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The best and worst times to drive in Mass. this Memorial Day weekend
Editor's Note: This is an excerpt from WBUR's daily morning newsletter, WBUR Today. If you like what you read and want it in your inbox, sign up here.
It's okay if you spent this past weekend mourning the Celtics' crushing loss to the New York Knicks. But there's plenty more on the horizon for you, Boston — including a long weekend right around the corner.
Planning to travel this Memorial Day? Once again, AAA is expecting record travel in Massachusetts over Memorial Day weekend. The company predicts 973,000 people will travel by car to their long weekend getaways in the state. That's 28,000 more than Memorial Day weekend 2024 — a notable uptick despite recent economic uncertainty, AAA Northeast spokesperson Mark Schieldrop said. "We are seeing impacts on international travel and business travel," said Schieldrop. "But when it comes to leisure travel, there does seem to be a little bit of resistance to that trend. This is a week that folks are gonna travel, regardless of what's going on with the economy."
- What to know: Expect congestion on the roads. According to travel data from INRIX, AAA estimates traffic will be up 123% in Boston, peaking on Monday, May 26, on I-93N around noon. (To avoid the worst of it, you'd be wise to start driving home before 2 p.m. Monday.) Mornings are the best times to be on the road, according to AAA. Head out before noon on Thursday, before 11 a.m. on Friday, before noon on Saturday and before 1 p.m. on Sunday.
- Beware: Summer is construction season in New England, "but particularly in Massachusetts and Rhode Island," said Schieldrop. "So not only are you gonna be dealing with higher volumes on the road, you're gonna be dealing with some work zones out there.” He suggests accounting for the possibility of road closures and construction by giving yourself extra travel time.
- Good news: Gas prices are down more than 50 cents since last Memorial Day — an average of $2.99 per gallon statewide. "That's pretty unheard of for this time of year, when we go back over the last decade or so," said Schieldrop. He expects prices to stay low throughout the summer, unless economic forecasts in the U.S. turn around.
Looking for lifeguards: The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation is looking for strong swimmers who'd like to spend the summer working as a lifeguard or swim instructor for the state. Shawn DeRosa, DCR's director of pools and waterfront safety, says both gigs are great skill-builders for anyone 16 or older. "They'll learn crisis management, conflict resolution, communication skills, and experience managing others," DeRosa told WBUR's Amy Sokolow.
- Let's talk money: Pay begins at $22 an hour, according to DCR. Lifeguards and swim instructors can also earn up to $750 in bonuses.
- Speaking of swimming: Boston is offering free swimming lessons to children at local pools, Boys and Girls Clubs and YMCAs for the third summer in a row. This year, they're expanding the program so more kids can have an opportunity to learn. The program is part of a larger campaign, "Swim Safe Boston," that also provides people with safe swimming tips and resources. Since its inception in 2023, the initiative has provided free swim lessons to 8,100 kids, according to the city.
Back to work: A former Framingham pastor may return to public ministry after he was cleared of allegations of sexual abuse by the Archdiocese of Boston over the weekend. Monsignor Francis Strahan was the pastor at St. Bridget Parish in Framingham, but had been on administrative leave since 2019, after the archdiocese received an allegation he had abused a minor in 2006. The Middlesex District Attorney’s Office declined to pursue the case in 2023; but it wasn't until recently that the archdiocese completed its own canonical investigation and found all allegations were unsubstantiated. Strahan is now over 90 years old.
Heads up: Orange Line service between North Station and Oak Grove resumes today, so it's goodbye for now to those shuttle buses.
P.S. — Go on a cheese-arranging Field Trip with us tonight at CitySpace! Learn to make a tasty grazing board with Life. Love. Cheese that you'll be able to take home at the end of the event. Grab your tickets here.
