Congestion, delays and gridlock as the Thanksgiving eve travel rush begins

The Thanksgiving travel rush is on

FOX 5's Tisha Lewis is on the roads one of the busiest travel days of the year.

WASHINGTON - Thanksgiving holiday travelers in Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia are gearing up for gridlock and delays as one of the busiest travel days of the year begins.

Crowds at DC’s Union Station for Thanksgiving travel rush

FOX 5’s Bob Barnard was at D.C.’s Union Station Wednesday talking with travelers who were hitting the rails ahead of Thanksgiving.

According to AAA, over a million motorists will hit D.C. area roads Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving, with even more travelers crowding area airports, bus terminals and train stations.

Major roadways like Interstate-95, 495 and 270 typically experience the heaviest traffic delays in the area on the day before Thanksgiving.

MDOT tracks the highways during the Thanksgiving travel rush

FOX 5’s Melanie Alnwick visited the MDOT operation center during the Thanksgiving travel rush.

When and where are the worst times to drive in the D.C. region Wednesday? Here’s the breakdown from AAA:

Interstate-495 (Inner Loop) 3:30 p.m.
Interstate-495 (Outer Loop) 4:45 p.m.
Interstate-95 (North) 3:30 p.m.
Interstate-95 (South) 3:30 p.m.
Interstate-270 (North) 4:15 p.m.
Interstate-270 (South) 6:15 p.m.
Route 50 (East) 4:30 p.m.

Thanksgiving travel rush begins early in the DMV

FOX 5’s Melanie Alnwick takes a looks at the Thanksgiving travel rush in the DMV.

Scattered rain showers and heavy winds are expected in our area today – so keep an eye on your flights in and out of the D.C. area. Rain and a wintry mix over the weekend could lead to delays for travelers making their way back home on Sunday.