Saturday, Aug. 30, 2008

Fewer expected to travel over holiday weekend

By Pratik Joshi, Herald staff writer

More than 34 million Americans will travel this Labor Day weekend, the AAA estimates, a number that has declined marginally from last year because of high gasoline prices and a sluggish economy.

But the number of holiday travelers is up 1 percent compared to the Fourth of July weekend, said Spokane-based AAA spokeswoman Cassie Devaney.

And, most Washington travelers are headed to the Oregon Coast, Vancouver, British Columbia or Yellowstone National Park.

Though there has been an increase of about 12.5 percent in train and bus travel compared with last year, almost 29 million travelers are expected to use their cars for Labor Day travel. Gas prices have declined steadily in the last two weeks or so, Devaney said.

People are taking shorter trips and not flying as much as last year, said Liz Reinkens, marketing director at Travel Leaders, formerly Carlson Wagonlit Travel, with offices in Kennewick and Richland.

This year, airline ticket prices are up about $60 on average with additional baggage fees of up to $25 each way, which makes air travel less desirable, Reinkens said.

But travel business is not down significantly, she said. Holiday travelers looking for value prefer cruises, she said, which has been a trend since gas prices skyrocketed.

At the Tri-Cities Airport, the number of commercial flight boardings this year is mostly up compared with the same period last year, said Airport Director Jim Morasch. For example, passenger boardings in July stood at 21,687, up 620 from July 2007.

But he said the trend doesn't provide any indication of Labor Day weekend air travel in the Tri-Cities because the air travel market is volatile.

The Washington Department of Transportation expects a high number of people to hit the road, said Mike Westbay, DOT spokesman. Road construction projects have been halted until Tuesday, he said.

A lot of people will cross the Cascades, Westbay said. If they start early, they'll be able to avoid heavy traffic on the passes, he said. They also can check out the DOT website to find best times to travel and avoid congestion, he said. But travelers can expect longer-than-typical wait times at ferry docks and Canadian border crossings.

Westbay recommends highway travelers call 5-1-1 to get current road information before departing.

Jim Smith, a National Weather Service forecaster in Pendleton, said cool, breezy conditions are expected in Washington and Oregon over the weekend. "It's below normal."

Temperatures will be close to freezing in the mountains tonight, Smith said. Also, there is a chance of showers on the west side. On Sunday and Monday, temperatures will be in the upper 40s and 50s, he said.

For more information about road conditions and weather, visit www.wsdot.wa.gov.