22% more Oregonians to travel this Labor Day compared to last year

TROUTDALE, Ore. (KPTV) – Many people will hit the road Friday for one last road trip for the Labor Day weekend, and AAA says 22% more Oregonians will travel this year than last year.

AAA says the west part of the country continues to pay the most for gas. As of Friday morning, the average for a gallon of regular gas in Oregon is $4.74. In Washington, it’s a bit cheaper at $4.70. California and Nevada are higher.

The national average is $3.84, but all of the gas prices continue to drop, down a nickel a gallon from a week ago.

One traveler FOX 12 spoke with at Love’s Travel Stop in Troutdale. He says he’s glad gas is lower, but it’s still too high.

“Yeah, we’re going. It’s expensive but I use GasBuddy app to find the best one where I can, but you have to live,” he said.

In the top 10 for Labor Day destinations, the Pacific Northwest has four of them with Seattle, Central Oregon, the Oregon Coast, and Vancouver British Columbia making the list.

Labor Day isn’t a top travel holiday. It’s typically more about backyard barbecues and get togethers with friends, but that doesn’t mean those who do hit the road will enjoy a traffic-free journey. According to Kayak, reservations for rental cars are up 55% from last year.

AAA expects Thursday afternoon and Monday afternoon to be the heaviest times for traffic.

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