Michigan travelers enjoying their last bit of vacation before driving home may want to pack quickly or wait until dinner to hit the road.
AAA says the worst time to drive on Monday, Sept. 7, will be during the afternoon, from 2-5 p.m.
"Unlike longer holiday periods, Labor Day travel is often concentrated into a shorter window, resulting in significant congestion as holiday travelers mix with normal commuter traffic," AAA said ahead of the holiday weekend. "AAA encourages motorists to depart early, allow extra travel time, and avoid afternoon departures whenever possible."
AAA said more than 72 million Americans traveled for the Fourth of July weekend, and the company was expecting big travel for Labor Day as well.
If you're planning to head home today, you can check travel conditions in a few different ways.
AAA offers an online tool to check traffic conditions across southern Michigan, including traffic cams in the Grand Rapids, Flint and Detroit regions.
The Michigan Department of Transportation's MiDrive map shows construction, traffic incidents and traffic cameras throughout the state.
The Michigan Department of Transportation opened up travel lanes in work zones at 3 p.m. Friday, Sept. 4, and will leave lanes open until 6 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 8, on 91 of 156 projects statewide.
MDOT posted a lengthy list of projects that still have lane restrictions in place.
If you're traveling from the Upper Peninsula, expect extra traffic because the Mackinac Bridge is closed until noon for the annual bridge walk, which will lead to a surge of traffic once it reopens.
When you fill up before heading home, AAA says the average price on Sept. 7 is $4.02 per gallon for regular unleaded. The highest prices are generally in the Upper Peninsula (the Marquette area is $4) and northern Michigan.
Gas Buddy tracks fuel prices by station if you're looking for the best deal.
Gas is nearly $1 per gallon more than a year ago.
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Heading home after Labor Day? When to avoid the highway