Pontiac Repair: 97 Grand Am GT Tapping, valve lifter, pontiac grand am

Question
I have a Pontiac Grand Am GT 2.4L 4 cylinder. A couple weeks ago it started tapping. I had a mechanic listen to and he agreed with me that it was most likely a valve/lifter. It has gotten worse recently and in a couple weeks I need to drive from Pennsylvania to Colorado. Is this something I should fix before I make the long drive?

Answer
If it is getting considerably louder that quickly then it would cause enough concern for me to have it repaired. Extended running at highway speeds can be hard on a motor and a failure on the road is something that will not only cost you more time and aggrivation, but it may cost more money because you are from out of town.