Massachusetts

Crashes reported across Mass., NH as weather disrupts Thanksgiving travel

The best times to travel are before 11 a.m. Wednesday or before 10 a.m. on Thanksgiving. So, the earlier you hit the road, the better. If not, it's best to wait until Thursday

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This pre-Thanksgiving storminess is going to make the long weekend trip a little rougher on the roads.

Drivers will want to be careful out there Wednesday morning. Give yourself extra time to get where you’re going and extra space between the car in front of you.

The conditions vary depending on where you are.

A speed restriction of 40 mph was put in place on the Massachusetts Turnpike between the New York border and Blandford around 6 a.m. due to wet and sluch-covered roads. The Massachusetts Department of Transportation said it has about 400 pieces fo equipment on the roads.

Numerous crashes have been reported on highways across the state, according to MassDOT.

New Hampshire State Police reported poor road conditions as well, which has caused numerous minor crashes and slide-offs.

Around 8 a.m., a crash involving a tractor-trailer was reported on Interstate 93 in Littleton, New Hampshire, shutting down traffic northbound.

In central Massachusetts, some residents woke up to almost an inch of snow on the ground, followed by rain. Places like southern New Hampshire, it's a slushy, slippery mess.

Today: Rain to showers to afternoon drying - mountain snow tapers. Gusty AM & midday wind. Highs in the 50s south, 40s elsewhere. Overnight Tonight: Steady clearing. Lows around 40. Thanksgiving Day: Sunny with a busy breeze. Highs 45-50. Friday: Sun & clouds. Highs in the 40s.

And that's before you factor in the pre-Thanksgiving traffic.

According to INRIX, the worst times to travel this holiday weekend are between 2 and 6 p.m. Wednesday, 3 p.m. or later Thursday. After the holiday, from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday and between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

And that's led some people to try to leave early to avoid more of a headache on the roads.

"I was trying to beat traffic. It's been OK so far, a lot of rain, but it hasn't been too heavy so far, that's basically the rationale there," said Ranier Robinson, who's driving to Maine.

"I'm not happy with it. I had a lot of driving to do, I had to go into the city to Copley Square and it was a mess, so I'm not happy. I'd rather be home," said Craig Avedikian, who was frustrated with traffic.

Air travel is expected to be busy this Thanksgiving as well.

The best times to travel are before 11 a.m. Wednesday or before 10 a.m. on Thanksgiving. So, the earlier you hit the road, the better. If not, it's best to wait until Thursday.

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