Holiday Traffic Clogs Metroplex
Travelers see lower gas prices
Wednesday, Jul 22, 2009 | Updated 2:28 PM CST
KXAS
About 2.5 million Texans will hit the road for Thanksgiving.
Rush hour hit the Metroplex early Wednesday afternoon as people tried to get out of town.
The AAA auto club said roughly 41 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles to celebrate Thanksgiving this year. About 2.5 million Texans will hit the road for the holiday.
Wednesday's traffic clogged roads and tested people's patience.
Phillip Anderson said it was "stop and go" on Interstate 35.
"It's a disaster," he said.
The Anderson family spent most of the day driving across Texas in traffic that moved slower than molasses.
"From Houston to Austin, it was not bad," Susan Anderson said. "But from Austin on, it was 5 miles an hour in a 70 mph zone for over two hours."
But stopping to fill up may renew the holiday spirit -- AAA says gas prices are about $1 cheaper than they were last year.
Holiday traveler Jason Hatch said his family decided to take advantage of the cheaper fuel prices.
"We decided to drive and take the truck," he said. "We were going to take the car, but since it dropped to $2 a gallon, we're taking the truck."
Drivers can also expect to fight traffic after the holiday, but Susan Anderson said the prospect didn't bother her family much.
"Get some water, get some soft drinks and you're going to have to kick back and relax, because no one is going any faster than you are," she said.
Posted Wednesday, Jul 22, 2009 - 2:28 PM CST
