SALT LAKE CITY -- Over the river and through the woods, Utahns are planning to hit the road for Thanksgiving.
According to a travel survey conducted by AAA, more than 3.1 million Mountain West residents plan to travel 50 miles or more during the four-day holiday weekend.
AAA Utah spokeswoman Cynthia Harris said the number represents an increase of 4.1 percent from last year.
More than 2.8 million will travel by car, a 12.5 percent increase from last year.
Harris said a poor economy has discouraged many travelers for the past few years, but this year they will be making up for lost time.
"Too many people have forgone holiday family gatherings during the past three years," she said. "But this year, people are choosing to visit family and friends instead of trimming their travel budgets. Traveling for pleasure has been a daunting budgetary task these past few years, but it's not stopping people this year."
Air travel is expected to increase from last year as well, despite a 20 percent jump in fares during the holiday weekend, according to AAA.
During the weekend, the average lowest round-trip rate is projected to be $212 for the top 40 U.S. air routes.
"Holiday travel always brings increased activity at the airport," said Barbara Gann, public relations director at Salt Lake City International Airport. "We anticipate the airport to be busy with travelers as well as those who will be meeting them."
Gann said travelers should arrive at terminals at least 90 minutes before scheduled departure for domestic flights and at least two hours prior for international flights.
According to the Utah Department of Transportation, there will be no construction occurring in the Top of Utah, but there will be some in other parts of the state that could affect travelers.
UDOT spokeswoman Tania Mashburn said Interstate 15 through Utah County will be an active construction zone during Thanksgiving weekend as crews continue to work on the I-15 CORE project.
Drivers can expect narrowed and shifting lanes and new exit locations from Lehi to Spanish Fork.
Delays should be expected for those traveling on I-15 through Utah County.
Mashburn said drivers with time-sensitive travel plans should avoid leaving during peak commute times and should return Sunday morning or on Saturday to avoid delays.
Mashburn said Thanksgiving weekend traffic is typically heaviest on Sunday afternoon and evening.
Travelers can plan ahead by checking UDOT's website for construction and traffic updates.
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