DENVER (KDVR) – AAA predicts 43 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more this holiday weekend, with 38 million choosing to travel by car.
With the number of travelers increasing, AAA is also expecting traffic delays across Colorado, with the drive from Denver to Fort Collins taking 56% longer than normal.
AAA projects a 56% longer trip from Fort Collins to Denver on Memorial Day
FOX31 spoke with tourists from all over the country who enjoyed the beautiful mountain scenery. Some choose to leave a day early to beat expected traffic delays.
“It’s not as bad as yesterday or (as) it will be tomorrow,” said one tourist from Grand Junction.
Travel experts advise parents to bring extra items for children.
“We pack a lot of snacks,” said a mother visiting from Louisville, Kentucky.
These roads will be closed over Memorial Day weekend
The Colorado Department of Transportation told FOX31 that fatal crashes in Colorado increase 30 percent in the summer, so everyone needs to drive responsibly.
Last summer, 91 people were killed in one month, marking the highest number of traffic fatalities ever recorded in a single month in the state.
Expect sobriety checkpoints and extra patrols. Through June 5, CDOT will support the Colorado State Patrol and 72 local law enforcement agencies during the 21-day “The Heat Is On” Memorial Day DUI enforcement period.
The best times to hit the road and avoid traffic this Memorial Day weekend
According to CSP, 479 DUI arrests were reported during the Memorial Day weekend enforcement period last year.
CSP also reminds motorists that alcohol impairs concentration while driving and increases the risk of a crash, and that “buzzing” driving is under the influence and can result in a DUI.
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