Arkansas travelers hitting the road this Memorial Day weekend will be hardpressed to find a free cabin or campsite in the state, and airports crowds are likely.
Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport/Adams Field in Little Rock projected an increase in air travel this weekend, with an expected 9,000 passengers today - up from last year’s 7,550. But spokesman Shane Carter said Thursday looked to be the airport’s busiest day, with 9,300 passengers.
Last Memorial Day weekend, the airport saw 23,152 passengers Fridaythrough Monday.
Nationwide, however, AAA projects that air travel will be down somewhat for Memorial Day weekend compared with last year. The organization expects auto travel will rise slightly.
“It may be an indication that people are getting what we call ‘fee fatigue’ at airports,” said Don Redman, a AAA spokesman in Louisiana. “They’re looking at a more economical form of travel.”
Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport officials expect business as usual in Highfill. Executive Director Scott Van Laningham said while work travel decreases on Memorial Day weekend, leisure travel fills the gap.
“You can tell the difference,” he said. “It’s people with strollers and backpacks replacing people with cell phones and laptops.”
Meanwhile, state and national parks are filling up fast.
“I would expect what little space we have will go pretty quick,” said Greg Butts, state parks director. “This is the big jump into the summer season.”
Jay Townsend, spokesman for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, said all the Corps’ campsites that allow advance reservations are booked for the holiday weekend. More than 500 Corps campsites closed in 2012 because of federal budget cuts, but no more have been closed this year.
“We generally pack the house on this weekend,” Townsend said.
Townsend said the Corps has issued a small-craft advisory for the Arkansas River this weekend because it is moving faster than 70,000 cubic-feet per second. One person has already died in the river this year, and Townsend doesn’t want that number to increase - so he urged those in or near the water to wear life jackets.
“Most people who drown never intend to get wet,” he said.
Whether they’re headedoutdoors or not, Arkansans traveling this weekend can expect delays in construction zones on Interstate 40 and Interstate 540. About 70 miles of road are under construction as part of the Interstate Rehabilitation Program.
“Even though the workers won’t be present, you’re still traveling through a construction zone,” Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department spokesman Danny Straessle said.
Traffic will be slower and sometimes reduced to one lane, Straessle said, in parts of I-40 east of Atkins, in Russellville and Conway and in Prairie County. About eight miles of I-540 from Arkansas 22 north to I-40 in Fort Smith also are under construction.
Motorists also can expect gas prices to fall in the coming days as the recent price spike tapers off, industry analysts said.
Gas prices - which have gained 14 cents nationally and statewide in the past month - are expected to decline, reflecting dwindling demand as well as crude-oil prices, said Phil Flynn, senior energy analyst for PFGBest.
“Prices are going down because they want you to come to their station, fill up and come inside to buy some soda pop and things,” he said. “There is going to be a little competition, so that is good for the drivers.”
The average price of a gallon of regular gasoline in Arkansas on Thursday was $3.42, up from $3.29 a monthago. The national average was $3.66, compared with $3.52 a month ago, according to AAA’s fuel gauge report.
In Arkansas’ metropolitan areas, gasoline averages were showing slight decreases Thursday, and analysts expect them to fall further.
In the Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers area, average prices were down a penny at $3.62, and in Fort Smith, averages were down 2 cents at $3.71. Average prices in Little Rock and North Little Rock were unchanged at $3.30.
Gasoline prices have mainly increased in the Midwest and on the West Coast, where there were planned and unplanned refinery maintenance closures, said Tom Kloza, chief oil analyst with gasbuddy.com
“It led to a little panic,” he said. “The Midwest went a little ballistic or a little bonkers.”
Prices in the Midwest rose about 32 cents in the past four weeks, while prices in the restof the country saw little movement, said James Williams, an energy analyst who owns the WTRG economics consulting firm near Russellville.
“If you stay in the South and avoid the Midwest, it won’t be too bad,” he said about traveling for Memorial Day weekend. “As long as you don’t go north and west, you ought to see decent prices.”
Williams said gas prices across the country, including the Midwest, are starting to fall as crude-oil prices and demand decrease.
Gasoline consumption in the country is 3 percent lower than it was a year ago, and oil prices have fallen 3 cents on the New York Mercantile Exchange, he said.
“Weaker demand means lower prices,” Williams said.” Nationwide, if you excludethe Midwest, we’re not going to face higher prices.”
Redman, the AAA spokesman, predicted that Oklahoma and Missouri may see an influx of travelers looking to help out with storm relief. But in Arkansas, recent storms don’t appear to have had much effect on travel plans.
“We haven’t found any [storm damage],” Butts said of the state parks. “So far - knock on wood.” Information for this article was contributed by Jessica Seaman of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.-
Northwest Arkansas, Pages 9 on 05/24/2013