Memorial Day travel forecast to hit 10-year high

The busiest Memorial Day travel season in a decade is set to kick off, according to AAA Travel.

AAA projects more than 37 million motorists will hit the road this weekend on a trip spanning at least 50 miles. Nearly 1.5 million Ohioans are included in that estimate, the travel agency said in a Thursday release.

If the travel forecast plays out as expected, this would be the highest travel volume for Memorial Day weekend since 2005.

Gas prices are cooperating this year, too: The cost of fuel in Cincinnati is about 87 cents cheaper in a year-over-year comparison, according to AAA .

The average, per-gallon price of unleaded fuel Thursday in Cincinnati was $2.78, according to GasBuddy.com. The lowest available price was $2.52 at the Costco at 9691 Waterstone Blvd.

More than 33 million motorists are expected to drive all the way to their final destination. That marks a more than five-percent increase over 2014, AAA said.

"After the winter we had, and with lower gas prices compared to last year, consumer optimism is higher," AAA Corporate Public Affairs Manager Cheryl Parker said in the Thursday release. "Many people are more than ready for a holiday road trip."