WBUR TODAY: The best day to drive this week

 

❤️ Donate Monday, December 22, 2025 ☀️ Sunny, with a high of 32.  Good Morning Boston, The Patriots officially clinched their first playoff appearance in four years with last night's fourth-quarter comeback win against the Baltimore Ravens. (In case you went to bed early, you can watch the highlights here). Oh how fun it is to drive: After what was predicted to be record-breaking Thanksgiving, Fourth of July and Memorial Day weekends, AAA is expecting us to break another travel record over the end-of-year holiday season. "We're starting to sound like a broken record here," AAA Northeast spokesperson Mark Schieldrop told WBUR's Cici Yongshi Yu. ( Same, Mark.) Over the final two weeks of 2025, more than 2 million road trips are expected to go through Massachusetts, according to AAA. If you're worried about traffic bogging down your holidays, here's when they suggests hitting the road: The best day to drive: Wednesday. "Christmas Eve is a fantastic day to travel," Schieldrop said. This Monday and Tuesday are also expected to be relatively light traffic days. " Most people are already situated on those days," Schieldrop said. Worst day to drive: Friday. "A lot of people get out of Dodge the day after Christmas," Schieldrop said. AAA expects roads will be most congested between 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. that day. Saturday and Sunday should be busy as well, but not as bad as Friday, Schieldrop added. If you can stick it out: The roads should open up a bit more beginning Monday, Dec. 29.  Wait a little longer and Schieldrop says you'll see "really ideal travel conditions" on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. Heads up: It's the last day of the two-week downtown Green Line closure. MBTA officials said last week that they're on track to wrap up work on schedule and resume regular service tomorrow morning. Inside look: Crews have been working to replace wooden beams dating back to the 1800s and installing safety equipment. MassLive went inside the Green Line tunnel for a unique look at the project. Up next: The MBTA announced Friday that it isn't planning any major closures this coming January — but there will be a few weekend diversions coming to the Red Line, Orange Line and Blue Line. PSA: Fire officials in Boston are urging locals to keep a close eye on their holiday decorations. Nearly 47,000 fires occur during the winter holidays, according to the U.S. Fire Administration, causing death, injuries and $554 million in property damage every year. Preparedness can save lives, Boston Fire Commissioner Paul Burke told WBUR's Eve Zuckoff. Here are his tips to avoid a Clark Griswold-esque scene: Christmas trees: Water it daily and keep it at least 3 feet from heat sources like radiators, fireplaces and space heaters. (As this video from the students at Worcester Polytechnic Institute shows, a dry tree can go up in a blaze fast.) Holiday lights: Examine your extension cords and holiday lights for signs of damage. "Frayed electric cords should be disposed of," Burke said. P.S.— MassDOT has announced the winners of its annual "Name a Snowplow" contest, with "KPop Snow Hunter," "Flake Maye" and "Sleet Caroline" among the winning monikers submitted by students across the state. View the full list here. Hanna Ali Associate Producer, Newsletters The Rundown Your next primary care doctor could be online only with an AI partner The primary care provider shortage is a national problem, and it’s particularly acute in Massachusetts. Some medical groups, including the state’s largest hospital network, Mass General Brigham, are turning to AI for help. A program called Care Connect pairs AI with virtual-only physicians. It may not be optimal care for all patients will be available statewide in February. Read more. Wu and Mamdani campaigned hard on free transit. But it's tough to deliver on Mayor Michelle Wu was able to create three fare-free bus routes during her first term. But the money for the program is running out, and the long-term sustainability of the program is uncertain. Read more. Lingering effects of tariffs have put Boston coffee sellers in a grind Local coffee businesses are trying different things to reduce the sticker shock for coffee lovers. Some have switched up blends with coffee from lower cost countries. Others have increased the costs of other goods instead. Read more. CBS News chief Bari Weiss pulls '60 Minutes' story, sparking outcry CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss pulled a 60 Minutes segment on allegations of abuses at an El Salvador detention center where the Trump administration sent hundreds of Venezuelan migrants. Read more. Vance refuses to set red lines over bigotry at Turning Point USA's convention Vice President JD Vance acknowledged the controversies that dominated the Turning Point conference, but he did not define any boundaries for the conservative movement besides patriotism. Read more. Anything Else? "Terrains of Independence," a new Boston Public Library exhibit featuring maps of Boston from around the American Revolution, gives visitors a glimpse into how the city's landscape made the region a powder keg for revolutionary ideas. Don't write off gifting a candle this holiday season — this simple present has more layers than you might think. With the holidays come a slew of scams, from fake delivery notifications to travel deals that are just too good to be true. Here are some tips to help you stay safe from common seasonal scams. What We're Reading 📚 The Mass. board of medicine is meant to protect the public. Instead, it has increasingly protected neglectful doctors. (The Boston Globe) Mattapan trolley project remains far behind its projected timeline (The Dorchester Reporter) Move Aside, Snowflake: 'Theater Kid' is the New Go-To Political Insult (The New York Times) Food for Thought 6 Boston writers share their go-to bars, cafes and restaurants Local eateries have literally and figuratively fueled generations of Boston academics, journalists, novelists and poets. So, we asked some of these writers to tell us where they typically go for a coffee, a meal, a conversation, or a moment of peace. Read more. Play: WBUR's daily mini crossword. Can you keep your streak going? Before you go: Art from the heart. 😎 Forward to a friend. They can sign up here. 🔎 Explore WBUR's Field Guide stories, events and more. 📣 Give us your feedback: newsletters@wbur.org 📧 Get more WBUR stories sent to your inbox. Check out all of our newsletter offerings.               Interested in learning more about corporate sponsorship? Click here. 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