 70.9 million U.S. travelers are heading 50 miles or more to enjoy Independence Day festivities this week. That's a 5% increase over last year and over 5.5 million more than before the pandemic. About 60.6 million are going by car, with the worst traffic on Wednesday and Sunday. GasBuddy.com is reporting the national average for a gallon of gas on the 4th is expected to be around $3.49.