After spending the holiday weekend soaking up the sun and enjoying beach-side meals, there’s one last hurdle you have to cross before heading home from the Hamptons - the traffic! Whether you’re a local, a weekend warrior or a full-time resident, navigating the post-holiday traffic can be a challenge.
Peak Hours
Leaving early in the morning is your best bet for avoiding the long lines of cars trying to make their way back westward. So if you want to avoid getting stuck in a gridlock with other weekenders, it’s best to start heading back early Monday morning (ideally before 10 a.m.).
The peak hours for traffic on Monday are typically from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., which is why it’s so important to plan ahead and adjust accordingly so that you’re not stuck on the LIE for hours! Traveling during the peak hours on Monday can be extremely overwhelming, but AAA warns drivers that the worst window for traffic will occur between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.
Tuesday can be a better day to drive back, typically offering lighter traffic than the peak hours on Monday. Avoiding rush hour is crucial if you want to make your journey back home as quickly and safely as possible! The worst of it tends to occur during commute hours, typically between 8 a.m. and noon, so if you’re traveling on Tuesday, try to plan your trip accordingly and avoid these times if possible, leaving after 1 p.m. instead.
What Is Causing All the Delays
Of course, holiday traffic can be horrendous, but it can be hard to anticipate how bad it will be. It can be even harder to anticipate what is causing all the delays and which roads will be hit the hardest. One major contributor to all this congestion is probably pretty obvious - that is, an increase in the number of people on the road. Labor Day traffic is mostly concentrated into just 96 hours, unlike winter holidays which can last for a week or more. At peak times on the major routes, travel times can be up to 50% longer. And that’s not even accounting for the fact that weekend drivers are competing with their regular weekday counterparts.
County Road 39 is the only major road east of the Shinnecock Canal, so westbound traffic funnels onto Sunrise Highway (Route 27). It may be counterintuitive, but in a study conducted by Suffolk County, when the signals on County Route 39 were set to flashing, about 80% of the measured delay was on Sunrise Highway, not the county road. You may think it’s just a short trip westbound from Flying Point Road to Sunrise Highway Exit 63, but the reality is, on a completely normal day - it still takes an hour and five minutes in the evening peak.
LIE HOV Lane
The HOV lane on the Long Island Expressway is designated for high occupancy vehicles, including those with two or more people, as well as buses and motorcycles. Remember, however, that this lane is only restricted during peak times, usually from 6-10 a.m. and 3-8 p.m. on weekdays, and open to all traffic at other times. The Clean Pass program that allowed solo drivers in hybrid or electric vehicles to use the LIE HOV lane ended on October 1, 2025. Breaking the occupancy rule can get you a $150 ticket, so make sure you only use it if you qualify.
Construction is less of a factor this weekend: New York State announced that they will suspend temporary construction lane closures on state highways starting at 6 a.m. Friday, September 4, to minimize disruptions and help drivers travel more smoothly over Labor Day Weekend. The ban on lane closures will be lifted at 6 a.m. on Tuesday, September 8. And some construction may continue behind permanent concrete barriers or for emergency repairs.
Both state and local law enforcement agencies are beefing up their presence on the roads this Labor Day weekend, adding patrols and sobriety checkpoints to catch those who are driving impaired. The national ”Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign runs through Monday, September 7. Please note that as of March 2024, the New York Move Over Law has been expanded to include any vehicle that is stopped on the side of the road. This means that when you approach a stopped vehicle, whether it is an emergency vehicle or not, you must slow down and move over.
You can download the State’s free 511NY mobile app or visit the 511NY website for up-to-date travel information or call 511. The 511NY app shows 2,219 traffic cameras, and its Drive mode gives voice alerts about accidents or other incidents along your route.
No one wants to spend their holiday weekend sitting in traffic, especially after what should have been an enjoyable weekend in the Hamptons. Whether you’re leaving early Monday morning before the rush hour starts or setting out Tuesday afternoon after the worst of the traffic has passed, try to avoid driving at peak times if possible and make use of travel tools like 511NY. Good luck and safe travels!
