4th Of July Travel In WA: How To Avoid Holiday Traffic And Delays

SEATTLE — The 4th of July weekend is coming up quick, and any longtime Western Washington resident knows what that means: it's about to get pretty rough on the roads.

AAA estimates that around 1.08 million Washingtonians will be traveling between July 1 - 5 this year, making it the state's second-highest travel volume on record, just 2.5 percent shy of 2019's record high.Of those travelers, 91 percent will be traveling by car — and that means drivers should expect traffic and backups during peak hours on the state's most popular freeways.

To help travelers avoid the mess, the Washington State Department of Transportation is sharing some tips to help drivers avoid the holiday rush.

"State highways across Washington will see typical heavy holiday weekend traffic, especially on Interstate 90 where lengthy delays are expected," the agency said. "Longer-than typical wait times at ferry docks are also expected most of the holiday weekend."

Here's a look at some of Washington's busiest roadways:

I-5 between Lacey and Tacoma

I-5 will be the worst of all major roadways with moderate to heavy traffic all holiday weekend, but WSDOT predicts the very worst of it will be for drivers heading southbound on Thursday, July 1.

Friday will also be congested southbound from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Northbound drivers will have it slightly easier both days, where the worst traffic will be from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday will be slightly milder in both directions.

Sunday is expected to remain relatively calm. Monday will have some congestion around noon, and then the traffic returns in full force Tuesday, with stop-and-go congestion from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. southbound, and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. northbound.

I-90 from North Bend to Cle Elum

Unlike I-5, traffic along I-90 will remain fairly moderate Thursday, but will really pick up heading eastbound on Friday.

Also unlike I-5, traffic should only be a problem headed in one direction: on Friday and Saturday westbound drivers shouldn't have much trouble. That'll change Monday when drivers return home heading west, at which point eastbound traffic will die off.

US 2 from Skykomish to Stevens Pass

Finally, US 2 will see heavy traffic starting Friday, July 2.

As with I-90, heavy traffic will only be one way: congestion should be heavy on eastbound US 2 Friday and Saturday (which will see traffic peak between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.) then pick back up as drivers begin returning home from holiday Monday.

Canadian border remains closed to most

Normally WSDOT would also predict heavy congestion for drivers heading north to Canada, but Canada has extended its border restrictions through July 21. Canada's travel restrictions close the border to all but Canadian citizens, permanent residents, residents registered under the Indian Act, and essential foreign travelers.

Other tips for travel

On top of trying to avoid the most congested traveling times, WSDOT suggests that drivers should:

• Always keep their vehicle at least a quarter full of fuel, in case of emergencies.
• Pre-program vehicle radios to 530 AM and 1610 AM for highway advisory radio alerts.
• Have a backup plan in case your first choice is full.
• Never park along road shoulders.
• Allow for extra travel time to avoid rushing.
• Carry extra food and water, plus extra masks and hand sanitizer.
• Visit WSDOT's online traveler information for traffic, weather and ferry schedules.

Related: 1.08 Million Washingtonians To Travel For 4th Of July