Gas Prices, Inflation Won't Stop Marylanders From Traveling This Fourth Of July
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Pack your patience if you're hitting the road this weekend for the Fourth of July. MTA officials are warning drivers of major slowdowns during peak traveling hours from Thursday to Tuesday.
The increased gas prices are only adding insult to injury for families trying to get away for a vacation, but 12-year-old Mason Mercer is just thinking about the fun ahead.
"We're going to go to the beach, hopefully fishing, maybe get into something because we always do," Mercer said. "Maybe we can eat some crabs."
His dad, Matt, is already bracing himself for traveling with Mason and his 5-year-old son. "My youngest is going to be in there, but him being stuck, kicking the seat the whole time, is always a problem," he said.
Gas prices have skyrocketed since vacations past. Mercer said, "it's $2-$3 a gallon more, it's crazy."
Dan Brousseau, a Wilmington, Delaware resident, said he paid $73 for three-quarters of a tank for his small car. He said he also has a small plane; "I paid $8 a gallon instead of $5 a gallon to fill it. It's very expensive now."
Richard Jaramillo is the Bay Bridge Administrator and shared a message to travelers, saying "commit to safe driving and try to travel off peak. So we ask you to go early and stay late to avoid delays."
"There will be a heavy increase in police presence, not only for this holiday weekend but throughout the summertime, expect to see police officers in non-conventional vehicles and Motor units also enforcing the traffic laws," said MDTA Police spokesperson David Ramnath.
If you are looking for information specifically about the Bay Bridge, you can call 1-877-BAYSPAN, and for 24/7 traffic updates you can follow the MTA on Twitter.
