Fewer New Jersey Residents to Travel for Holidays

More than 2 million New Jersey residents will travel for the holidays, which is less than the number of people who traveled last year.

AAA, which has a branch in Springfield, expects a 2.6 percent decrease in the number of people traveling this holiday season compared to 2008. Nationally, however, more people will be traveling at least 50 miles between Dec. 23 and Jan. 3. AAA projects 87.7 million Americans will travel, a 3.8 percent increase, which the agency says is the largest projected increase for any major holiday this year.

"Although New Jersey travel is expected to decrease year-over-year, it's important to note that two million Garden State residents are expected to travel," said Rick Zeckendorf, vice president of travel service for the AAA New Jersey Automobile Club, in a press release.  "Those two million travelers represent about a quarter of the state's total population, and that's a positive."

AAA reports 1.8 million New Jersey residents are expected to travel by car, which is a 2 percent decrease from a year ago. About 108,000 will travel by plane, a 3.3 percent decrease, and 152,000 will travel by train, bus, watercraft or other means of travel.

Regular gas also is averaging at $2.48 per gallon in New Jersey, which is an increase of $.93 from a year ago when gas was at an average price of $1.55. Gas in north Jersey averages $2.54.