AAA: More Than 1.48 Million From Michigan To Travel For July 4

DEARBORN (WWJ/AP) - AAA says it expects more than 1.48 million people from Michigan to travel at least 50 miles from home for the July 4th weekend.

The auto club says Thursday it's a 3.3 percent increase from the number of people from the state who traveled during last year's holiday travel period. AAA says the last time the Michigan travel volume for Independence Day weekend was higher was 15 years ago.

The vast majority of those travelers — about 1.3 million — will go by car. Nearly 65,000 will travel by air. Others will go by train, bus or boat.

"This Independence Day will be historic," said Vicky Evans, Assistant Vice President, Travel Sales Development for AAA. "Traveler numbers are up and prices are down, adding to what has already been a bustling summer travel season."

Evans said the biggest factors driving growth are low gas prices, strong employment, rising incomes, and higher consumer confidence, "but overall Michiganders just love to travel, and want to do something fun for this mid-summer tradition."

The Independence Day holiday travel period this year is defined as June 30 to July 4. With July 4 falling on a Tuesday, some workers will get a four-day weekend.

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© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.