Americans are holding on to their travel dollars this Labor Day holiday weekend in order to avoid the stress and hassle of traveling on the nation’s roads. Congress’s lack of a long-term funding strategy has created the perception that U.S. residents are better off staying closer to home.
The U.S. Travel Association said that its study found 8.7% of the predicated Labor Day travelers will take shorter trips and stay in the places they are visiting for fewer days because of problems with the nation's infrastructure. The decrease in highway travel will cost the U.S. economy $1.4 billion according to the report.
The AAA auto club predicts that 35.5 million U.S. residents will travel at least 50 miles away from over the Labor Day holiday weekend. The U.S. Travel Association said in a statement that number could have been as high as 39 million if Congress passes a long-term highway funding bill.
The current infrastructure funding is set to expire on Oct. 29.
