4th of July travelers expected to snarl Southern California traffic this week

If you're hitting the road this holiday week, get ready for that bumper-to-bumper traffic.

A record 3.5 million people are expected to hit the roads in Southern California for the 4th of July this week, according to the Auto Club. That's a 3.9% increase compared to last year.

And heads up if you're looking to head out early, traffic is expected to be especially heavy this Wednesday afternoon.

The Auto Club says holiday traffic will peak between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on July 3.

You can expect travel times to triple at those peak times.

Over 75% of travelers in California are expected to travel by car to their destinations, according to the Auto Club.

RELATED: California has highest gas tax in the nation with new hike

And with the statewide gas tax hike that went into effect Monday, they'll all be paying more at the pump.

The average price for gasoline statewide now is just over $4 a gallon.