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'Leave Early Saturday Morning' AAA Offers Travel Tips For Memorial Day Weekend

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Drivers on the interstates today know exactly what they're doing.

"We're getting a jump start on the traffic," said Bob Martin as he took a break at the Oakmont rest area on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. "It's pretty nice to avoid that crush, with less stress."

Others on the road today agree.

Stephanie Newton as she and her family headed out of Kalamazoo early this morning.

"We home school and the girls just got done with dance and we get to headed out," she said. "Hit the road ahead of everyone else in public schools? Hopefully."

By late Thursday the plan was working nicely, "So far knock on wood it's been pretty good," said one woman.

But as the sun rises on Friday the full blown rush will be on.

AAA recommends avoiding the morning and afternoon rush hours.

"Try to travel in the middle of the day if you can that's probably your best bet. Or you can leave Saturday early in the morning," AAA Spokesman James Garrity says.

"The top three calls we're expecting, dead batteries, flat tires, and lockouts," Garrity added.

As you probably expect Pennsylvania State Police will step up their highway safety enforcement Friday and continue around the clock through Monday.

The good news gas prices are expected to hold steady or even drop. In the Pittsburgh area expect to pay $3.05 to $3.09 for regular unleaded.

But as you head South and East the prices will drop in many cases well below three dollars a gallon.

If you don't want to miss your flight out of Pittsburgh International to start your vacation here are the times to expect long security lines.

5:00 a.m.-8:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m. on Friday are expected to be peak hours.

It might also be crowded on Saturday morning.

The airport recommends arriving at least two hours early during those times and an hour and a half early at all other times.

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