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SALT LAKE CITY — Traffic is picking up and drive times are getting longer as residents make plans for the three-day Labor Day weekend.
Officials estimate more people plan to travel this Labor Day than in the past six years.
From an economic standpoint, that much travel usually means good feelings, The kinds of trips we take often reveal even more, though.
Sarah Allred and her family will head to Bear Lake to visit family for the long weekend. Her daughters help pack, with a focus on the right fun, the right food and the right toys.
"We keep it close to home,” Allred said. “We go to Bear Lake instead of California or somewhere far away."
That helps keep the cost down for her growing family.
"If you have to stay close to home, Utah is a great place to be," Allred said.
More than 2 million people across the Mountain West will drive more than 50 miles this long weekend, slightly more than last year.
"People are feeling better about the economy,” said Rolayne Fairclough of AAA Utah. “Travel is completely discretionary. So, if you're feeling a little concerned you may forgo the trip."
Utah gas prices are among the highest in the nation, according to AAA. The national average is $3.43 a gallon, which is down 13 cents from last year.
In Utah, it's $3.63 a gallon, with pretty steady prices over the last year. But gas prices are trending down — about two cents in the past two weeks.
"I think it's one of those hard pills that people have had to swallow,” Fairclough said. “They've made adjustments to it in their own budgets."
It’s also one reason many Utah families are glad to enjoy great, nearby destinations in every direction.
"We love going south, we love going north,” Allred said. “I think anywhere is going to be beautiful and gorgeous and have lots of options for the kids."
