“Fourth of July weekend is one of the busiest travel times of the summer,” said Jonathan Gulliver, the Highway Administrator at the Massachusetts Department of Transportation. “MassDOT encourages travelers to plan ahead, expect delays, and drive safely to make sure everyone enjoys the holiday weekend.”
In order to avoid congestion on the roads, AAA generally recommends drivers to travel in the morning to avoid the worst anticipated traffic in the afternoons.
AAA said Route 3 will likely be one of the busiest routes in Massachusetts, so be prepared for backups there.
In an effort to encourage drivers to plan ahead, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation created its own travel forecast for the upcoming holiday weekend.
“The heaviest traffic is expected on Wednesday, July 2, and Thursday, July 3, with delays extending into the evening,” MassDOT officials said in a statement.
“On Friday, July 4, travelers are advised to avoid mid-day and afternoon travel due to expected peak congestion. Saturday, July 5, and Sunday, July 6, are also expected to see heavier traffic throughout the day, especially in the morning and afternoon hours,” the statement continued.
MassDOT officials said the I-93 Boston-Quincy HOV lane will deploy early for the holiday, opening at 2 p.m. on Wednesday and 1 p.m. on Thursday. The HOV lane will not be deployed on Friday, and will return to its regular schedule on Monday, officials said.
MBTA officials are also reminding the public that subway, ferry, commuter rail and RIDE trips will be free after 8:30 p.m. on July 4, and passengers can purchase the MBTA’s special $10 Holiday Pass for unlimited travel throughout the day.
The Red, Orange, Blue, and Green Lines will operate on a modified Saturday schedule with increased service after 3 p.m., T officials said.
All bus routes and the Silver Line will operate on a Sunday schedule; all commuter rail lines will operate on a weekend schedule; and all RIDE services will operate a Sunday schedule, officials said.
The last MBTA trains on July 4 are scheduled to leave North Station and South Station between 11:30 p.m. and midnight, but if the fireworks are delayed, they’ll leave up to 30 minutes after the end the of the fireworks, officials said.
Emily Sweeney can be reached at emily.sweeney@globe.com. Follow her @emilysweeney and on Instagram @emilysweeney22.
