America at 250 road trip

America is hitting the road for the Fourth, though not with quite the same wild abandon as recent years.

Why it matters: The Fourth of July arrives right when we need it, halfway through the year, when everyone could use a pause, a plate of something grilled and a reason to look up at the sky. It is one of the few traditions Americans of every stripe still manage to keep together. For a day, we are united by fireworks, potato salad and sunscreen.

By the numbers:

• AAA projects 72.2 million people will travel at least 50 miles from home between Saturday, June 27, and Sunday, July 5.
• That would beat last year’s record of 71.8 million travelers, though the increase is more of a nudge than a surge.
• Driving and flying are expected to be roughly flat from last year. The growth is coming from cruises, trains and buses.

What to watch: INRIX, the transportation data firm, says the second weekend of the holiday stretch will be the busiest on the roads, starting Thursday, July 2.

For anyone heading west through Houston, the worst congestion is expected July 5 at 1 p.m., when travel times could run 71% higher than usual.

RedEye’s advice: Use Waze to look for roads that run parallel to I-10, especially if you are coming home from Alabama or Florida beaches at peak return times. The table below should be a useful planning tool.

Worst and best times to travel by car,
with the worst time listed first