As the long weekend approaches, here are traveling tips from the Department of Transportation

With the Fourth of July just around the corner, drivers should start planning now for heavy holiday traffic on roads and ferries; allow extra travel time and consider traveling at non-peak times.

June 29, 2016 4:22 pm

With the Fourth of July just around the corner, drivers should start planning now for heavy holiday traffic on roads and ferries; allow extra travel time and consider traveling at non-peak times.

The Fourth is expected to be the busiest weekend of the year for Washington State Ferries. Extra sailings will be added for several routes. Reservations are strongly recommended for the San Juan Islands, Sidney, BC or Port Townsend/Coupeville. Travelers can also consult the best times to travel tab on the right of each route’s summer schedule listing.

Allow extra time for Interstate 90 travel

Travel across I-90 from the summit of Snoqualmie Pass to Vantage (pdf 742 kb) is going to be particularly tricky this summer – including the holiday – due to a number of projects that will ultimately improve travel for everyone.

The heaviest congestion is westbound near Cle Elum from mileposts 84 to 93, where repaving work means a single-lane detour. You can avoid these backups by using an alternate route via US 97 to SR 10.

Another tough spot is the Vantage Bridge, which is down to a single eastbound lane until the end of summer due to a bridge painting job (painting a bridge extends its life by preventing rust). Work won’t take place during the holiday, but the heavy concrete barriers can’t be easily removed, so the single lane of eastbound traffic will remain. Plan on lots of extra time to get through this area.

Other spots of construction and delays include:

  • The Summit of Snoqualmie Pass east near Keechelus Lake (mileposts 54-62)
  • Easton area (mileposts 67-70)
  • Ellensburg area (mileposts 106-122)

Prepare now for holiday traffic

Across the rest of the state, drivers can:

  • Get informed about WSDOT’s online tools, including mobile apps, traffic cameras and email alerts.
  • Visit our online traveler information about traffic, weather and ferry schedules; call 5-1-1 for updated road conditions.
  • Follow WSDOT’s social media accounts, such as Twitter and Facebook.
  • Pre-program your vehicle radio to 530 AM and 1610 AM for highway advisory radio alerts.
  • Leave extra time for travel; don’t rush and be extra alert: one crash can snarl traffic for hundreds of drivers.