When Are The Peak Memorial Weekend Travel Times in Washington for I-90, US2 and I-5
The busy summer travel season kicks off with Memorial Day Weekend. The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is reminding travelers to plan ahead for summer-like crowds on the roads and ferries.
Travelers should pack their patience and prepare for increased traffic and delays along state highways, waterways and airports. Expect delays and stay alert. Washington state ferry routes also are expected to be busy and reservations are strongly encouraged where available.
The Washington State Department of Transportation has charted when most drivers are expected to travel the major north-south and east to west corridors on Memorial Day Weekend. The tools are intended to help you plan your trips accordingly or try to miss the heaviest backups and delays.
Typical holiday increases in traffic tend to create delays eastbound on Friday and westbound on Monday
WSDOT has traffic volume projections for;
- I-5 Lacey to Tacoma
- I-90 North Bend to Cle Elum
- US 2 between Skykomish and Stevens Pass
- I-5 at the U.S.-Canada border
Projected peak delays on I-90
Memorial Day weekend travel charts showing when I-90 between North Bend and Cle Elum is expected to be the most congested.
The heaviest westbound traffic volume on I-90 is expected Sunday and Monday
Projected peak delays on US Highway 2
The heaviest eastbound traffic volume on US Highway 2 is expected Friday and Saturday
The heaviest westbound traffic volume on US Highway 2 is expected on Monday
More weekend travel charts for I-5 from Lacey, WA to the Canadian Border
Most highway construction paused
Most state highway construction work is suspended through the holiday weekend – including both Friday, May 23, and Monday, May 26 – to ease congestion.
Snoqualmie Pass
No construction is planned on I-90 from Friday, May 23, through Tuesday, May 27. People can receive text message alerts about significant delays by texting the words “WSDOT Snoqualmie” to 468311.
Chinook and Cayuse passes
State Route 410/Chinook Pass and SR 123/Cayuse Pass are tentatively scheduled to reopen Friday, May 23. Check the mountain passes webpage
Vantage Bridge
All four lanes of I-90 across the Vantage Bridge will be open from May 23 through July 7th. Starting July 8th, the bridge will have only one lane in each direction through fall due to major construction on the bridge.
Ferry travel
People boarding a ferry by vehicle can expect the busiest sailings will likely be westbound (or onto an island) Thursday through Saturday, May 22-24, and eastbound (or off island) Saturday through Monday, May 24-26. Walk-on passengers can bypass vehicle lines and usually board much faster. Vehicle reservations are recommended on the Anacortes/San Juan Islands and Port Townsend/Coupeville routes. Check WSDOT's Best Time to Travel
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