The chance for wintry weather is further complicating travel plans for Iowans who are planning to hit the road for the Thanksgiving holiday. Triple-A-Iowa spokeswoman Rose White says estimates show there will be slightly more people cramming onto the highways and interstates during the upcoming four-day weekend.
White says the motor club expects an increase of less than two-percent in the number of travelers from last year. The estimates show about 80-percent of travelers during the holiday will be traveling by motor vehicle, while most of the remainder, some four-million people, will be traveling by air. She says everyone’s trying to get somewhere and one of the most important things drivers can do is keep their cool.
White says: "We do ask people to have patience when they are traveling and be courteous to those with out-of-state plates if you’re traveling on the highway. Keep in mind they may be unfamiliar with construction zones and other changes that may have taken place this year."
Gasoline prices have risen 20 to 30-cents a gallon across Iowa during the past month, but White says the high cost isn’t keeping many folks home. She says it’ll cost about $14 more to fill the average 15-gallon tank this year, compared to last Thanksgiving. The average price for a gallon of self-serve unleaded in Iowa is $3.08, just a penny below the national average. A year ago, the average price in Iowa was $2.19.