WA has over 100 road construction projects this summer. Use our guide to avoid traffic
Road construction is a reality of much of everyday life for drivers. But this summer, Washington drivers should expect an uptick in roadwork across the state, according to the state’s Department of Transportation.
With 116 projects in active development in the coming months across the state, travelers should be aware of where and when road projects are underway.
McClatchy’s Northwest Service Journalism team put together a list of resources to help you navigate the incoming summer construction season.
Where is WA road construction happening?
The Department of Transportation has released a detailed map of the 116 construction projects currently planned across Washington.
As far as regions go, here are the total number of projects occurring at different areas of the state, ordered from most number of projects to least:
Southwest Region: 27
Olympic Region: 26
Northwest Region: 22
North Central Region: 15
South Central Region: 10
Eastern Region: 3
In addition, some larger-scale programs have several projects in motion:
1-405/SR 167 Corridor Program (Northwest Region): 5
Puget Sound Gateway Program (Northwest and Olympic regions): 4
Two ferries, the Bainbridge and Anacortes ferries, will also be involved in summer construction plans.
You can also look up maintenance in real time with the department’s online interactive construction map. The map shows users when and where maintenance is occurring and whether maintenance will significantly impact traffic flow or not.
Events impacting traffic through September
WSDOT has laid out notable state events to look out for in the coming months that will also impact traffic. If you’re thinking of traveling on a major route one of the listed days, plan ahead for extra time. Here’s a list of concerts, festivals and sports games that have recurring events throughout the summer, as well as links to full schedules:
Sports
- Storm – Climate Pledge Arena, Seattle
- Mariners – T-Mobile Park, Seattle
- MLB All-Star Week (July 7-11) – Lumen Field, Seattle
- Seahawks – Lumen Field, Seattle
- Seawolves – Starfire Sports, Tukwila
Concert and entertainment venues
- Tacoma Dome – Tacoma
- RV Inn Style Resorts Amphitheater – Ridgefield
- White River Amphitheatre – Auburn
- Gorge Amphitheatre – Grant County
- WAMU Theater – Seattle
- Climate Pledge Arena – Seattle
- Lumen Field – Seattle
Festivals and events
- Washington State Spring Fair (June 30-July 2) – Puyallup
- Seattle PrideFest (June 24-25) – Capitol Hill and Seattle Center
- Bite of Seattle (July 21-23) – Seattle Center
- Alaska Airlines Torchlight Parade (July 29) – Seattle Center
- Seafair (Aug. 4-6) – Seattle Center
- Pax West 2023 (Sept. 1-4) – Seattle Convention Center
Information on road construction and closures
Although the McClatchy Northwest Service Journalism team will keep this resource as updated as possible, there are multiple other online resources to keep track of Washington road delays and closures. Here are social media accounts, phone numbers and roadside assistance options for Washington drivers:
Washington State Department Of Transportation - Reports traffic information across Washington
Phone: 360-705-7000
WSDOT Traffic - Traffic information in King and Snohomish Counties. Monitored 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday
Phone: 206-440-4000
WSDOT Tacoma - Traffic information for Pierce, Thurston, Kitsap, Jefferson, Mason, Grays, Harbor and Clallam Counties. Monitored 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Phone: 360-357-2600
WSDOT SW - Traffic information for Clark, Cowlitz, Klickitat, Lewis, Pacific and Skamania Counties. Monitored 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Phone: 360-905-2000
WSDOT East - Traffic information east of the Cascade Mountains. Monitored 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Phone: 509-324-6000
WSDOT North - Traffic information for Whatcom, Skagit and Island Counties. Monitored 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Phone: 206-440-4000
SR 520 - Reports traffic information and construction updates for State Route 520.
Snoqualmie Pass - Reports weather, travel and construction updates for Interstate 90 through Snoqualmie Pass.
Fleet Operations Roadside Assistance - Provides WSDOT roadside assistance
Available from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Roadside assistance number: 800-542-6840
Radio station updates
The transportation department says to tune your vehicle’s radio to 530 AM and 1610 AM to receive highway advisory alerts. Take note of signs in your area that may recommend additional stations offering updates.
Email alerts
To stay up-to-date on traffic conditions and construction updates, sign up for WSDOT’s email alerts on the department’s website.
This story was originally published June 17, 2023 at 5:00 AM.
