Busy Memorial Day Weekend Makes For Travel Nightmare On Local Highways

It is expected to be a busier than usual Memorial Day weekend for travel in Southern California, and signs of this are have been evident on local roads since yesterday. A drop in gas prices is largely responsible for the surge in holiday motorists. CBS 2 reports that the price of gasoline in LA county has dropped seven cents in the last week to $3.03, its biggest pre-Memorial Day drop in years. These low prices, in conjunction with a still fragile economy have resulted in families opting for more road trips rather than flying, according to AAA.

Even so, LAX is still expecting a healthy increase in Memorial Day passenger traffic. KPCC reports: "According to Los Angeles World Airports, the city agency that operates LAX, about 769,000 travelers are expected to pass through the airport during the four-day Memorial Day weekend -- a 5.3 percent increase from the same period in 2009."

Making matters much, much worse for those trying to get out of town is the ongoing closure of the 91 freeway after a tanker exploded this morning. . According to the LA Times, the driver of the tanker managed to escape, but the multi-vehicle accident shut down traffic in both directions, causing back-ups for miles. As of 3 pm, all westbound lanes are open, ABC 7 reports that the westbound lanes will remain closed for at least 12 hours.

Comments

[LeeCalif]

12:41 AM on 06/01/2010

If Americans were killed this is an Act of War by Israel against the United States.

[SarcasticFringehead]

01:31 AM on 05/31/2010

My experience with LA holiday traffic is the complete opposite of this article: I find that traffic is blessedly less congested and that traveling anywhere is a breeze.
All the hundreds of thousands of people who leave the city really make a difference when they're gone; the traffic is so much better and lighter.
The only congestion I encounter are people who crowd the 10 freeway trying to either get to the beach in the afternoon, or oppositely, trying to get back home in the early evening. Outside of that, I can only wish that all the people who left the city, would stay away.

[belyeu]

05:24 PM on 05/29/2010

Traveling southern Calif freeways on holidays ( even week days) is not worth the trouble.

[mamacat]

07:02 AM on 05/29/2010

Sure am glad we didn't try to travel the 91 yesterday! What a nightmare!

[WorkhelpWorkhelp]

01:52 AM on 05/29/2010

Outlaw holidays!!!

[barklesswagmore]

01:06 AM on 05/29/2010

its, not it's

[VeggieLove]

08:23 PM on 05/28/2010

I understand most hardworking people can only get away during during holiday weekends, but it seems like such a horrendous headache.