Politics & Government
State Gives All Types of Travel Tips for Busy Labor Day Weekend
Travelers can get up to date information on websites, on phone, and on highways with radio and overhead electronic signs.
Labor Day is the year’s busiest travel weekend and to ease the pain, the Washington State Department of Transportation offers several travel information tools to help drivers plan ahead.
Travelers planning to hit the road can find information on the WSDOT website about the times and places drivers will likely see Labor Day weekend delays, including Interstate 90 and Interstate 5 at the Canadian border and between Olympia and Tacoma.
And while AAA predicts a decline in overall travel (which includes aircraft, roadway, trains, watercraft, multi-modal travel), the motor club predicts close to 27.3 million people will travel the nation’s roadways this Labor Day holiday weekend, a slight increase compared with 2010.
Drivers can expect significantly better travel times in most areas Thursday, Sept. 1, and on Tuesday, Sept. 6. Work at most construction sites around the state will move off the highways for Labor Day weekend. Even so, drivers should watch for shifted lanes, detours and reduced-speed zones, WSDOT says.
WSDOT offers many ways to know before you go:
- Dial 511 – This driver information phone line provides current traffic, incident and closure information.
- On WSDOT’s travel website, www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic, drivers can see information such as camera images and maps showing highway incidents and closures.
- Go to www.wsdot.wa.gov/inform to see how WSDOT provides traveler information on social media (Twitter, Facebook) and for mobile devices. You can also sign up for specialized email alerts.
On the road, WSDOT provides real-time traffic updates on overhead and roadside electronic signs and on Highway Advisory Radio on AM channels 530 and 1610.
Travelers should also be aware:
- Washington State Ferries expects a busy holiday weekend. Ferry riders should consider traveling during off-peak times, and they should check the schedules and ferry information on the Washington State Ferries’ website at www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries or by calling toll-free at 888-808-7977.
- Amtrak Cascades trains are filling up quickly. Make your reservations at www.AmtrakCascades.com or by calling 1-800-USA-RAIL.
- Most public transit systems will follow a holiday schedule, and some transit systems will not operate fixed route or Dial-A-Ride service on Labor Day.
- Washington’s 16 state-operated airports are open for the season. To check the status of state-operated airports, visit: www.wsdot.wa.gov/aviation/airports/Amenities.htm or call 800-552-0666.
