As families gear up for Independence Day this year, not everyone will be hitting the road. AAA is predicting fewer Americans than last year will travel to celebrate July 4 due to a shorter holiday weekend and the impact of sequestration.

In Maryland, the forecasted decline is even larger, with residents expected to travel shorter distances than last year (506 miles round-trip in 2013, compared to 645 in 2012) and less than the national average of 613 miles. The financial impact is tangible. AAA Mid-Atlantic predicts Marylanders will spend an average of $718 on Independence Day travel, a 25 percent decline from $962 in 2012.

Dr. Memo Diriker, director of Salisbury University’s Business, Economic and Community Outreach Network (BEACON) is available to speak with reporters about the causes of that decline and how it may affect the economy in Maryland and beyond.

To schedule an interview, call the SU Public Relations Office at 410-543-6030 or e-mail [email protected].