The Thanksgiving traffic rush is on in Connecticut

CONNECTICUT (WTNH) — The Thanksgiving travel rush is on, and experts expect it to break records.

AAA is predicting nearly 80 million Americans will travel by plane, train or car, between Tuesday and Monday.

“Sit on the road in a bunch of traffic but you do it for your family,” Manhattan resident Kevin Donadio said.

It’s the busiest travel holiday of the year and AAA said the most congested times on the roads started Tuesday afternoon. Drivers we spoke to can attest.

“Very trafficked and backed up in New York City and that stayed until we’ve been here in Branford, Connecticut, so it’s been about three hours,” Donadio said.

“The highway sign said bad traffic until exit 24 and they were right and so now I’m seeing traffic picking up now so I might have to go on Route 1, but I’ve been coming up here so often I know other ways around,” Maryland resident Jennifer Boettcher said.

AAA said, like your turkey, roads will be stuffed on Wednesday and Sunday afternoon.

The Connecticut Department of Transportation (DOT) is reminding everyone getting to your destination safely is something to be thankful for.

They say the eve of Thanksgiving is one of the most dangerous nights of the year for drunk driving.

Last year over the Thanksgiving holiday there were 79 crashes in Connecticut involving an impaired driver with 72 injuries and 8 deaths. Police departments across the state will be increasing patrols.

“Celebrate but please, please, please have a plan to get home safely,” DOT Spokesperson Josh Morgan said. “Do not drive if you are drunk, call a rideshare, use public transportation.”

Drivers said their travel woes are all worth it to be with the people they are most thankful for, their families.

“25 or so people, some friends and family are coming that are local and I’m coming from New York. My other brother is coming from Pennsylvania,” Donadio said.

Aside from family, another thing to be thankful for is the national gas price average is around three dollars a gallon. AAA said in Connecticut it’s 40 cents lower compared to this time last year