Stuck in traffic? Welcome to the new norm

Stuck in traffic? Get used to it, some transportation observers say.

"It's the new normal," AAA New York spokesman Robert Sinclair Jr. said.

Traffic volume has been up overall — a trend that was identified nationally months ago and is expected to grow even worse in the coming months, Sinclair said.

Locally, New York Thruway vehicle miles increased by 1 percent on the Tappan Zee Bridge, nearly 4 percent in Yonkers and more than 3 percent in Spring Valley during the first quarter compared to the same period last year, the latest toll plaza data in Westchester and Rockland counties show. The second and third quarter is only expected to get worse as more vehicles hit the road.

"We're into the peak driving season," Sinclair said.

The first, colossal girder put in place on new Tappan Zee Bridge

PHOTOS: Boat tours offer a up-close view of new Tappan Zee Bridge construction

As schools let out, more families will hit the road, likely exacerbating traffic conditions. Ninety percent of Americans who vacation in the summer will do so by motor vehicle. That, coupled with busy vehicle sales and low gas prices, will likely continue to fuel traffic jams.

"There's a lot of new vehicles on the road," Sinclair said. "This trend is likely to continue."

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Other factors also may play a role. Some drivers anecdotally reported being stuck in traffic on the Tappan Zee bridge this week — which could have been a result of motorists wanting to take a look at the new bridge going up. Crews operating the 'I Lift NY' crane placed the first girder on the bridge Wednesday.

This week's traffic data for the Tappan Zee Bridge is not yet available.

"While construction is making visible progress on the river, there is no evidence of significant traffic delays due to rubbernecking," Dan Weiller, Thruway spokesman, said. "As always, we encourage drivers to keep their eyes on the road at all times."

Anyone interested in viewing construction should use the webcams at NewNYBridge.com, he said.

"The project team has also helped establish a safe construction viewing platform along the Tarrytown shoreline and another is due to open this summer at Nyack Memorial Park," Weiller said.

AAA recommends drivers prepare for possible delays by using their GPS or phone app to reroute their trip based on real-time traffic data or use their printed road atlas to find alternate routes.

What are your favorite cut-throughs to avoid traffic in the lower Hudson Valley? Tell us at lohud.com, on Twitter (@lohud) or post on lohud's Facebook page.

Here are some traffic detour suggestions:

•Southbound Hutchinson Parkway is notorious for heavy traffic delays. To avoid parkway traffic, try this local route: From Westchester Avenue, turn west onto Bryant Avenue; south on North Street; southwest on Ridgeway; south on Old Mamaroneck Avenue, which turns into Secor Road; southwest on Heathcote Bypass, which turns into Weaver Street; south on Stratton Road; south on Pinebrook Boulevard; and then merge onto southbound lanes of the Hutchinson Parkway.

•In Rockland County, if traffic is particularly heavy on the thruway, many locals looking to cross over to Westchester County drive east on Route 59 instead, turning north on Route 303 to get back on the thruway by Interchange 12. Motorists also are able to use local roads to get on the Thruway by Interchange 10 at South Broadway in South Nyack but due to construction, that entrance is sometimes closed to traffic.