Wednesday busiest day on the roads

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Nearly 50 percent of Texans say they'll be traveling this Thanksgiving holiday. Of those people, 92 percent say they'll be traveling by car.

That means drivers can expect heavy traffic on the roads.

During a time of traditions, one thing holds true every year the day before Thanksgiving.

"Expect lots of cars!" says Texas Department of Transportation public information officer Chris Bishop.

The Wednesday before Thanksgiving is the busiest day for traveling when it comes to the roads. The congestion really picks up in the afternoon, and it continues on and off for a few days. In the Austin area, travelers know Interstate Highway 35 tends to be a traffic headache.

"Interstate 35 is already starting to pile up a little bit going north.," says Johnny Slawinski, a delivery truck driver who was out Wednesday.  
    
Hitting the road early seemed to help drivers avoid the worst of it.

"I was really worried about how traffic could get in Austin,"  Andrew Previc says, "but it's been really just a breeze. We stopped for gas and now we're going to be on our way, heading home."
    
Previc is heading home to San Antonio from Dallas.

TxDOT says construction zones within that stretch of interstate won't be active, but to still plan for changes.

"Between, say, Temple and Waco, is where we have the construction on Interstate 35," says Bishop, "there may not be anything going on, but there's barricades and lane shifts, and lanes may be narrowed."

Bishop says this year more Thanksgiving travelers are expected to take State Highway 130, now that the toll road extends to San Antonio.

"We anticipate traffic there is going to uptick as well," Bishop says.  

"It's just great, if you like looking at the scenery," says Slawinski, "But, you've got to look fast! That's all I can say!"

Not everyone is sold on the 85 mile per hour speed limit.

"I've just kind of avoided it. I know it takes, what, about $10 I think to do that? I'd just rather wait in traffic," says Previc.

Even after you've filled up on turkey and all the food is gone, don't expect the traffic to be just as quickly.

TxDOT says many people will still be heading out Thursday morning, and Sunday is traditionally a close second behind Wednesday.