SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) — More travelers are expected to be on the road and take to the skies on Labor Day. AAA does not offer a travel forecast for the holiday, but still expects a big end to the summer travel season.
Therefore, the Missouri State Highway Patrol and Springfield-Branson National Airport are asking the public to prepare for an influx of travelers.
“Because it’s the last major summer holiday, we expect heavy traffic and increased boat traffic at the end of the holiday, Friday and Monday,” said Sergeant Michael McClure of Missouri State Highway Patrol Troop D.
Sergeant McClure recommends that anyone heading out on the road be prepared. That means expecting heavy traffic and obeying all state laws.
“It is your choice to be alert. It is your choice to obey the laws of the state whether on the highway or on the water. It is your choice to drive sober and to designate a sober driver well in advance of operating a boat or vehicle,” said Sergeant McClure.
Sergeant McClure would also like to urge people to be careful around construction sites, as there are many of them at the moment.
“There will be road construction. Whatever app you use to indicate in advance that there will be road construction on your route, be aware of it. Slow down in those construction zones, whether they are guarded or not. A construction zone is a construction zone, no matter what the speed limit is. It is very important to obey that particular speed limit when you are driving through that construction zone,” Sergeant McClure said.
All in all, you should be prepared to obey the law when you hit the road.
“The Highway Patrol urges everyone on the road this weekend to make safety their top priority. That means giving other road users plenty of room, driving considerately and obeying all state laws, whether on the road or waterways,” said Sergeant McClure.
If you take to the skies now, Springfield-Branson National Airport tells you that operations are continuing as usual and are busy.
“In fact, it’s business as usual, which means more and more people have been traveling over the last few years, not just here in Springfield, but across the country,” said Kent Boyd of Springfield-Branson National Airport.
Be prepared to arrive at the airport early.
“The most important thing I tell people is to get to the airport early. And by early, I mean two hours before the scheduled departure time. Here in Springfield, people get a little annoyed when I tell them that because they were used to being here literally 30 minutes before departure. But if you do that these days, you’re very likely to miss your flight just because of the crowds and because you have no wiggle room if something goes wrong,” Boyd said.
Make sure you are prepared for the security screening process. This includes preparing for the TSA screening.
“Be prepared before you get to the checkpoint. Get everything out of your pockets. Have anything ready that could set off the alarm. Put your computer and cell phone in the tray. Walk through the machine and take off your coat and jacket. That will really speed things up,” Boyd said.
According to AAA, Boston, New York, Seattle and Orlando are popular destinations for air travelers. For those traveling by car, the best times to drive are in the mornings on Thursday, Friday, Sunday and Monday.
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