KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — People should prepare for more travelers over the upcoming holiday weekend, especially on the Fourth of July.
"Leave a little bit earlier than you normally would. That gives you a little extra time in case of backups,” said Mark Nagi with the Tennessee Department of Transportation.
AAA predicted record travel in Tennessee this year, with over 1 million Tennesseans taking a trip. It said around 92% of those holiday travelers will drive.
The cost of filling up at the gas pump is still not cheap, too. However, there are some signs of hope — gas prices are going down.
"As of today, we're down around $0.11 on a statewide average compared to where we were last week,” said Megan Cooper, a spokesperson for AAA.
But, the cost of gas on the Fourth of July is still expected to set a record high.
"We expect gas prices to be the highest on record for the Independence Day holiday. That breaks the previous record for Independence Day, which happened in 2008,” Cooper said.
Last year, the average cost of gas was around $2.67 per gallon, but this year, experts expect the state average to be around $4.40 per gallon.
Along with high gas prices, people will also see an increase in traffic.
However, TDOT is trying to make the roads a little less hectic. It stopped construction and lane closures across the state for the upcoming weekend, making sure more lanes are open as people try to reach barbecues, celebrations and festivities.
“We're trying to ensure that our interstates and state routes are prepared for the increased travel. We're trying to get our roadways to maximum capacity,” Nagi said.