20-minute delays possible on I-15 in Utah as Thanksgiving travel picks up

SALT LAKE CITY — Thanksgiving is expected to remain the U.S.'s busiest travel holiday of the year.

AAA estimates close to 82 million Americans are expected to use planes, trains and automobiles — and boats — to travel for the holiday this year, which would be approximately a 2% increase from last year.

"Whether it's visiting extended family or meeting up with friends, people are willing to brave the crowds and make last-minute adjustments to their plans to make lifelong memories," said John Treanor, spokesman for AAA Mountain West Group

However, Utah travel experts don't expect the trip to be too adventurous in the state this year, aside from some freeway delays ahead of the holiday and in lines at its largest airport.

'Minor' impacts on Utah's roads

Automobiles account for almost 90% of all people expected to travel for the holiday this week, according to AAA's projections. But only "minor" holiday-related delays are expected on Utah's roads, according to the Utah Department of Transportation.

The most significant impacts are expected along southbound I-15 ahead of the holiday. Delays of up to 20 minutes are expected in Salt Lake County from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, as many drivers try to get ahead of the Thanksgiving rush. Delays of up to 10 minutes are possible again in Salt Lake County on Wednesday afternoon, with an additional 10-minute delay possible in the Nephi area from noon to 7 p.m.

UDOT says it will pause construction and reopen all lanes of travel, as it normally does to reduce traffic delays. There are some restrictions or lane shifts in place, however, to protect work zones.

No widespread delays are anticipated after the holiday, largely because return travel is expected to be spread out throughout multiple days.

Utah's fuel index

Those traveling by automobile may notice slightly higher prices at the pump. The average price for a regular gallon of gas is $3.13 statewide entering this week, a little more than a nickel per gallon higher than this time last year, according to AAA.

Gas prices are currently the cheapest along the Wasatch Front, as well as northern and central parts of the state, and generally the most expensive across southern Utah and the state's northeast corner. The average price for regular fuel is currently as low as $3.04 per gallon in Utah County and as high as $3.52 in Beaver County.

Utah's average electric vehicle charging cost of 31 cents per kilowatt-hour remains the fourth-cheapest in the U.S., AAA adds.

Busy lines at the airport?

Wednesday also figures to be one of the busiest days at Salt Lake City International Airport, where 30,000 passengers are expected to arrive and another 30,000 passengers will land based on ticket data, said airport spokeswoman Nancy Volmer. She advises passengers to arrive at least two hours before their flight departs, or three hours for an international flight.

The federal government shutdown's ending earlier this month is likely something that passengers can be thankful for. After enduring dozens of canceled flights tied to the shutdown, flight service has returned to normal in time for the holiday rush. The shutdown had no impact on Transportation Security Administration lines, which are expected to be busy this week.

"We are staffed up and ready for everyone," Volmer said.

While the shutdown won't cancel flights, she adds that travelers should keep an eye on the forecast. Mostly dry and dry conditions are forecast for the days leading up to Thanksgiving, but storms return to the state's forecast this weekend — potentially impacting road travel, too.

Bad out-of-state weather can also impact some Utah flights ahead of the holiday, especially flights headed for the Pacific Northwest or the East Coast.

The airport, Volmer said, will bring in musicians to perform on Wednesday to help ease the frustrations of holiday travel, a tactic that the facility has implemented over the holidays in recent years.

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