AAA: Record travel year for 4th

Photo | Grant Welker The economic growth in the second quarter was led, in part, by the travel industry.

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By State House News Service

More drivers will hit the road from Massachusetts this Independence Day than ever before and when it comes time to fill up the tank those drivers will find the highest Fourth of July gas prices in four years, AAA said Monday.

Close to 1.1 million Bay Staters are expected to travel by car this Fourth of July holiday, a record and just the second time the number of drivers has topped 1 million for the holiday, AAA said.

AAA reported Monday that the average price of a gallon of gas in Massachusetts is $2.84, down three cents from last week and one cent below the national average. A year ago, the average price of a gallon of gas was $2.18.

"Prices are at their highest point for Independence Day since 2014, but are still eight cents lower in Massachusetts than this past Memorial Day," Mary Maguire, AAA Northeast director of public and legislative affairs, said.

AAA's weekly survey found the price of a gallon of unleaded regular self-serve gas ranges from $2.69 to $2.96 in Massachusetts.

Across the country, AAA expects 46.9 million people to travel this week including a record 1.25 million from Massachusetts. AAA said 39.7 million of the travelers will be traveling by car and a record 3.8 million will take to the skies.

AAA estimated that the worst Fourth of July week traffic in Boston will occur between 3:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, as traveling vacationers mingle on the highways with workers escaping a bit early.

The heavy volume of traffic could be good for AAA's business, too -- it expects to help more than 362,000 motorists with roadside troubles like flat tires, dead batteries and lockouts this holiday week.