MILWAUKEE — Travelers at Milwaukee's Intermodal Station share their tips for navigating one of the busiest travel times of the year.
Watch: Travelers at Milwaukee Intermodal Station share tips for Thanksgiving travel
The hustle and bustle of holiday travel has already started at Milwaukee's Intermodal Station as travelers take on the Thanksgiving rush.
Tens of millions of Americans are expected to travel for Thanksgiving this week, with AAA projecting about 82 million people will travel at least 50 miles from home between now and December 1st.
That's a new record, surpassing last year's forecast by an additional 1.6 million travelers.
Even though the government shutdown ended and flights are operating normally, some pre-travel anxieties have lingered for passengers.
"I don't travel a ton around Thanksgiving, so I was getting extra pre-anxious about all of it, and if we wanted to consider ditching the airports and trying something new," Megan Wahman said.
Wahman is traveling from Minneapolis to Chicago for the holiday.
Marquette student John Farr, who is heading home for Thanksgiving, said the recent uncertainty affected travel plans for many families.
"I have friends who live out in LA, and their parents were saying, if the government didn't reopen in time, they weren't going to come back for Thanksgiving," Farr said.
Both Wahman and Farr are taking the train out of convenience to Chicago to meet their families for the holiday. Randall Rodgers has different plans - he's going to Chicago for a flight to Aruba to celebrate an anniversary with his wife.
"We plan to get there early. Like I said, our flight leaves at four or five in the morning. I plan to be at the airport by midnight," Rodgers said.
The travelers say being prepared and patient is key for busy travel days.
"If you're catching a plane, train, bus, or a boat, prepare to board early and be there early in case anything comes up," Rodgers said.
Wahman emphasized the importance of kindness during stressful travel times.
"Be kind to everybody who's working there, especially in the airports. I think everything that was going on, and if there are delays that are out of their control, it's not the people who are working there's fault," Wahman said.
According to AAA, about 1.65 million Wisconsinites will travel at least 50 miles from home this holiday. Peak travel times are anticipated between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. Wednesday (Nov. 26), 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. Friday (Nov. 28), 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday (Nov. 29) and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday (Nov. 30).
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation says most highway projects are winding down for the 2025 construction season. WisDOT highway projects in the Milwaukee area that could impact travelers include:
- Milwaukee County: I-94, between 70th Street and Zablocki Drive, remains open to at least two lanes in each direction. Motorists can expect various ramp closures along the corridor. Expect slower traffic in this area.
- Milwaukee County: I-41, between Burleigh Street and Good Hope Road, remains open to at least two lanes in each direction. Motorists can also expect various ramp closures along the corridor. Expect slower traffic in this area.
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