Holiday travel is underway Friday, with a flurry of activity expected on the roads and skies to jump start the weekend, something that could be impacted by the rain and snow arriving in the region.
It's no coincidence that people are jumping at the opportunity to get out of the frigid northeast temperatures just as some of the coldest air of the year arrives in New England.
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Airport officials say Boston Logan has seen a record number of passengers this year, and they expect to see that on full display through the New Year.
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AAA is predicting 119.3 million people will travel 50 miles or more from home over the year-end holiday period that starts Saturday and ends Wednesday, Jan. 1. To put that into perspective, less than 80 million Americans traveled over the Thanksgiving holiday.
Lines were forming at Boston Logan Airport before 4:30 a.m. Friday, something people said they were surprised to see.
"I've flown out of this airport probably 50 times and I've never seen people like this," one passenger said.
"Oh yeah, it's packed here," another traveler added.
While the airport will be packed, nearly 90% of holiday travelers will be driving to their destinations, though the Massachusetts Department of Transportation says this region should not see the bulk of that traffic.
MassDOT officials are reminding travelers to plan ahead, however, and are taking several steps to ensure safe and efficient travel on roadways.
"To make your journey easier, scheduled construction on major roadways will pause on the morning of the 24th and until the 26th and again from the 31st through January 2 for New Years," said Jonathan Gulliver, MassDOT highway administrator.
MassDOT is also extending the HOV lane on Interstate 90 between Boston and Quincy, deploying it earlier on Friday, as well as Dec. 26 and Dec. 27.
The Sumner Tunnel swing lane will not be deployed on Dec. 25, and Jan. 1, with normal deployment resuming at 5:00 a.m. the following morning.
MassDOT is encouraging travelers to make an extra effort to be courteous on the roads, report any reckless driving to law enforcement and minimize distractions by turning off or putting away cell phones.
"We're simply going to have more troopers out on patrol, and we will be watching for violations of the electronic handheld device law which is very clear," Col. Geoffrey Noble, with the Massachusetts State Police, said. "Bottom line, leave your phones out of your hands while you're driving."
For anyone planning to fly, the Massachusetts Port Authority suggests travelers allow extra time to get to Boston Logan Airport and through security. Massport is expecting increased passengers at the airport around the holiday weekend and says extra staff will be on hand to help passengers and families who may need assistance.
Massport recommends those traveling arrive two hours early for domestic flights and three hours early for international. Passengers are also encouraged to take public transit or HOV modes such as the Logan Express or MBTA. And lastly, people traveling for the holidays are encouraged to check the TSA website for a full list of items that can and cannot be taken onboard planes, including holiday food items and wrapped gifts.
