With the Labor Day holiday weekend bringing more travelers to the highways, motorists are seeing some relief at the gas pump and on the interstates.
The annual Labor Day travel forecast from Gas Buddy, the website monitoring fuel prices, predicts the average price of gas will continue a recent downward trend. Their anticipated national average of $3.27 per gallon of unleaded on Labor day is the lowest in three years, down 13% from last year.
That $.50 nationwide drop is projected to save American motorists a combined $750 million over the four-day travel period.
In the Tri-County area, the AAA gas prices website shows the Peoria-Pekin market with an average price of $3.63, down about $.07 from last week and more than $.30 lower than a year ago.
On the roadways, the Illinois Department of Transportation will reopen some lanes that have been closed for construction, beginning Friday afternoon and lasting through Monday night.
“But we still want to remind motorists that there is a lot of construction going on (in) different places throughout the state, and to drive slow even if nobody is in the work zone,” said IDOT public information officer Paul Wappel. “You still have to obey the posted speed limit and be safe.”
In total, Wappel says nine emergency closures will be lifted through the long weekend. A list of what closures and reductions are staying in place is available on the IDOT website.
Additionally, extra police will be on the roads to help curb drunk driving over the holiday. Wappel says 200 extra Illinois State Police will be patrolling the highways.
“Getting a DUI, it's 100% avoidable. If you're going to drink, make plans to have a sober driver; give the keys to somebody else. So, you can have a good time but we don't want you out on the roads where you can injure yourself or kill someone or yourself,” Wappel said.
He says IDOT data shows there were 11 fatal crashes last Labor Day weekend. Of those, three were alcohol-related and resulted in six deaths.
