AAA Projects Increase in Labor Day Travel in Va.

More Virginians are expected to travel this Labor Day weekend, reaching a new post-recession high for the state.

AAA Mid-Atlantic says that the number of people taking a trip at least 50 miles away from home is anticipated to increase about 2 percent this year.

That's nearly 950,000 Virginians traveling during the Thursday through Monday holiday weekend.

This year's numbers are a more than 9 percent increase since the end of the recession in 2009.

The majority of Virginians are expected to travel by car. And AAA anticipates the price tag for this year's travel to increase nearly $120 to an average of $946.

Gas prices have brought a welcome relief to motorists. Prices in Virginia are down about 7 percent per gallon compared with the same time last year.