Commuters on Interstate 5 this week may have noticed a significant uptick in traffic over the past few days.
California Highway Patrol officials said that they’re expecting more traffic on the I-5 this week as motorists travel for the Thanksgiving holiday.
CHP has designated the period between 6 p.m. Tuesday to Sunday at midnight as a Holiday Enforcement Period, or a period of increased presence on the road in the midst of higher travel activity.
The holiday weekend also overlaps with one of CHP’s Maximum Enforcement Periods this year, said Officer Carlos Burgos-Lopez, a spokesman for the CHP’s Newhall-area Office.
“During the HAPs and MAPs … we usually have higher amounts of motorists on the road, so that’s what we try to focus on, making sure everyone is safe,” Burgos-Lopez said.
The Automobile Club of Southern California warned drivers in a news release last week that it projected local residents would be traveling in record-breaking numbers during the Thanksgiving holiday period.
“(Auto Club) projects 6.78 million local residents will travel 50 miles or more from home during the Thanksgiving holiday travel period, marking a 2.8% increase over last year and setting a new record for this holiday,” according to the release.
Out of those 6.78 million travelers, 5.88 million of them are expected to be traveling by car, according to the release, a 2.7% increase over Auto Club’s 2024 car travel numbers.
Burgos-Lopez said CHP officers will be focusing on DUIs and assisting disabled motorists, and that motorists should keep the expected holiday travel conditions in mind.
“Just be aware that it’s obviously a travel time of the year for Thanksgiving and Christmas. They’re going to come across a lot more traffic than expected,” Burgos-Lopez said.
Officer Erik Larsen with CHP Traffic Management confirmed that there were no wind advisories, upcoming California Department of Transportation closures or rain expected in the Santa Clarita Valley corridor during the Thanksgiving travel period.
