APPLETON, Wis. (WFRV) It's going to be a busy travel week. AAA predicts a nearly 5% increase on the roads compared to last year. Falling gas prices seem to be fueling the trend.
It could end up being one of the busiest Fourth of July travel periods in more than a decade. 900,000 Wisconsinites will be on the go this week. Some of them are leaving as early as Friday afternoon. That's because the holiday falls on a Wednesday, AAA says many motorists are staggering their trips.
This Friday and Saturday will see the most traffic. It all goes back to gas prices. Last March we were paying $3.99 a gallon. Today in the Valley, prices are hovering around $3.40. That's a big difference for motorists who are on the go.
We asked motorist Wayne LaMont, who plans on sticking close to home this week, what's behind the price drop: "Overall, I'd say the world economy is impacting it. The price of oil is down, that's helping out also."
"It has been falling, it's been fantastic it made the drive here a little easier," says William DeDecker, who traveled to the Valley from Detroit.
Not surprisingly, AAA says the hot destinations here in the Dairy State are Door County, the Dells and of course, Summerfest.
