Lower gas prices are prompting tens of thousands of Arkansans to travel for Independence Day, contributing to the largest number of travelers for the holiday in eight years, according to AAA.
According to the motorist organization's Daily Fuel Gauge, Arkansans will pay, on average, $2.501 for a gallon of regular-grade gasoline for the holiday weekend, nearly a dollar less than last year's early July prices and more than 26 cents below this year's national average.
Travelers nationwide are seeing the lowest gas prices for this time of year since 2010, said Micheal Right, spokesman for AAA Missouri, which covers Arkansas. That -- combined with the holiday falling on a weekend and an increase in consumer confidence -- will prompt an estimated 14.9 million Americans to travel more than 50 miles for the weekend, Right said. The number is up 0.7 percent from last year, marking the highest level since 2007.
AAA estimates nearly 85 percent of those travelers will drive to their holiday destinations. Though the association does not have estimates per state, Right said he estimates that 12 percent to 15 percent of Arkansans -- more than 350,000 --will hit the road for the holiday, consistent with percentages nationwide.
"We shouldn't underestimate the impact of lower gas prices on holiday travel," he said. "Especially in Arkansas -- where [the price of gas is] significantly lower than last year -- saving that much pumps a whole lot more money into a family budget. Add in a little sun, and everybody and their brother will be celebrating."
Though most will travel by vehicle, the AAA predicts air travel for the holiday weekend is expected to increase 1.5 percent over last year. Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport at Highfill is expecting 10,615 outbound passengers from today to Tuesday -- a 21 percent increase from 2014, said spokesman Scott Van Laningham.
The projected number of passengers going through Bill and Hillary National Airport/Adams Field in Little Rock from today to Monday is down 8.9 percent from last year, said airport spokesman Shane Carter. The airport is expecting 25,390 passengers. Today is expected to be the busiest day with 6,179 passengers.
Right called Arkansas a "rubber-tire" state -- a state where the vast majority of travelers will opt for the road over the air. AAA has seen a steady increase in the number of miles traveled by vehicles nationally and in the state, he said.
"That number peaked in 2007, fell and hit a trough in 2010," he said. "Now it's ratcheting back up, and Arkansas is certainly one of the places we see that."
With more travelers on the road this year, Bill Sadler, Arkansas State Police spokesman, warns drivers to be safe and sober. State, city and county law enforcement officers are to devote additional patrol hours through Sunday, conducting sobriety checkpoints and cracking down on impaired drivers, Sadler said.
"It's all hands on deck during these holiday periods," he said. "This is a time devoted to cracking down on impaired driving,"
More than 10 percent of the state's 1,909 crashes during the Fourth of July travel period from 2009 to 2013 involved drivers impaired by alcohol or drugs, according to Arkansas State Police data. Seven of the 20 Independence Day fatalities from those years also involved drivers under the influence.
This year, the National Safety Council estimates that the weekend will result in 409 traffic deaths and 49,500 injuries requiring medical attention, the highest predicted number for a three-day Independence Day weekend since 2008.
Lane closures may require planning ahead, said Danny Straessle, spokesman for the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department. Though he said there are other construction projects around the state that may result in congestion, the agency lists six interstate lane closures:
• Four miles of Interstate 30 westbound, southwest of Benton in Saline County.
• Four miles of Interstate 55 both directions, north of Blytheville in Mississippi County.
• One mile of Interstate 430 southbound near Kanis Road in Little Rock in Pulaski County.
• Eight miles of Interstate 530 both directions, south of Little Rock in Pulaski and Saline counties.
• Seven miles of I-530 southbound, northwest of White Hall in Jefferson County.
• Five miles of U.S. 67 both directions at Bald Knob in White County.
"We understand that people are excited for the holiday weekend, but we want to remind them to take extra time and be prepared for these areas," Straessle said.
Many of the travelers on the roads head to state parks, said Joan Ellison, spokesman for the state Department of Parks and Tourism.
The parks don't charge a fee, so an accurate number of park visitors over the Fourth of July holiday is hard to compute, Ellison said, but in past years, park officials have estimated more than 250,000. With the exception of Millwood State Park in Ashdown, which is closed because of high waters, all of the parks are in "full swing," Ellison said.
Though many of the campsites and cabins around the state are full, she said, some spots are still open. "This is traditionally a very important time and one of the three big summer holidays when people come out and enjoy their state parks," she said.
This time of year is one of the most popular times for the state's lake and riverside parks, Ellison said. Because of high floodwaters, the Department of Parks and Tourism and the Corps of Engineers have warned visitors to be cautious around water. The Corps' small-craft advisory for the Arkansas River remains in effect until at least mid-July, according to a news release.
"We just want everyone to have a safe and happy holiday," Ellison said.
Metro on 07/02/2015