Memorial Day Weekend Travel In Washington: Here's What To Expect

SEATTLE — A long and sunny Memorial Day weekend is gearing up to be a crowded one on Washington's roads, ferries and flights, as millions across the state begin to get back to a more normal way of life. Unlike last year, when Washington was still in the early throes of the coronavirus pandemic, travelers should plan for periods of heavy traffic, long lines at the airport, and more than a few packed sailings on state ferries.

Here are a few things to keep in mind for the holiday weekend rush:

WSDOT shares tips for drivers, and the busiest times for traffic

The Washington State Department of Transportation has assembled its annual travel charts showing the best and worst times to travel on Interstate 5 and over Snoqualmie and Stevens passes. While most construction projects are on pause through Monday, drives are likely to encounter heavy traffic at times into Tuesday.

Apart from the specifics, all drivers have a few tools at their disposal to keep informed of the latest travel conditions, including unexpected delays.

• Get informed about WSDOT's online tools, including the WSDOT mobile app, traffic cameras and email alerts.
• Visit online traveler information for traffic, weather and ferry schedules.
• 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.
• Call 5-1-1 for updated road conditions.

Interstate 5

Traffic headaches began Thursday, and are they likely to continue off and on through the weekend. On Interstate 5, between Tacoma and Olympia, stop-and-go traffic may begin as early as 6 a.m. WSDOT expects northbound traffic volumes to level off after 5 p.m., but southbound delays are likely to persist through 8 p.m. Saturday shows a slightly shorter window, with most congestion expected between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Sunday should be a little easier for southbound trips, outside of the 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. window. Northbound delays are expected to peak between 1 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Drivers can find the specific travel forecasts through Tuesday on the WSDOT website.

Interstate 90/Snoqualmie Pass

For families heading east over Snoqualmie Pass, early morning and late evening hours will be easiest Friday, according to WSDOT. Heavy eastbound congestion is likely to build starting around 10 a.m. and should level off after 7 p.m. Delays should be less persistent for those heading east on Saturday, peaking around 10 a.m. and calming through the afternoon.

For drivers heading back home, westbound delays are expected to be most extreme on Monday, with heavy congestion forecast from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Traffic volumes should drop off steeply by Tuesday.

Mount Rainier travel

Chinook and Cayuse passes reopen Friday morning, restoring the two main routes in and out of Mount Rainier National Park in time for the holiday weekend. Crews have been at work clearing snow off both highways for months, and their reopening is an annual harbinger of summer.

Those planning a visit to the park can find more information on what areas and amenities are open on the National Park Service's website.

Airport prepares for busiest travel weekend since the pandemic began

The Seattle-Tacoma International Airport expects more than 100,000 passengers to pass through the airport during peak travel times for the long holiday weekend, logging the busiest days by far since the coronavirus pandemic began. Friday is likely to be one of the most crowded in the stretch, and passengers have a few options to help manage the crunch.

• Try SEA Spot Saver, a free pilot program this summer for passengers to sign-up for reservations at the TSA general screening security checkpoints. RSVP to save your spot in line up to a day in advance of travel or once at the airport.
• Consider using Pre-Booked Parking to book and pay for airport parking in advance of arrival. Drive your own vehicle and scan your booking QR code on your phone at the garage entry and exit.
• Download the flySEA App, which shows updated checkpoint wait times in 5-minute increments, and provides an interactive map to navigate the airport.
• Arrive two hours before domestic flights and three hours for international travel.

Long waits likely on Washington State Ferries

Those planning to utilize a ferry as part of their travel plans should prepare for long waits if they're driving aboard, and routes running are on a different schedule than previous Memorial Day weekends.

One of the state's largest vessels, the Wenatchee, remains offline due to an earlier fire, and the ferry system continues to experience some staffing challenges. Overall, most routes will have fewer trips each day than usual.

Here are some of the key changes:

• Seattle/Bainbridge Island: One smaller vessel.
• Seattle/Bremerton: One smaller and slower vessel requiring the cancellation of a midday roundtrip and some adjusted departure times.
• Mukilteo/Clinton: One smaller vessel.
• Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth: Two-boat schedule instead of three using one smaller vessel.
• Anacortes/San Juan Islands: Schedule like previous late June through late September timetables, without a fifth vessel for international service to Canada.
• Port Townsend/Coupeville: One-boat service instead of two.

Ferry officials expect Friday will be among the busiest for westbound trips, with eastbound travel peaking from Sunday into Monday. In general, travelers are advised to aim for early morning and late evening sailings.

Residents can sign up for ferry email alerts, and find the latest sailing schedules, travel updates and terminal conditions on the Washington State Ferries website.