Gig Harbor drivers: Expect these Thanksgiving road closures and this ferry change
Local road closures and WSDOT traffic predictions might affect when Gig Harbor drivers decide to hit the road for the holiday this week.
The Washington State Department of Transportation does not have specific travel charts for what’s expected on state Route 16, but real-time travel information is available on their travel map at wsdot.com/travel/real-time.
You can also download and check the WSDOT mobile app for updates and real-time conditions.
Turkey trot street closures in Gig Harbor
If you plan to do last-minute shopping, know that runners will be out for Gig Harbor’s 21st annual turkey trot Thanksgiving Day.
The 5K run begins at 8 a.m. Participants will be along the downtown waterfront.
Downtown roads will be closed so trotters can run the designated route until 10 a.m.
The starting line is at the post office parking lot on Judson Street.
Closed roads include Judson Street, the bottom of Soundview Drive, Harborview Drive, and part of North Harborview Drive.
Registration prior to the day of the event is $20. The price doubles to $40 for anyone who signs up the day of or at the event.
Event organizers ask that participants bring two cans of food. The food is donated to F.I.S.H. Food Bank, Bischoff Food Bank, and Food BackPacks 4 Kids.
All funds raised go toward college scholarships for local graduating high school seniors, according to the event website.
Interstate 5 and Interstate 90 Thanksgiving traffic
WSDOT travel charts show Wednesday will be the heaviest traffic day on I-5 northbound, Lacey to Tacoma from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Thanksgiving Day will bring heavy traffic around early lunch and dinner time, northbound from Lacey to Tacoma.
Thanksgiving Day shows heavy traffic going south from Tacoma to Lacey from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
For drivers traveling east for the holiday, travel charts for I-90 Thanksgiving Day show moderate traffic all day for drivers traveling eastbound from North Bend to Cle Elum.
Washington state Thanksgiving ferry lines
The Southworth Ferry Terminal is accessed from state Route 160 and state Route 16.
WSDOT does not have specific travel charts for how much traffic to expect on the Southwest Ferry Thanksgiving Day.
The Southwest Ferry will not run its regular sailing schedule.
“On Thanksgiving Day the Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth route will run on two-boat weekday timetables,” according to the WSDOT website.
Holiday sailings are marked on the schedules for each route. You can view terminal cameras and conditions at the terminal before leaving.
Typical travel charts for the fall season show the ferry from Southworth to Vashon is likely to fill up from 4 a.m. to 9 a.m. on an average day. After 9 a.m. ferries departing from Southworth aren’t likely to fill up.
Departing from Vashon is the opposite.
The ferry from Vashon to Southworth is unlikely to fill up in the morning on an average day, the typical fall travel chart shows. Later in the day, from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., ferries departing Vashon are likely to fill up.
For additional ferry travel times visit: wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/sailing-schedules/best-travel-times.
