekend.” On Thursday, the popular “Cannonball” Long Island Rail Road train will be reintroduced. The train will leave Penn Station at 4:07 p.m. and rush to Westhampton, before stopping in Southampton, Bridgehampton, Easthampton, and Montauk.
Cannonball runs every Thursday and Friday during the summer. The return westbound Cannonball usually runs on Sunday but this weekend will depart on Monday.
However, New Yorkers staying in the city for the weekend shouldn't expect special treatment. The MTA still plans multiple subway closures and service changes over the three-day weekend. During this period, some of the 2, 3, E, F, J, and L trains will be suspended. On Memorial Day, trains will operate on a Sunday schedule.
