Thanksgiving holiday traffic expected to rebound in Ohio after pandemic low

COLUMBUS – Roads are expected to be busy as millions travel for the Thanksgiving holiday.

AAA is predicting the highest single-year increase in Thanksgiving travel since 2005, with nearly 2.2 million Ohioans traveling between Wednesday, November 24 and Sunday November 28. Nearly 90% of these travelers will be driving to their destinations.

Roadways are expected to be the most congested on Wednesday and Sunday in the afternoon and evening.

Due the extra holiday traffic, the Ohio Department of Transportation will suspend roadwork and open as many lanes as possible. However, work zones on I-75 in Toledo, Dayton, and Cincinnati, I-70 in Springfield and Zanesville, I-70/71 in downtown Columbus, and I-76 and I-77 in Akron are among those where drivers could encounter delays. Drivers are asked to pay extra attention while driving through work zones and allow additional time to reach your destination.

ODOT will also use more than 130 digital message boards to reinforce safe driving behaviors like driving sober, buckling up, obeying the speed limit, and dropping distractions.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol is reminding motorists to buckle up, never drive impaired, and always follow traffic laws. Last year during the Thanksgiving holiday reporting period, there were 11 fatal crashes that killed 11 people on Ohio roadways. Five of those fatalities were the result of impaired driving, and four were unbuckled when a seatbelt was available. Troopers will have an increased presence on roadways.