Thanksgiving week travel: The best, worst times to drive in Mass. and the most congested highway

BOSTON — If you’re hoping for some carefree travel over the Thanksgiving holiday, your dreams may have bitten off more than they can chew.

AAA projects a record 71.7 million people will travel by car over Thanksgiving – that’s an additional 1.3 million travelers on the road compared to last year.

MassDOT Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver urged Bay Staters to plan ahead and prepare for traffic delays if hitting the roads this week, especially the afternoons of Monday through Wednesday. He encouraged drivers to travel during morning hours if possible.

Gulliver also warned of heavy traffic on Sunday, Dec. 1, when families return home at the end of the holiday weekends.

“MassDOT is forecasting increased traffic volumes throughout the week with the heaviest outbound traffic expected in the afternoons of Monday through Wednesday,” Gulliver said in a statement. “We also expect returning volumes to be heavier on Sunday, Dec. 1. We encourage travelers to make their trips outside of peak hours and drive safely.”

In an effort to mitigate congestion, Gulliver said there will be no scheduled construction work on major arterial roadways outside of established work zones from Tuesday through 5 a.m. on Monday, Dec. 2.

The High Occupancy Vehicle lane on Interstate 93 between Boston and Quincy will extend its afternoon hours by opening from 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday and from 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday. It will be closed on Thanksgiving and Black Friday.

INRIX, a provider of transportation data and insights, pinpointed the best and worst times to travel by car throughout the week.

Best travel times:

• Tuesday, Nov. 26, before 10 a.m.
• Wednesday, Nov. 27, before 10 a.m.
• Thursday, Nov. 28, minimal traffic impact expected
• Friday, Nov. 29, after 1 p.m.
• Saturday, Nov. 30, before 1 p.m.
• Sunday, Dec. 1, before 1 p.m.
• Monday, Dec. 2, before 8 a.m. and after 7 p.m.

Worst travel times:

• Tuesday, Nov. 26, 1:00 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• Wednesday, Nov. 27, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
• Thursday, Nov. 28, minimal traffic impact expected
• Friday, Nov. 29, 7 a.m. to 10 a.m.
• Saturday, Nov. 30, 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
• Sunday, Dec. 1, 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.
• Monday, Dec. 2, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

INRIX is also predicting that the northbound side of Interstate 95 from Boston to Portsmouth will reach peak congestion at 3:45 p.m. Tuesday, with an estimated travel time of more than 2 hours and 35 minutes.

The expected traffic jam will mark a 117% increase compared to a typical Tuesday commute, according to INRIX.

Rainy weather could snarl traffic even more on Tuesday. A storm on Thanksgiving is expected to bring snow, rain, and a wintry mix to New England.

MassDOT asked travelers to make an extra effort to be courteous on the roads and report to law enforcement any reckless driving.

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