Here are the best times to hit the road this Memorial Day weekend from Kansas City
This Memorial Day weekend is likely to see increased traffic on the roads, according to Missouri AAA spokesperson Nick Chabarria.
The holiday weekend is set to be one of the busiest for travel since 2000 and the busiest weekend for airports since 2005, according to AAA.
At least 42.3 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more this Memorial Day weekend, which would surpass pre-pandemic Memorial Day travel by 7%, according to AAA. Regionally, throughout states including Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Nebraska, there is expected 3.55 million people set to travel this weekend.
In the region including Missouri and Kansas, more than 3 million people will be traveling by car, another 147,000 will travel by air and 347,000 will be taking advantage of the region’s buses and trains.
When is the best time to travel?
Drivers should also be mindful of when they hit the roads if they want to avoid traffic. The worst time to travel on Thursday and Friday will be between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. The best time to travel on both days will be 1 p.m. and 12 p.m., respectively.
On Monday, the worst time to travel will be from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. and the best time will be before 10 a.m. If you’re traveling on Tuesday, avoid driving between 4 p.m and 6 p.m. The best time to travel that Tuesday will be before 2 p.m. and after 6 p.m.
Overall, Traffic is expected to be light on Saturday and Sunday, according to transportation data company INRIX.
What are gas prices looking like this Memorial Day weekend?
Drivers will be in luck since Missouri and Kansas both have some of the cheapest gas in the country. Missouri has the 9th lowest gas prices with a statewide average of $3.18 per gallon. Kansas has the 10th lowest prices with an average of $3.25 per gallon.
“The good news for drivers is with the Memorial Day holiday right around the corner – we are paying, on average statewide, more than a dollar less than this time last year,” Missouri AAA spokesperson Nick Chabarria said in a statement. “Now is the time to make sure your vehicle is well maintained before hitting the road to prevent unnecessary car trouble and improve your fuel economy.”
For those filling up in Kansas City, some of the cheapest gas in Kansas City proper will be at the 7-Eleven at 8901 Wornall Rd, where the regular gas price is $2.99, according to GasBuddy, a gas price tracking application that monitors local gas prices in real-time.
Here’s a list of the 10 cheapest gas stations in the metro, as of Tuesday
Cenex: $2.95
201 N. Main St.
Concordia, Missouri
7-Eleven: $2.99
8901 Wornall Road
Kansas City
Murphy USA: $3.05
1050 Eisenhower Road
Leavenworth, Kansas
Casey’s: $3.06
2100 S 4th St.
Leavenworth
Casey’s: $3.06
950 Eisenhower Road
Leavenworth
Casey’s: $3.07
1999 Hwy 13 Blvd.
Higginsville, Missouri
Pilot: $3.07
6676 MO-13
Higginsville, Missouri
Break Time: $3.07
2600 MO-13
Higginsville, Missouri
Sam’s Club: $3.09
4100 Bolger Road
Independence
Leavenworth County Co-op: $3.09
1101 Industrial St.
Lansing, Kansas
