The latest measure of Labor Day travel finds we will hit the road this time around, and those low gas prices are a major factor.

(Kevork Djansezian, Getty Images)
(Kevork Djansezian, Getty Images)
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Gas prices were averaging $2.19 per gallon in New Jersey on Monday, with many stations in the state selling regular gasoline at about $2 or less per gallon. Tracy Noble of AAA Mid-Atlantic says according to a recent survey, more than one million New Jerseyans are expected to take a trip 50 miles or more from home this Labor Day weekend.

"It is only slightly up. It's about .2 percent over the last year. Almost 870,000 Garden Staters will drive somewhere. People are still trying to get in that last road trip before the back-to-school starts, and summer comes to an end," Nobe said.

The AAA survey also found that lower pump prices helped people acorss the country to hit the road.

"They are certainly enjoying the prices that they are finding at the pump.  New Jersey's average is $2.19 per gallon, and that compares to $3.25 just one year ago," Noble said.  "So that certainly comes into play."

Approximately 56 percent of those who responded to the AAA survey indicated that they did take a vacation this summer, while 44 percent said that they did not.

Almost 36,000 of us will be driving to a backyard barbecue or the shore this Labor Day.

"For the Labor Day holiday, we actually did a AAA Mid-Atlantic kind of an informal poll of residents in our territory, which  represents New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and DC. And we found that a lot of folks are not going to be laboring on this Labor Day." Noble said. "They are going to be going to cookouts, with families and friends, relaxing.  Some people will be catching up on things at home, maybe home repairs that were put off till the end of the summer."

She said their survey also found that 63 percent of those that are traveling will be staying one night or more at their destination, and 35 percent will only be taking day trips. Noble says as the season comes to an end, 15 percent will be heading to the beach to catch their final summer waves, "so we are expecting the shore region to be a little bit crowded this weekend."

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