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Tag: thanksgiving traffic

  • Thanksgiving travel: Here’s when AAA says Texas highways will be busiest

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    There’s just no way to avoid busy roads during the holidays.

    Whether it’s traffic into an airport or traffic on Interstate 35, many Texans are heading home to spend Thanksgiving with their loved ones.

    Roadside assistance organization AAA released its Thanksgiving travel forecast this week, and an estimated 5.8 million Texans will venture out on the roads from Nov. 25 until Dec. 1 — and 90% of those travelers will be road tripping.

    Though every year is bound to be busy, this year is predicted to be the busiest it has been since Thanksgiving 2019, before the pandemic, when 5.6 million Texans traveled.

    So here’s what to expect if you’re road tripping in Texas. Have a safe holiday weekend!

    Busiest travel days during Thanksgiving weekend on the highway

    AAA predicts 5.3 million Texans will travel by car from Nov. 25 until Dec. 1. Tuesday, Nov. 25, and Wednesday, Nov. 26, are expected to be the busiest afternoons, while Sunday, Nov. 30, will also hold heavy return traffic.

    According to the nationwide forecast, these are the best and worst times to drive over the travel period:

    Wednesday, Nov. 26

    • Best: Before 11 a.m. 
    • Worst: Between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. 

    Thursday, Nov. 27

    • Minimal traffic expected.

    Friday, Nov. 28

    • Best: Before 11 a.m. 
    • Worst: Between 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. 

    Saturday, Nov. 29

    • Best: Before 10 a.m. 
    • Worst: From 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. 

    Sunday, Nov. 30

    • Best: Before 11 a.m. 
    • Worst: Between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. 

    Monday, Dec. 1

    • Best: After 8 p.m.
    • Worst: Between noon and 8 p.m. 

    This story was originally published November 26, 2025 at 12:18 PM.

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    Ella Gonzales

    Fort Worth Star-Telegram

    Ella Gonzales is a service journalism reporter for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. She is part of a team of local journalists who answer reader questions and write about life in North Texas. Ella mainly writes about local restaurants and where to find good deals around town.

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  • I-495 Express Lanes extension to open Saturday before holiday rush – WTOP News

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    A major construction project on the Beltway in Virginia is almost complete and set to open this weekend. Construction on the 14-mile extension of the express lanes began in March of 2022 and was supposed to last until the middle of 2026.

    A major construction project on the Capital Beltway in Virginia is almost complete, and the new lanes are set to open this weekend.

    CLICK TO ENLARGE: A map shows the extension. (Courtesy Virginia Department of Transportation)

    Work on the 2.5-mile extension of the existing 14 miles of express lanes on Interstate 495 began in March of 2022 and was supposed to last until the middle of 2026.

    However, the Virginia Department of Transportation said in a news release that the new lanes are expected to open Saturday, ahead of busy Thanksgiving travel.

    “We look forward to start delivering relief and new options to travelers who have faced daily congestion and unreliable travel in this busy section of the Capital Beltway for years,” VDOT Megaprojects Director Michelle Shropshire said.

    The 495 Express Lanes northern extension includes two new express lanes in each direction of I-495 that connect with the existing 14-mile 495 Express Lanes near the Dulles Corridor Interchange and extend north to the George Washington Memorial Parkway before the American Legion Bridge into Maryland.

    The $660 million project has not been without controversy. Some of the neighbors near the construction have long complained that the project doesn’t solves any traffic problems. Others have been upset about rough roads and other construction issues in their neighborhood.

    After the new lanes open Saturday, construction of the new Beltway bridges at Georgetown Pike, as well as other finishing work throughout the corridor, will continue into 2026.

    Another project not yet finished is a shared-use path parallel to the Beltway from Lewinsville Road to near Live Oak Drive.

    VDOT said the new lanes will work just like under the other express lanes in Virginia. Travel on the lanes is free for high-occupant vehicles, HOV, with three or more people. Everyone else will pay fees based on traffic conditions.

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    Kyle Cooper

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