Idling in Memorial Day Traffic Can Cost A Gallon an Hour

CONCORD, N.H.--May 2, 20046, 2004--Last year over a million vehicles traveled New Hampshire highways over the Memorial Day Weekend according to the NH Department of Transportation. Despite high gas prices, approximately the same number of vehicles are expected to hit Granite State roads again this year.

Travelers will likely face traffic jams at some point during their journey as a result of sections of highway like I-93 in Salem and Londonderry that were originally designed to handle tens of thousands of cars a day rather than the hundreds of thousands traveling north and south over the long Memorial Day Weekend.

According to the American Automobile Association, an idling car can consume up to a gallon of gas an hour. At current gas prices, more than $1 million in gas would be wasted if only half the vehicles expected to travel through New Hampshire get stuck in traffic for an hour.

A Safer Road to Tomorrow, a group comprised of leading public and private safety, transportation, construction, law enforcement and business organizations in New Hampshire, urges travelers this weekend to plan your travel accordingly so that you can enjoy a safe and stress-free ride.

More information about A Safer Road to Tomorrow may be obtained on the group's web site at www.saferoadsNH.com. To set up an interview with A Safer Road to Tomorrow spokesperson, contact Tammy Annis at 603-226-3000.