Traffic, gas prices expected to increase during Memorial Day weekend

VALLEY VILLAGE, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- For many people in Southern California, the upcoming holiday weekend means plenty of fun getaways, but actually getting to that destination might not be as enjoyable.

The average price for regular unleaded gas in the Los Angeles and Long Beach areas this weekend is $3.76 per gallon, according to AAA, up nearly 70 cents from last year at this time.

You can thank higher oil prices for that spike, but fuel costs aren't the only issue facing vacationers looking to head out of town. That dreaded traffic also promises to be heavier than usual, especially between 3:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.

"The reason for that is you're going to have a lot of folks who are hitting the roads for the long holiday weekend mixing in with the commuters who are just trying to get home from work," AAA Senior Public Affairs Specialist Doug Shupe. "The advice? Please give yourself plenty of time to get to that destination and to get through this traffic. We know the 101, the 405 and the 5 are all going to be very congested this afternoon."

Once travelers overcome these bumps in the road, they are likely heading to Las Vegas, San Diego and Santa Barbara, according to AAA, with San Francisco and Yosemite rounding out the list of most popular destinations.

For those who are flying, there's some good news. LAX has postponed the construction that is currently underway there in an attempt to alleviate traffic around the airport.