AAA Texas says more people plan on hitting the road for 4th of July holiday than last year

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Get ready! This fourth of July travel holiday is expected to be busier than last year.

AAA Texas says 3.5 million Texans are preparing to travel, an increase of more than four percent from last year.

More than 49 million people are vacationing for the holiday nationwide.

If you're planning a longer road trip, beware of traveling the day before fourth of July.

AAA predicts commuter traffic across the country will mix with holiday travel, and delays are expected to increase by 9 percent.

In Houston, traffic is expected to be three times busier than usual between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Thursday afternoon.

Families hoping to travel across the area for local firework shows may want to time their drive carefully to avoid spending the holiday in traffic congestion.

AAA Texas credits a relatively strong economy and low gas prices with the rise in travel numbers.

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