Fewer Jerseyans Will Travel over Thanksgiving Holiday

Fewer New Jersey residents will be traveling  50 miles or more this Thanksgiving weekend, according to AAA.

This weekend 795,000 state residents will travel, which is a 4.8 percent decrease from the number of New Jersey residents who traveled a year ago. Nationally AAA projects 38.4 million people will travel, a 1.4 percent increase from a year ago. 

"Thanksgiving is a family-oriented holiday and the desire to spend time with family and friends provides a strong incentive to travel," said Rick Zeckendorf, vice president of travel services for the AAA New Jersey Automobile Club, in a press release.  "AAA's overall projected increase in Thanksgiving holiday travel is yet another hopeful sign that economic conditions are stabilizing and improving in some areas." AAA has a newly opened travel service  Springfield office on Route 22.

In New Jersey, 86 percent of travelers will drive to their destination, which is a 4 percent decrease from a year ago. Also, 6 percent will take a plane and 8 percent will take a train, bus, watercraft or other mode of transportation.

AAA also reports motorists will see higher prices at the gas pump Thanksgiving weekend. New Jersey residents are paying $2.51 per gallon of regular gas, which is $.64 higher than a year ago when gas prices were $1.87 on average. In north Jersey, however, gasoline is averaging $2.56 per gallon.