The Drive: Thanksgiving drivers can expect lots of company

This Thanksgiving Day, motorists going to see friends and family have a big reason to be thankful: Gas prices are at a five-year low.

Falling oil prices have translated to relief at the pump, with most filling stations selling a gallon of gasoline for well under the $3.28 we paid last year. That, along with an improving economy, might be the reason 41.3 million folks will drive 50 miles or more from home during the holiday weekend, AAA says. The weekend officially runs Wednesday through Sunday.

The biggest crush on the roads will come Wednesday afternoon, then taper down as the weekend rolls along. Traffic volumes often are lower on Thanksgiving Day, but that does not mean you won't hit a snarl or two. Sunday will also see lots of traffic as people return to the city. Monday can be busy, with the return of people who stretch the weekend an extra day. Friday is usually a light day on the roads, except near shopping centers swelling with Black Friday crowds.

Regardless, AAA says there will be more cars on the roads than last year. Vehicle traffic is expected to be at its highest volume since 2007. So picking the right time to leave might be more important than the route you choose. And remember, alternate routes are just a different way to get there. They don't always save time.

With most road construction suspended for the holiday, motoring should be good unless Mother Nature whips up one of her snowstorms. If so, the Minnesota Department of Transportation's website (511mn.org) offers information on conditions and closures. Wisconsin (www.511.wis.gov) does the same.

Joining us on the roads will be officers watching for drunken drivers. Starting Wednesday, extra patrols will focus on the 25 Minnesota counties that have recorded the highest number of deaths and serious injuries in alcohol-related crashes over the past year. (For the record, the top five are Hennepin, Anoka, Ramsey, St. Louis and Dakota counties.) Enforcement will be expanded statewide on weekends starting Friday through the end of the year.

Parking spots at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport should be plentiful because the weekend tends to see more leisure travelers than business travelers, said Patrick Hogan, airport spokesman.

Of course, not everybody will be leaving town, and not everybody will be driving. Metro Transit buses and light-rail trains will operate on the weekend/holiday schedule on Thursday. On Friday most routes will follow a weekend schedule because demand is expected to be lower. An upside is that non-rush-hour fares will be charged all day. Northstar trains won't run Thursday and will have a reduced schedule on Friday.