Published: July 03, 2009 10:58 pm      

TRAVEL: Holiday traffic doesn’t have to be a hassle

The line of cars and other vehicles snaked down the I-190 for miles on Wednesday night.

The wait to cross the Lewiston-Queenston Bridge from the United States into Canada, at one point in mid-evening, was more than two hours. Border officials said the crush was the result of the Canada Day holiday.

“The traffic was very heavy on Wednesday,” said Supervisory Officer Gregory Bennett of U.S. Customs and Border Patrol. “But we got through it.”

Now customs officers and travelers have to get through this July 4 holiday weekend. Border officers say they are expecting lots of traffic and probably some delays at the Niagara region’s border crossings.

“We’ll have every available (inspection) lane staffed,” Bennett said. “People just need to have their documents out and ready to show the officer.”

Bennett said most local cross border travelers have adjusted to the new requirements of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative. The initiative, which took full effect on June 1, requires all travelers, including U.S. and Canadian citizens, to present documentary proof of citizenship.

Acceptable documents include a passport, U.S. Passport Card, trusted traveler card (NEXUS, SENTRI or FAST) or an Enhanced Drivers License. Children under the age of 16 can present an original or copy of their birth certificate.

“People are getting the message,” Bennett said. “The compliance rate (for using required documents) has been high.”

Customs and Border Protection officials suggested that travelers could use last year’s July 4 holiday delay times as a guide to avoid the heaviest bridge traffic.

The most significant delays last Independence Day weekend occurred the day after the holiday.

The Lewiston-Queenston Bridge registered wait times exceeding one hour between noon and 7 p.m., while the Rainbow Bridge registered wait times exceeding one hour between the hours of 1 and 4 p.m.

The Peace Bridge registered wait times exceeding one hour between the hours of 5 to 8 p.m.

While the international bridges are expected to be busy, AAA is projecting the number of Americans traveling on vacation for the Fourth of July will decrease about 1.9 percent from 2008.

The projected decline in travel is mainly due to ongoing uncertainty about the strength of the economy, AAA said. Also, the recent rise in gasoline prices may be causing some travelers to limit holiday plans, although its impact on overall vacation costs remains minimal, AAA said.

About 2.27 million people in New York will travel, with 1.9 million driving and 142,000 who anticipate flying to their destination. The drop in those traveling could lead to some great deals for customers.

“Many Americans remain cautious about the outlook for their personal finances,” said Jim Lehman, senior vice president, AAA East Central. “These attitudes are reflected in the slight decline in travel we are forecasting for the upcoming holiday weekend,” he said. “Those who do vacation this summer will find unprecedented discounts and special offers.”

Although air travel makes up 5 percent of holiday travel, the industry nationwide is expected to see a 4.9 percent increase in leisure travel bookings this holiday, due to declining airfares and pent-up demand from those who have not taken a trip by air in some time. Bevi Powell, AAA East Central communication director, said New York state could see similar numbers this weekend.

“Air travel is expected to be up 5.1 percent, which is pretty consistent with what we see nationally,” Powell said.

According to AAA, airfares over the July 4 weekend are expected to decrease about 16 percent from last year, as air passengers will pay as little as $169 per trip on average. From February through June 2009, the lowest fares have been less than during the same time frame in 2008.

“There are some great airfare deals, so more people are electing to travel by air,” Powell said.

AAA is projecting a 2.6 percent decline in automobile trips — to 32.6 million in 2009 , down from 33.4 million last year . New York will see about a 2 percent decrease in car trips, Powell said. Gasoline prices are up substantially since May, with an average price of $2.80, but are still much lower than the $4 a gallon prices of last year.

Reporter Joe Olenick contributed to this story.