Best and worst traffic times around Portland for July Fourth

Data: INRIX; Chart: Sami Sparber/Axios

This will be the busiest July 4 week for travel around Portland since at least 2019, AAA predicts.

Why it matters: The right departure time could save you hours in traffic.

The big picture: The worst July 4 holiday traffic is expected to start Thursday, according to INRIX, a transportation data firm that works with AAA to calculate travel times.

State of play: To avoid the heaviest traffic, leave early in the day or consider driving on Monday or Tuesday, per INRIX.

By the numbers: AAA expects 72.2 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles for Independence Day between Saturday, June 27, and Sunday, July 5.

That's up from 71.8 million travelers last year but a smaller jump than in recent years.

Zoom in: The biggest bottleneck around Portland is expected between Portland and Hood River on I-84 heading east around 2:30pm Thursday.

AAA predicts that trip will take an hour and 32 minutes, a 67% increase in travel time.

The bottom line: Many other typical routes in and out of town will be jammed, too, so plan accordingly.