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Throng Getting Out Of Town, Hitting Beaches At Home For Memorial Day Weekend

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Roads were packed Friday afternoon as the annual Memorial Day getaway got under way.

AAA projects some 38 million people will travel 50 miles or more over the holiday weekend -- about 700,000 more than last year and the most since 2005. Eighty-nine percent of travelers are expected to go by car.

Memorial Day Weekend Extras: Traffic | Forecast | Travel Resources

And as CBS2's Tracee Carrasco reported, it doesn't matter where you're going or what road you should choose. Anywhere, you're likely to see red brake lights and heavy traffic.

In the middle of the afternoon, Chopper 2 showed the Staten Island Expressway and the Cheesequake Rest Stop along the Garden State Parkway were both jam packed.

There were also long lines at the pumps as people fueled up and took advantage of cheap gas prices – the lowest Memorial Day gas prices in 11 years, according to AAA. The low gas prices are just one reason that this weekend is setting up to be the second busiest travel period since 2005.

"We sold a record number of new vehicles last year -- more than 17 1/2 million," said AAA spokesman Robert Sinclair, "and with cheap gas, lots of new vehicles on the road. People want to use them."

AAA recommends that if you are one of the 38 million people traveling this weekend, it is best not to be on the road during peak times. Early morning is best.

AAA also recommends not driving overnight.

"If you're accustomed of being asleep during those hours, there's a nasty little phenomenon of micro-sleep where you fall asleep for two or three or four seconds," Sinclair said. "A lot of bad things can happen in that time."

To make the ride smoother, Gov. Andrew Cuomo ordered road and bridge construction projects on New York State highways to be suspended through Tuesday.

Police officers will be out in force on the lookout for distracted and drunken driving. The Port Authority announced there will be a DWI checkpoint on the Staten Island side of the Outerbridge Crossing.

More: One-Tank Weekend Getaways | Last-Minute Trips

Meanwhile, approximately 2.6 million people plan to fly.

The Transportation Security Administration is urging travelers to arrive at the airport two hours early for a domestic flight and three hours early for international flights.

Long lines at security checkpoints have been plaguing airports across the nation since early spring. The agency has been grappling with screener shortages that it hopes to rectify by June, when hundreds more full-time security screeners are expected to be added.

NJ TRANSIT, Metro-North and the Long Island Rail Road are providing additional service early in the afternoon to help customers get a jump on their weekend.

Memorial Day Service: NJ TRANSIT | Metro-North | LIRR

The LIRR's Cannonball Express to the Hamptons also begins service Friday. It leaves Penn Station Fridays at 4:06 p.m. with stops in the Hamptons and Montauk through September 2. It returns Sunday evenings, and unless you board early, you can expect to stand all the way, WCBS 880's Mike Xirinachs reported.

Joshua Crandall, creator of the Clever Commute app, said traditionally on three-day weekends, lines at the ticket window begin to build around 1 p.m. on Friday. So if you didn't get a chance to buy your ticket in the morning, it might be a good idea leaving a little later than the getaway crowd.

"The traditional evening commute around 5 o'clock is generally good if not really good, because a lot of people have cleared out by then," he told WCBS 880's Fran Schneidau.

Meanwhile, many New Yorkers have decided that the best Memorial Day vacation is a city staycation, CBS2's Dave Carlin reported.

"There's nowhere else like New York," said Michael Williams, of Midtown, who was at Coney Island on Friday. "New York is the one and only."

For Brooklyn's Kayla Cerulli, the beach, boardwalk and amusement parks of Coney Island are the only place to kick off beach season.

"I've been coming here since I was younger, so it brings out that nostalgia," she said.

"It goes on and on and on and on," said Brooklyn native Samantha Ransom. "You know what I'm saying? You just be jammin' all day."

Coney Island gives local residents sun and fun, good and games without very far to travel.

Barbara Rondon brought her 10-year-old son, E.J. Nieves, directly from his last class of the day to the beach, still in his school uniform.

"It's the start of summer," Barbara said. "I plan to spend a lot of time on Coney Island."

Heading to Coney? Bring some sunscreen, a big appetite and enough guts to brave the thrill rides.

"I grew up close by, so I always come here," one woman said. "It's always getting better and better, and there's no reason to go anywhere else."

For those planning a staycation, the MTA is adding extra service to New York City beaches, which officially open Saturday morning. Lifeguards will be on duty daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the city's eight public beaches.Swimming is strictly prohibited at all other times. Beaches will remain open through Labor Day weekend.

The weather looks promising for the weekend.

Warm holiday weekend, but not 100% dry! More... http://cbsloc.al/1iGnplZ

Posted by CBS New York on Friday, May 27, 2016

Saturday and Sunday will be hot and humid with a mix of sun and clouds. Monday will be mainly cloudy, not as warm, but still humid with a couple of showers and a thunderstorm possible in some areas.

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