OLYMPIA, Wash. — More traffic than usual is expected across nearly all transportation methods in Washington over Labor Day weekend, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT). Traffic is expected to be especially congested along Interstate 90.
During the busy travel weekend, travel analysts predict several key routes will reach roadway capacity.
Check out the travel charts for your intended destination to plan out the best time to hit the road.
Traffic across I-90 Labor Day weekend
Traffic going eastbound on Interstate 90 between North Bend and Cle Elum is expected to ramp up on Friday, Sept. 1, with congestion on the roadway anticipated to be above average between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. Congestion is also expected to spike between the hours of 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 2.
Eastbound I-90 is expected to have moderate to heavy traffic during the day on Sunday and return to average travel congestion on Monday.
I-90 Eastbound traffic charts for Labor Day weekend
Traffic going westbound is expected to remain normal from Friday through Saturday, ramping up on Sunday and remaining more congested than normal into Monday. Heavy congestion is expected to begin at around noon on Sunday and remain elevated until 5 p.m. Heavy congestion is expected to begin at 9 a.m. on Monday and remain congested through 7 p.m., returning to near normal traffic levels by Tuesday.
I-90 Westbound travel charts for Labor Day weekend
Labor Day traffic on I-5 between Bellingham and the Canadian Border
Traffic between Bellingham and the Canadian Border is expected to be heavily congested for the entire weekend into Tuesday. The best times to travel are expected to be between 4 and 11 a.m. and after 7 p.m.
Expected traffic between Bellingham and the Canadian Border Labor Day weekend
Traffic will also be congested for much of the weekend going southbound. The best times to hit the road appear to be before 8 a.m. and after 6 p.m.
Expected traffic volumes for Southbound I-5 between the Canadian Border and Bellingham
Expected traffic over US 2 from Skykomish to Stevens Pass
Traffic over US 2 is expected to be above average for much of the weekend. Eastbound US 2 is expected to see heavy congestion on Friday between noon and 3 p.m., Saturday between 9 a.m. and noon, and Sunday around 11 a.m.
Traffic volumes over US 2 Eastbound on Labor Day weekend
Westbound US 2 will have light traffic for much of the weekend, until Sunday, when heavy congestion is expected around 4 p.m. Congestion is also expected between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. on Monday, with above-average traffic volumes remaining on Tuesday, but only in the moderate to heavy range.
Anticipated traffic volumes over US 2 Westbound Labor Day weekend
Traffic between Lacey and Tacoma on I-5 over Labor Day
Traffic heading north and southbound between Lacey and Tacoma is expected to be at roadway capacity for much of the weekend, but not much higher levels than normal, according to WSDOT's travel charts.
Traffic on I-5 Northbound between Lacey and Tacoma Labor Day Weekend
Traffic on I-5 Southbound between Tacoma and Lacey Labor Day Weekend
Travel through Sea-Tac Airport Labor Day weekend
The number of passengers traveling through Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on Labor Day weekend is expected to be 18% higher than in 2022. The busiest days are expected to be Monday, Sept. 4, followed by Friday, Sept. 1 and Sunday, Sept. 2, according to the Port of Seattle.
The port advises travelers to utilize the SEA Spot Saver program to speed up the trip through the TSA lines, monitor Sea-Tac's social media and text messaging, watch the drive cams to monitor traffic congestion at the airport and plan on an extra 45 to 60 minutes to park if utilizing the Sea-Tac garage.
New technology at Sea-Tac’s checkpoints is helping to move the process along faster.
"The TSA started investing more heavily in technology to increase the efficiency of the operation," said Lorie Dankers, TSA spokesperson for Washington. "The CT scanners are a perfect example of that."
The computed tomography X-ray scanner allows people to leave everything in their carry-on while it conducts a 3-D scan. Even for expert travelers, the technology is changing fast as are the procedures.
“The officers stationed at the CT scanner will tell travelers what they need to do so listen up to what they tell you because anytime a traveler does less, it makes the operation go quicker and it’s easier for travelers,” said Dankers.
This summer nearly 5.5 million people have been screened through Sea-Tac. Across the country, 14.25 million people are expected to travel this holiday weekend.
“All of our officers on duty will be using overtime to extend their shift," said Dankers. "We have our national staffing resources that will be working as well, and we're going to make sure we have all of our lanes open to process everybody through the security checkpoint."
Travel through Washington State Ferries
WSDOT is warning anyone driving onto state ferries to prepare for long waits. Island-bound travel will be busiest on Thursday through Saturday, with off-island travel being busiest Sunday through Tuesday.