Sonoma County residents gear up for holiday travel on more crowded roadways

Those taking to planes, trains, automobiles and other means of transportation for the Thanksgiving holiday should be prepared for crowds as folks look to head out of town given the tremendous progress made against the coronavirus pandemic.

If you’re hitting the road, you will be far from alone. It’s estimated 53.4 million U.S. residents will travel this week, which is an increase of 13% from last year when more Americans stayed home with no vaccine available and much higher COVID-19 rates across the country, said Sergio Avila, spokesperson for AAA Northern California.

In California, slightly more than 7 million people are expected to travel, a 14% increase from 2020, but still 3% below Thanksgiving of 2019, Avila added.

“It’s definitely a huge jump from last year,” he said, adding about 90% of travelers will be driving to their destination.

Those drivers also will be paying more at the pump as gas was on average $4.70 per gallon in state. “California has essentially set a record for the last month as gas prices continue to go up,” he said. “What we’re really looking at is the price of crude oil.”

For those looking to save a few bucks, the Santa Rosa Costco station had gas at $4.35 per gallon for its members, according to the GasBuddy website.

While many will be making short trips to visit friends and family, some will be exploring outside the greater Bay Area, Avila said. The motorist group tracks hotel bookings on its website and found Northern Californians’ top three destinations this month were Las Vegas, Anaheim and Los Angeles.

“Going south is the trend,” he said.

The CHP will have more officers out on the roads this week as part of its “maximum enforcement period” looking for speeders and drunk and distracted drivers, said Officer Marcus Hawkins, spokesman for the Sonoma County unit.

The patrol advises motorists who are in minor crashes or with a flat fire to pull off highways to receive help, Hawkins said.

“We do not like stopping on the shoulders,” he said. “We do not like writing traffic citations on the shoulders.”

Charles M. Schulz-Sonoma County Airport also will be busy. Last month, it reached its top passenger month of 56,477. However, in November its daily departure schedule shrunk by five to 14 as a result of winter seasonal cutbacks by carriers, said Jon Stout, airport manager.

“We shouldn’t have the crush as some of the other Bay Area airports,” he said.

Even so, he added that Schulz passengers should still allow themselves 15 to 20 minutes to check baggage and receive their tickets and another 15 minutes to get through security lines as the airport is undergoing a renovation.

Parking was still available as of Tuesday afternoon with the airport’s long-term parking lot A at almost 90% capacity and its long-term lot B at 70% capacity, he added.

The SMART train will not be running on Thursday and will be on its limited weekend service on Friday. There is currently no Sunday service for the passenger train that runs from near the Sonoma County airport to Larkspur.

With four downtown shopping districts along its line — Santa Rosa, Petaluma, Novato and San Rafael — the train service pitches itself as way to explore those areas without the hassles of parking a car, said spokesman Matt Stevens.

“We’re at all the key downtown places,” he said.

No matter the mode of transportation, local health officials said Tuesday residents fully vaccinated against COVID-19 should travel with caution this Thanksgiving weekend, while those who are not vaccinated should stay home.

Officials said vaccinated individuals should make sure they have the proper documents required by some destinations, airlines and events to prove their vaccination and testing status.

Local health officials are hoping to avoid the same holiday-related spike in cases that led to a deadly winter last year.

The most recent COVID-19 data shows virus transmission is leveling off in Sonoma County, but health experts agree that could change following upcoming holiday gatherings.

“Throughout the pandemic, we have seen cases spike around holidays as people gather to celebrate with loved ones,” Sonoma County Health Officer Dr. Sundari Mase said in a statement. “Let’s start the holiday season on the right foot by staying safe this Thanksgiving.”

Staff Writer Martin Espinoza contributed to this report. You can reach Staff Writer Bill Swindell at 707-521-5223 or bill.swindell@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @BillSwindell.