Date:  Monday, May 19, 2008

Contact:
Alice Fiman, WSDOT Communications, (360) 705-7080 (Olympia)
Nisha Marvel, (360) 651-6310 (WSDOT Aviation)
Susan Harris-Huether, (206) 515-3460 (WSDOT Ferries)
Tonia Buell, (360) 705-7439 (WSDOT Public Transportation and Freight Systems)

View entire statewide communications contact list

OLYMPIA - Drivers headed to the mountains this holiday weekend should be prepared for additional traffic, especially on US 2 Stevens Pass and I-90 over Snoqualmie Pass.

View the best times to travel on US 2, I-90, I-5 at the Canadian Border and I-5 south of Olympia through Lewis County.

Monday, Memorial Day, is the busiest day of westbound US 2 travel each year. Over Memorial Day weekend, WSDOT expects close to 43,000 cars on US 2 Stevens Pass. On a typical weekend, 27,000 cars travel on US 2 between Everett and Leavenworth. WSDOT is re-timing signals on US 2 to help keep traffic flowing Friday and Monday.

Drivers on I-90 over Snoqualmie Pass and ocean beach highways can expect higher-than-normal traffic volumes Friday afternoon, Saturday morning and Monday afternoon.

Traffic also increases on most sections of I-5 on Friday afternoon and on Monday. Historically traffic builds both directions on I-5 south of Thurston County and into Lewis County most of the day Monday. Longer-than typical wait times at ferry docks and Canadian border crossings are also expected most of the holiday weekend.

WSDOT crews work hard to ensure that travelers reach their destination safely and advise drivers to plan ahead to save time and frustration. Travel times are significantly lighter Wednesday and Thursday morning and on Tuesday.

Work at most construction projects around the state will move off the highway from noon Friday until Tuesday morning. Although there may not be any active construction, drivers should be prepared for shifted lanes, roadway detours and reduced speed zones in places.

Know before you go. WSDOT offers several ways to get construction information before you leave your home or office.

• Call 5-1-1. The statewide 5-1-1 driver information line is generated by real-time traffic data embedded in the roadway. Drives can also get up-to-the-minute traffic incidents.
• The color-coded traffic map shows where traffic is heavy and light so you can alter your commute accordingly
• Take a look at traffic conditions on a growing number of highway locations throughout the Puget Sound region using our traffic cameras
• Sign up for one of several e-mail alert lists. You’ll get advance notice of upcoming construction closures delivered right to your inbox

Also, look for

• Overhead electronic signs - These direct and alert drivers on the road.
• Highway advisory radio - These yellow signs with flashing lights alert drivers to tune into radio frequencies airing construction updates and other roadway information.

The following are areas where motorists may encounter delays over the holiday weekend

Mountain Passes

• US 2/Stevens Pass: WSDOT’s Incident Response Crews will be working Friday, May 23 and Monday, May 26 to cover anticipated peak traffic volume.
• US 97/Blewett Pass: US 97 takes drivers north/south through the center of Washington. Drivers can expect heavier than normal traffic Friday and Monday.
• I-90/Snoqualmie Pass: Holiday travelers using Snoqualmie Pass will see heavier traffic eastbound Friday and Saturday. The holiday will end with heavy traffic heading westbound on Monday. Contractor drilling crews will not be working on the I-90/Snoqualmie Pass East project near Snoqualmie Pass on the Friday or Monday of Memorial Day weekend. However, they will be working on Thursday (the day before), and Tuesday (the day after).
• SR 410 Chinook: Chinook Pass remains closed from milepost 57 near Crystal Mountain Boulevard, to milepost 74.5 near Morse Creek. Target reopening date is Thursday, June 5, 2008. Increased avalanche danger may delay the opening date. Check the Chinook Pass Web site throughout the week for information on opening.
• SR 123 Cayuse: Cayuse Pass is closed for the season within Mount Rainier National Park from the State Route 410 Junction to Stevens Canyon Road, five miles north of the junction of US 12 and State Route 123. Crews began clearing snow on SR 410 during the first week of March 2008. Crews report snow depths of 22 feet at the summit. The earliest Cayuse Pass will reopen is Friday, May 23, 2008. Check the Cayuse Pass Web site throughout the week for updated information.
• SR 20 North Cascades Highway: The North Cascades Highway is open. Check the Web site for updated information.
• SR 504: The Spirit Lake Highway is completely open to the Johnston Ridge Observatory. Drivers should expect 10- to 15-foot-high snow banks the final mile to the observatory.
• View statewide mountain pass conditions

Northwest Washington/Puget Sound area

• Historically traffic builds both directions on I-5 south of Thurston County and into Lewis County late Monday. Additional IRT staff will be patrolling state highways in the Vancouver and Chehalis/Centralia area throughout the weekend.
• The coastal area of Western Washington will also experience heavier traffic in spring and summer months.
• Travel on Puget Sound highways will increase Thursday, with peak travel times from noon to 9 p.m. Friday and early Saturday. Monday afternoon travel back into the Puget Sound area will peak just before noon and continue into late evening hours.
• Backups are expected in the Tacoma Narrows Bridge manual toll lanes Memorial Day evening between 3 and 10 p.m. WSDOT expects increased traffic as holiday travelers return home. Many will not have electronic toll accounts and a higher than usual number is expected to use the toll booths. WSDOT will be monitoring traffic closely and taking steps to manage traffic. All manual toll booths will be open during the peak hours. "We may have twice as many vehicles as normal using the manual toll lanes,” said Greg Selstead, WSDOT Tolling Operations Director. “We urge drivers to use alternative drive times if possible. Those with Good To Go! transponders are encouraged to stay in the left-hand lanes approaching the toll plaza or to use the 24th Street on-ramp in Gig Harbor to avoid the toll plaza completely."

Eastern Washington

• As of 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 22, SR 206 has been restored and emergency or residential traffic is being escorted through the site. The gravel surface is narrow with steep slopes. The culvert installation is complete and stable. Roadway reconstruction and slope protection will continue tomorrow. Sunday, May 18th, snow runoff water overwhelmed culverts under the State Park equipment shed and the state highway and undermined the roadway, subsequently destroying about 1,000 feet of the route. An emergency contract was set up to perform temporary repairs to open the roadway for limited traffic. A project to fully rebuild the highway will be under construction and completed later this summer.
• Friday through Monday, WSDOT signals near Dryden, the Big Y/Peshastin East Project, Peshastin, and the three in Leavenworth will provide a longer green for US 2 mainline traffic.
• US 2/97 (MP 104-105) Peshastin East Interchange Project - (Junction of the Stevens and Blewett Pass Highways in Chelan County.) The speed limit through the work zone is reduced to 35 mph. US 2 traffic is now shifted onto a temporary bypass road. Traffic at the Big Y intersection is controlled by a temporary traffic signal. Crews expect that the Big Y temporary signal will cause traffic to back up. At peak traffic times, it may take more than one cycle of the light for a driver to get through the intersection. WSDOT and the Washington State Patrol will monitor the intersection using the traffic camera.
• SR 153 Methow River Bridges - Deck and Rail Repair (between Pateros and Twisp in Okanogan County). Temporary signals are controlling single-lane traffic at two bridges. A 10-foot-wide load restriction is in effect.
• Drivers on SR 25 near Northport may be traveling on portions of grooved pavement and US 2-Division Street in Spokane may have some lane restrictions. Other projects underway on state highways in the Eastern Region will not affect Memorial Day weekend holiday travel.

Southwest Washington

• US 97, Biggs Rapids-Sam Hill Bridge Deck Replacement: the bridge is now open and previous load restrictions on the bridge are lifted.
• SR 504, Tower Road to Reynolds Road Vicinity: Friday daytime lane shift on eastbound SR 504 for construction activities.
• I-5/SR-502 Interchange: Friday from 7 a.m. - noon: I-5 northbound left-lane closure for bridge work.

Trains

• Amtrak Cascades trains frequently sell out on holiday weekends. Be sure to purchase your tickets well in advance and arrive early at the station for your departure. For more information, visit: www.amtrakcascades.com or call 1-800-USA-RAIL.

Washington State Ferries

• WSF is expecting heavy traffic for the Memorial Day holiday weekend, which is traditionally the beginning of summer crowds for the ferry system. Extra service for Memorial Day weekend will be added on the Anacortes/San Juan Islands routes. The holiday schedule is in effect Memorial Day, May 26, on the following routes: Point Defiance/Tahlequah, Seattle/Bainbridge Island, Edmonds/Kingston, and Mukilteo/Clinton. Holiday schedules and other ferry information can be found at Washington State Ferries’ Web site or by calling toll-free at 1-888-808-7977.
  

Aviation

• The 16 state-operated airports are open for the season. Check the status of state-operated airports or call 1-800-552-0666. WSDOT Aviation encourages pilots to check with their local Flight Service Station for current Notices to Airmen and temporary flight restriction status before each flight. To contact the Flight Service Station, please call 1-800-WX-BRIEF. Temporary flight restriction information is available at: airspace.nifc.gov/mapping/nifc/index.cfm.
  

Buses

• Most public transit systems will follow a holiday schedule and some transit systems will not operate fixed route or Dial-A-Ride service on Memorial Day. Check with your local transit agency for more information.
  

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