WA holiday travel back to record-breaking pre-pandemic levels. How to check drive time
It’s the busiest time of year for traveling Americans, with over 115 million people expected to travel at least 50 miles from home over a 10-day holiday period that includes Christmas and New Year’s.
The Christmas period sees more travelers than the 4th of July and Thanksgiving combined, according to AAA. This year is expected to be the second-busiest holiday period on record, second only to the 119 million travelers who hit the road 2019, prior to the pandemic.
Luckily, there are some tactics to help keep extra drive time down to a minimum in Washington state for the holidays this year.
The Washington State Department of Transportation plans to pause construction over the three-day weekend from Dec. 23-25, a WSDOT spokesperson told McClatchy News. But construction will resume after Christmas, meaning anyone traveling closer to New Year’s Day should prepare for some congestion.
With that information in mind, here’s what you need to know about significant road work and events between now and Jan. 2.
Major WA construction & road work
Despite most major construction projects in Washington coming to a halt over the Christmas weekend, lane or road closures may still be an issue for in-progress projects that aren’t safe to drive on.
Those traveling after Christmas Day will also have to deal with the resumption of construction projects. Here’s what to know about some of WSDOT’s significant projects which will resume following the holiday weekend:
I-405/SR 167 Corridor Program - The Interstate 405/State Route 167 project has been a multi-year project running from Puyallup to Lynnwood. Travelers can expect construction and traffic along I-405 between Renton and Bellevue and on the Northeast 132nd Street Interchange in Kirkland.
I-5 Mounts Road to Thorne Lane Interchange Corridor - Portions of Interstate 5 near DuPont and Joint Base Lewis-McChord will see construction either side of Christmas weekend. Construction will occur between Mounts Road at Exit 116 and Steilacoom-DuPont Road at Exit 119.
I-90 - Snoqualmie Pass East Project - Travelers heading over the Cascade mountains can expect construction along the eight-mile corridor between the Stampede Pass interchange and Easton. It’s the final phase of a three-part project that is widening Interstate 90 from four lanes to six, along with other changes.
Puget Sound Gateway Program - This three-stage project will last through 2029 and combine State Route 509 in King County and State Route 167 in Pierce County. Travelers can expect congestion between I-5 and 24th Avenue South in SeaTac.
SR 520 Bridge Replacement and HOV Program - There are two ongoing construction areas around the Montlake area in Seattle. Construction is along the eastbound bridge over Union Bay and between State Route 520 and the I-5/Mercer Street interchange.
Predicted travel time on WA roads
WSDOT has created expected Christmas weekend travel time graphics for Washington’s major roadways.
The following traffic congestion information is only for Christmas weekend when construction projects will be halted. WSDOT spokesperson Christina Werner told McClatchy News that the department recommends traveling earlier or later in the day to allow for more travel time and less traffic. You can click on the hyperlink for each roadway to see more detailed information
Interstate 5 - Lacey to Tacoma
Northbound: Expected to be busy during most of the daytime hours every day from Dec. 21 to 26, aside from Christmas Day.
Southbound: Also expected to be busy during daytime hours on most days, but the busiest day is expected on Friday.
Interstate 90 - North Bend to Cle Clum
Eastbound: Busiest on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Westbound: Busiest on Tuesday throughout the afternoon hours.
U.S. 2 - Stevens Pass to Skykomish
Eastbound: Not much congestion expected, aside from Saturday at 8 and 11 a.m.
Westbound: No congestion expected, but heavy traffic likely on Saturday between noon and 8 p.m.
Interstate 5 - Bellingham to Canadian Border
Northbound: Busiest days on Friday and Saturday during the afternoon hours.
Southbound: Busiest time expected on Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where to get information on WA road conditions
There are multiple 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 December 20, 2023 at 5:00 AM.