The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) has analyzed historical traffic data to determine the worst times for travel in Ohio’s major metro areas this Thanksgiving.
ODOT analyzed data for the cities of Akron/Canton, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, and Toledo.
In all cities except Toledo, ODOT says the busiest day to travel for this Thanksgiving holiday will be Tuesday, November 21. The busiest travel day in Toledo was expected to be Monday, November 20.
In Akron, Canton, Columbus, Cleveland, and Cincinnati, ODOT recommends drivers avoid traveling on Wednesday, November 22 and Sunday, November 26 as traffic is expected to be moderate those days. ODOT recommends drivers travel on Thursday, November 23, Friday, November 24, and Saturday, November 25 as traffic is expected to be light.
In Dayton, ODOT recommends drivers avoid traveling on Wednesday, November 22 as the rest of the days – Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday – are expected to have light traffic.
Despite ODOT’s travel predictions, the Department still urges drivers to “leave early and allow plenty of time for travel.”
“As is customary with all major travel holidays, ODOT will work with contractors to reduce the size and impact of ongoing work zones across the state. However, that isn’t always possible in some work zones,” ODOT notes in a press release.
ODOT says drivers will “likely” encounter work zones in the following areas:
- I-75 in Cincinnati, Dayton, and Toledo;
- I-70/71 in downtown Columbus;
- I-70 in Zanesville; and
- Several projects in the Akron area.
This year’s nationwide Thanksgiving travel period is expected to be the third-highest on record, according to the American Automobile Association (AAA), which projects a total of 55.4 million travelers will head 50 miles or more from home.
“For many Americans, Thanksgiving and travel go hand in hand, and this holiday, we expect more people on the roads, skies, and seas compared to 2022,” Paula Twidale, Senior Vice President of AAA Travel said in a statement. “Travel demand has been strong all year, and AAA’s Thanksgiving forecast reflects that continued desire to get away and spend time with loved ones.”
In regards to gas prices, Ohioans are paying less at the pump when compared to the same time last year, according to AAA.
As of Monday, the average price for a gallon of unleaded gas in the Buckeye State was $3.12 – down 47 cents from last year.
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Ohio Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.
Photo “Columbus Traffic” by Joe Shlabotnik CC2.0.
