Nearly 600,000 Oklahomans Head Out for the Holiday Weekend

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK-- Thousands of Oklahomans head out for the Thanksgiving Holiday, some by air, others by car.

"This is going be one wild turkey of a Thanksgiving," said Chuck Mai, a AAA spokesman, "more people driving over this Thanksgiving, than any Thanksgiving in the last five years."

Mai estimates 580,000 Oklahomans will travel out of town for the holiday weekend, this is up 1% from last year.  He says about 49,000 Oklahomans will fly to their final destination, but the rest will drive.

"With so many people on the road," said Mai, "we need to increase our level of attention."

Travelers heading south on I-35 saw heavy congestion late Wednesday afternoon, as many Oklahoma families left the metro.

"Traffic was okay, until I got here in Oklahoma City, road construction, traffic jam, rush hour," said Randy Bright, a traveler driving through from Missouri, "so a little slow going."

With crowded roadways expected from late Wednesday through Thursday morning, all travelers are advised to give themselves extra time to reach their final destination, even if they're just driving to the airport.

"You have to allow for parking time, which we are extremely busy in our parking facilities," said Mark Kranenburg, Director of WIll Rogers World Airport, "and possibly lines at the ticket counter."

Traffic at Will Rogers World Airport has been steady leading up to the Thanksgiving Holiday, officials say instead of a huge rush on Wednesday before Thanksgiving travelers have come through sporadically since last Saturday.  Despite less crowds, travelers are still advised to arrive at the airport 90-minutes prior to departure.
Nearly 600,000 Oklahomans Head Out for the Holiday Weekend

Posted: Wednesday, November 21 2012, 09:44 PM CST