SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Sunday is anticipated to be the peak day for return travel in San Diego, with more than 54 million people traveling over the holiday weekend, according to AAA.
AAA recommends hitting the road before noon on Sunday for the best travel times, while cautioning that the worst time to drive will be from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
The Interstate 15 South from Palm Springs is expected to be the busiest highway for San Diego residents heading home on Sunday. AAA estimates that congestion will reach its peak by 4:45 p.m., leading to a 2.5-hour wait time in traffic, adding to overall travel times.
AAA also said that the average gas price on Saturday is approximately $5.05 per gallon.
Contrary to the expected Sunday rush, Saturday saw smooth traffic flow with no major reported jams, according to the California Department of Transportation. The automated traffic system from Caltrans indicated clear conditions on both Interstate 805 and 163 highways for most of Saturday.
However, high wind advisories were in effect on Interstate 5 for San Diego travelers passing through the grapevine in Los Angeles. Another high wind advisory applied to the Interstate 8 for those traveling through Alpine. Both advisories warned campers with camp tops to be mindful while driving on these interstates Saturday.
At the San Ysidro border, morning wait times to cross into the U.S. started off light. By just after noon, some travelers, such as Chad Tulik returning from Mexico, reported record travel times.
"Last week, it took three hours, and today I just came over in 45 minutes," Tulik said.
Larry Magic Pinnick was another traveler who crossed the border to attend a wedding in Mexico on Saturday night.
"For me it's always been hectic, It usually takes me 2-3 hours to get across," Pinnick said. "It's just hard for me because I don't have a SENTRI pass. So I have to wait in the lines, which I don't mind. Hopefully everybody is in a good spirit and a good mood."
