This year, more Philadelphians celebrating the 4th at home

STOP THE fireworks and hold the barbecues.

For the first time in nearly a decade, fewer people in the Philadelphia area are predicted to hit the road this Fourth of July weekend than did the previous year due to high gas prices, increases in the price of food and other expenses, authorities say.

Last year, 41 million Americans traveled 50 miles or more on Independence Day. This year AAA predicts that the number will drop to 40.4 million. Pennsylvanians rank sixth among expected travelers during the holiday, according to AAA.

About 13 percent of Philly-area residents are projected to travel 50 miles or more from home this weekend, AAA said Monday. That's a decrease of 1.6 percent from last year.

"People are not traveling as often or as far," said Catherine L. Rossi, manager of public and government affairs for AAA Mid-Atlantic. "It's gas prices in particular and the economy in general that are holding people back."

The Fourth of July is the second most travel-heavy holiday (Thanksgiving is first), with 85 percent of travelers using cars, Rossi said. But many may stay closer to home this weekend because of the strained economy.

"Generally speaking, people have Fourth of July traditions that they adhere to," Rossi said. "It may be a family barbecue - this year it may be a barbecue in the back yard."

As of Monday night, the average price of gas in the Philadelphia area was at $4.15 per gallon. Earlier this summer, predictions of low traveling numbers for the Memorial Day weekend prompted some hotels to offer free gas cards.

If drivers want to stay close to home, the area offers plenty of options, said Ed Grose, executive director of the Greater Philadelphia Hotel Association.

"If you have not vacationed in Philadelphia in the last five to 10 years, there are a lot of new attractions in the city," he said, mentioning the Constitution Center, the Independence Visitor Center, two newer stadiums, Once Upon a Nation, Franklin Square and the Kimmel Center.

Some motorists are declaring independence from oil this July 4 by boycotting gas and encouraging others not to drive.

Last year, drivers attempted a national "gas out" on May 15, around the time that gas prices were peaking at about $3 a gallon. The media labeled the protest unsuccessful after most service-station operators reported normal or near-normal sales.

Rome wasn't built in a day - and Rossi said that if motorists hoped to get prices down, they would have to change their gas-consumption habits for an extended amount of time, not just for a weekend.

To immediately start saving money on gas this holiday, AAA suggests that motorists drive the speed limit instead of speeding. Using cruise control and coasting to red lights instead of suddenly stopping also helps increase fuel efficency, as does fully inflating one's tires.