Labor Day Weekend Travel: Here's What To Expect In WA

SEATTLE — The last summer holiday is here, and thousands of Washingtonians are hitting the road to take advantage of what is forecast to be a sunny Labor Day weekend. The Washington State Department of Transportation is sharing its annual list of travel tips for the occasion, including the traffic volume charts, which show the best and worst times to head out the door based on pre-pandemic trends.

While it's a three-day weekend for most people, traffic congestion started to build Thursday on some popular routes, like Interstate 5 between Lacey and Tacoma. Southbound travelers should have an easier go of things by Monday afternoon, while daily northbound could continue into Tuesday, with a few windows of relief.

Check out the Labor Day travel charts for Interstate 5.

On Interstate 90 over Snoqualmie Pass, heavier eastbound congestion was projected to hold off Thursday before picking up late Friday morning. Traffic should pick up again Saturday morning before leveling off in the early afternoon and staying calmer through the extended weekend. For westbound trips, WSDOT expects delays will be elevated Sunday and peak throughout Monday.

Check out the Labor Day travel charts for Interstate 90.

Drivers will catch a break on roadwork, with most highway construction suspended through the long weekend to reduce traffic impacts. WSDOT asks drivers to watch out for lane shifts or work staging areas that remain in place.

For drivers whose itineraries include the State Route 520 bridge, State Route 99 tunnel or Interstate 405 express toll lanes, weekend toll rates will stay in effect through Monday, and the express toll lanes will be free to all drivers.

For those catching a flight, the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport projects a 10 percent increase in holiday passengers this year, matching about 90 percent of typical pre-pandemic volumes. Port officials expected Friday would the busiest day at the airport, when 155,000 people were projected to pass through. Thursday was likely to be the second-busiest, followed by Labor Day.

Residents utilizing a ferry to get to their destination should prepare for longer vehicle waits across the board. WSDOT expects westbound trips will have elevated wait times Thursday through Saturday, while eastbound volumes will peak Sunday through Tuesday.

Here are a few resources for drivers, from WSDOT:

• Get informed about WSDOT's online tools, including the WSDOT mobile app, traffic cameras and email alerts.
• Visit online traveler information for traffic, weather, ferry schedules and a real-time travel map.
• Follow WSDOT on social media, which includes several Twitter accounts and a Facebook page.
• Pre-program your vehicle radio to 530 AM and 1610 AM for highway advisory radio alerts.
• Call 5-1-1 for updated road conditions.
• Have a backup outdoor destination as parks and other outdoor recreation sites tend to fill up quickly on holiday weekends. If a site’s parking is full, never park along road shoulders, as this is unsafe for everyone on the roadway.
• Allow extra time for travel to avoid rushing or distraction.