IDAHO SPRINGS, Colo. — Colorado's roads are packed and gas prices are up this Labor Day weekend, with the statewide average hitting $4.26 per gallon.
Laura Whitson, who traveled to Idaho Springs from Iowa with friends for the holiday weekend, said the roads have been anything but quiet.
"Especially in the city, and even coming out here, it's been very busy," Whitson said.
Watch Ethan's report on gas prices and holiday traffic here:
Alan Barker, a Denver resident returning from a trip to Winter Park, agreed.
"I-70 traffic's terrible on a holiday weekend," Barker said.
The statewide average is up from $3.24 a year ago, according to Skyler McKinley, regional director of public affairs for AAA. But McKinley said not all Colorado gas prices are created equally — and where travelers fill up can make a significant difference.
"I just paid, for example, $5.29 per gallon in Routt County. If you're headed to Pitkin County, you're going to pay $5.77. If you're filling up on the I-70 corridor in Summit or Eagle County, you're going to pay probably closer to $4.50," McKinley said.
McKinley said travelers will generally find the lowest prices closer to the Denver metro, where higher population density drives more competition among stations.
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Colorado drivers face record-breaking gas prices this Labor Day weekend
For James Vrtis, who was driving from Nevada to Colorado Springs to visit his son serving in the Air Force, Colorado's prices were actually a relief.
"This is the cheapest state so far. The other states we've been to have been $6, $6.19, so you guys are actually low," Vrtis said.
Travelers shared several strategies for keeping costs down at the pump. Vrtis said he relies on gas apps to find the best prices along his route. Isis Fulton, an Idaho Springs resident, pointed to loyalty programs and driving habits as her go-to tools.
"Having the loyalty programs, that helps a lot. And just not revving on the gas," Fulton said.
Whitson said she made a longer-term change to manage fuel costs.
"I had to switch from a regular gas vehicle to a hybrid van just to kind of get by," Whitson said.
As for the traffic, McKinley said congestion on I-70 heading into the mountains will be heaviest Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Labor Day itself, and the Tuesday after the holiday. His advice for keeping perspective behind the wheel:
"Remember, when you're stuck in traffic, look around. Remind yourself that everybody has had the exact same idea as you. You can't be mad at traffic because you are traffic, right?" McKinley said.
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