CINCINNATI, Oh. (May 16, 2019)— With nearly 43 million Americans traveling this year for Memorial Day, signaling the unofficial start of the summer travel season, AAA is warning local commuters to prepare now as a major 1-275 maintenance project in Northern Kentucky could have a significant impact.

“The start of the 1-275 Pavement Rehab Project may cause major traffic troubles for not only commuters, but those traveling by car beginning this weekend and during the Memorial Day holiday weekend,” said Jenifer Moore, AAA spokeswoman. “We are urging motorists to be mindful of the impact this project will have on their travel plans by planning ahead and taking the appropriate steps to minimize the madness.”

For the 37.6 million Americans traveling by automobile, INRIX, in collaboration with AAA, predicts drivers will experience the greatest amount of congestion on Thursday, May 24 and Friday, May 25 in the late afternoon as commuters leave work early and mix with holiday travelers. Several major U.S. metros could experience double the travel times compared to a normal trip, while New Yorkers and Washington, D.C., could see three times the delay.

“Drivers in the most congested metros should expect much worse conditions than normal,” said Trevor Reed, transportation analyst, INRIX. “Travelers should anticipate delays to start on Wednesday and continue through Memorial Day. Our advice to drivers is to avoid the morning and evening commuting times or plan alternate routes.”

AAA offers the following tips to travelers as the 1-275 Pavement Rehab Project kicks off this evening:

• Plan your travel and seek an alternative route if needed
• Avoid peak commute hours— mid morning and early evening
• If you cannot avoid peak commute hours, pack your patience and allow extra time for travel
• Car pool or make a plan with your employer for alternative plans such as late arrival/early leave or work from home
• Stay focused and eliminate distractions –Don’t Drive Intexticated
• Sign up for email/text alerts to stay updated on daily travel advisories at https://www.drivingnkyprogress.org. Drivers can also follow on social media at  ‎@DrivingNky for daily and holiday travel advisories.
• Move Over! Be mindful of construction and emergency workers on the roads
• Fill up the gas tank to avoid being stranded
• Air travelers should allow ample time for traffic backups as they head to CVG airport.

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AAA provides automotive, travel, and insurance services to 59 million members nationwide and nearly two and a half million members in Ohio.  AAA advocates for the safety and mobility of its members and has been committed to outstanding road service for more than 100 years.  AAA is a non-stock, non-profit corporation working on behalf of motorists, who can now map a route, find local gas prices, discover discounts, book a hotel, and track their roadside assistance service with the AAA Mobile app (AAA.com/mobile) for iPhone, iPad and Android.  For more information, visit www.AAA.com.