Local News

These are the worst days and times to hit the road over Memorial Day weekend

Boston has one of the most congested routes in the nation.

Heavy traffic on I-93 over the Zakim Bridge in Boston. Michael Dwyer/AP

May 22, 2024

Massachusetts road trippers on Memorial Day weekend will encounter the worst traffic on Friday as well as Saturday morning, according to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT).

2 of the best road trips in the U.S. are in New England, according to AAA

AAA says 43.8 million people will travel 50 miles or more from home this holiday, a 4 percent increase over last year and close to the 2005 record of 44 million. Furthermore, road trips are expected to set a record this year, as 38.4 million people will travel by car — the highest number since AAA began tracking in 2000.

“We are expecting a very busy travel weekend for this upcoming Memorial Day,” said Jonathan Gulliver, highway administrator for MassDOT, in a statement. “Traffic congestion is expected to grow on Thursday afternoon and will be much heavier than normal early Friday afternoon. Drivers should leave extra time when making travel plans, consult MassDOT resources, and always drive sober and undistracted.”

In Massachusetts, Friday, May 24 will be the busiest travel day and drivers should avoid morning travel on Saturday, May 25, according to MassDOT. Traffic is expected to be lighter in the evening on Saturday. On Sunday, May 26 and Monday, May 27, traffic is expected to be heaviest between 10 and 6 p.m.

Construction on the Sumner Tunnel Restoration Project will not take place this weekend, noted MassDOT, so the tunnel will remain open for travel Friday through Monday.

Drivers traveling from Manchester to Boston on I-93 S will find one of the most congested routes in the nation, according to INRIX. Motorists will experience a 50 percent increase over normal traffic levels and at its peak congestion on Sunday, May 26 at 8:45 a.m. it will take 1 hour and 48 minutes, according to INRIX, a provider of transportation data.

According to INRIX, in general the worst time to travel by car over the holiday weekend is between noon and 6 p.m. on Thursday, May 23; between noon and 7 p.m. on Friday, May 24; between 2 and 5 p.m. on Saturday, May 25; and between 3 and 7 p.m. on Sunday, May 26 and Monday, May 27.

The best time to drive this weekend is before 11 a.m. and after 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 23; before 11 a.m. and after 8 p.m. on Friday, May 24; before 1 p.m. and after 6 p.m. on Saturday, May 25; before 1 p.m. on Sunday, May 26; and after 7 p.m. on Monday, May 27, according to INRIX.

AAA defines the Memorial Day travel period as May 23-27.

Travelers can download the Mass511 mobile app or visit www.mass511.com to view live cameras, travel times, and real-time traffic conditions before taking to the roads. Users can subscribe to receive text and email alerts.

Folks can also follow @MassDOT on X to receive updates on road and traffic conditions or dial 511 and select a route to hear real-time conditions.

AAA named Boston among the top Memorial Day destinations in the U.S.