Heading into the winter holidays, Massachusetts residents and travelers should prepare for some of the most jam-packed holiday travel since 2019, state transportation authorities warned Monday.
“The theme of the next couple of weeks is have a lot of patience,” said State Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver at a holiday travel press conference. “Leave a lot of extra time and plan ahead regardless of where you’re going or your mode of travel.”
Officials from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, MBTA and State Police gathered in the Highway Operations Center out of the torrential rain Monday to offer information on holiday travel and urge residents to travel safely.
Nationwide, 115 million people are expected to travel more than 50 miles from Dec. 23 to Jan. 1, according to AAA projections, an increase from last year and following 2019 as the second busiest holiday travel period since 2000.
Airports alone are expected to be the busiest they have ever been over the holidays in the U.S., with 7.5 million flyers, AAA predicted. Buses, trains and other driving alternatives are also expected to hit an all-time high at 4 million.
“Regardless of your mode, the ultimate goal that we have here is to make sure that everybody arrives at their destination safely,” Gulliver said.
We’re cautiously optimistic about a slight reduction in fatal and serious injury crashes reported this year so far,” said Eric Bernstein, lieutenant with the State Police on traffic programs. “We hope to continue that downward trend throughout the New Year holiday with your help.
State Police will have extra officers on the highways looking out for “dangerous and impaired drivers,” Berstein said.
Travelers should prepare by checking into flights and arriving at the airport extra early and monitor holiday schedules and advisories on regional transit options’ websites, Gulliver said.
Passengers can also clear up the roads to Logan airport via public transport, with options through the Blue Line, Silver Line and express shuttles from Braintree, Framingham, Peabody and Back Bay.
“I urge all T travelers to check out the MBTA website, www.mbta.com, for schedules and updates to most effectively plan your travel experience, especially on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve, as well as New Year’s Day,” said MBTA COO Ryan Coholan. “You can customize your plans around subway bus, commuter rail, ferry and paratransit to meet your needs.”
Among the key schedule changes, Coholan listed: ferries will be shut down on Christmas Day and New Years; the Charlestown ferry will close at 6 p.m. on New Years Eve; the subway, buses and the Ride will operate on Sunday schedules on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Years; the commuter rail will operate on a weekend schedule of the same holidays; and Charlie Card stores will be closed for most of the holidays.
On New Year’s Eve, the MBTA will go fare free at 8 p.m. and increase subway service after 3 p.m. to support the city’s First Night celebrations.
“We are here to give you the best information and hopefully to help make this holiday season as stress free as possible for everybody. Avoid distractions, always drive sober and make sure that you can make some informed decisions before you head out onto the roadways,” said Gulliver. … “We at MassDOT want to wish everyone a happy and safe holiday season.