Travel Surge Alert: Officials Urge Caution as Holiday Season Begins – NBC Bay Area

The holiday travel surge is already in progress, with a historic number of individuals taking to the roads and flying.

At SFO on Sunday, domestic passengers glided through check-in and TSA queues ahead of what is predicted to be a record-breaking travel week. Conversely, drivers picking up passengers encountered stop-and-go traffic.

“We’ve avoided the holiday rush,” remarked Phoenix Gudiel, who is traveling to San Diego.

Airlines anticipate the most hectic days to occur right after Christmas and before New Year’s.

Additionally, road journeys may take longer than typical.

According to AAA’s forecast, a historic 107 million individuals will be traveling by road between this weekend and New Year’s Day, which is two million more than the previous year.

Motorists should prepare for significant traffic and slippery roads when the post-Christmas rainfall arrives in the Bay Area.

“The extra travel that we are witnessing and will continue to witness, combined with storms and similar conditions, is set to keep us quite busy,” stated Sargeant Andrew Barclay, a public information officer with the California Highway Patrol Golden Gate Division.

The CHP intends to deploy more officers on the road starting Christmas Eve and continuing through New Year’s Day.

“The most important factor is to plan in advance for any travel; be prepared for it to take longer than anticipated,” Barclay advised.