Thursday the busiest travel time for Massachusetts drivers on 4th of July weekend, AAA says

BOSTON - Gas prices are hovering around $5 a gallon in Massachusetts, but that's not going to stop people from traveling for the long 4th of July weekend, according to AAA.

The agency predicts 42 million people in the U.S. will drive somewhere for the holiday weekend, setting a new record. More than 1.2 million from Massachusetts are expected to travel by car.

AAA said the busiest travel times will be on Thursday, June 30 on the Massachusetts Turnpike and Interstates 93 and 95.

"The largest increase over typical traffic will occur on I-93 south from exits 20 to 4, where traffic is expected to be 103 percent higher than average," AAA said in a statement. 

"Elsewhere, the increase will range from 22 to 88 percent. The worst time to travel will be Thursday and Friday afternoons when travelers heading to their destinations mix with commuters heading home for the weekend."

AAA said more people might be driving because of ongoing trouble with flight cancellations and delays, due to weather and staffing issues. The share of people traveling by air will be the lowest since 2011, the agency said.

AAA is predicting this Independence Day will be the second busiest since 2000.

"People are ready for a break and despite things costing more, they are finding ways to still take that much needed vacation," said AAA spokesperson Mary Maguire.