Millions expected to hit the road this Labor Weekend; residents discuss what they’re seeing in the Lowcountry

JASPER COUNTY, S.C. (WTOC) - Millions of people are expected to hit the road this Labor Day weekend, as they celebrate their last hurrah for the summer.

A significant portion of those people may be traveling by air to reach their holiday destination. Still, we can’t forget about the thousands of people who will be traveling on roads like Interstate 95 in Jasper County.

WTOC caught up with a few of those drivers about what they have seen on the roadways and their message to drivers this Labor Day weekend.

One driver WTOC spoke with was traveling from New York to Florida and stopped in Hardeeville to get gas.

“It’s been all right considering all the construction that is going on,” Hector Gonzalez said. “They figured it out pretty good, so things are moving along.”

While another traveler we spoke with is traveling from Savannah to Beaufort and she saw the opposite and asks that drivers be patient.

“It seems busier than last year,” Nakia Newton said. “It’s heavy, bumper-to-bumper traffic.

This year, Triple A says these are the best times to travel:

• Thursday, Aug. 28: Before 1 p.m.
• Friday, Aug. 29: Before 12 p.m.
• Saturday, Aug. 30: 6 a.m.–10 a.m.
• Sunday, Aug. 31: Before 11 a.m.
• Monday, Sept. 1 (Labor Day): Before 12 p.m.

While they say these are the worst times to travel:

• Thursday, Aug. 28: 1 p.m.–8 p.m.
• Friday, Aug. 29: 12 p.m.–8 p.m.
• Saturday, Aug. 30: 10 a.m.–6 p.m.
• Sunday, Aug. 31: 12 p.m.–5 p.m.
• Monday, Sept. 1 (Labor Day): 1 p.m.–4 p.m.

Even though more people are expected on the roads, there is some relief at the gas pump.

Just in the state of South Carolina alone, the average for a gallon of gas is $2.84, which is 16 cents lower than last year and 40 cents lower than the national average.

This holiday weekend will also see an increase in law enforcement.

The Jasper County Sheriff’s Office, Hampton County Sheriff’s Office, and several agencies from South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia will be partnering together for the annual Hands Across the Border campaign.

They will set up safety checkpoints to remove impaired drivers from the roadways throughout the weekend.