Best times for L.A. drivers to avoid Labor Day traffic gridlock

If you’re revving up the engine to get a jump-start on your holiday weekend, you’re already too late. Travelers should have hit L.A.’s freeways before noon Friday to avoid big traffic, and the worst will come between 5 and 6 p.m. this evening. Best time to flee? Saturday morning.

That’s the advice from INRIX traffic information that says New York, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., in that order, will be the most congested areas of the nation over Labor Day weekend.”Those leaving [L.A.] on Saturday should leave between 9-10 a.m.,” a company statement says.

Interstate 5 is projected to be the most congested route in California. Disneylandarea traffic will be worst from 1 p.m. until late evening Saturday, and travelers heading to Santa Barbara and Ojai on the 101 Freeway can expect the most cars around 2 p.m. Saturday.

The Auto Club of Southern California says almost 4 million people in the state are expected to travel over the holiday weekend, a number that’s up 3.4% over last year. Of that figure, almost 3 million will be driving; 1.85 million of those will be Southern California drivers.

Nationwide, more than 33 million people are expected to travel at least 50 miles from home between Thursday and Monday, an Auto Club statement says.

Top destinations for Southern California travelers are San Diego, Las Vegas, the Central Coast from Santa Barbara to Monterey, San Francisco and the Grand Canyon, a survey of the club’s travel agents predicts. The club also says gas prices will be higher than any prior Labor Day weekend, with averages well above $4 a gallon.

Happy traveling!