Submitted by WSF
With the 4th of July just around the corner, drivers should start planning now for heavy holiday traffic on roads and ferries; allow extra travel time and consider traveling at non-peak times.
The 4th is expected to be the busiest weekend of the year for Washington State Ferries. Extra sailings will be added for several routes. Reservations are strongly recommended for the San Juan Islands, Sidney, BC or Port Townsend/Coupeville. Travelers can also consult the best times to travel tab on the right of each route’s summer schedule listing.
Allow extra time for Interstate 90 travel
Travel across I-90 from the summit of Snoqualmie Pass to Vantage is going to be particularly tricky this summer – including the holiday – due to a number of projects that will ultimately improve travel for everyone.
The heaviest congestion is westbound near Cle Elum from mileposts 84 to 93, where repaving work means a single-lane detour. You can avoid these backups by using an alternate route via US 97 to SR 10.
Another tough spot is the Vantage Bridge, which is down to a single eastbound lane until the end of summer due to a bridge painting job (painting a bridge extends its life by preventing rust). Work won’t take place during the holiday, but the heavy concrete barriers can’t be easily removed, so the single lane of eastbound traffic will remain. Plan on lots of extra time to get through this area.
Other spots of construction and delays include:
- The Summit of Snoqualmie Pass east near Keechelus Lake (mileposts 54-62)
- Easton area (mileposts 67-70)
- Ellensburg area (mileposts 106-122)
Prepare now for holiday traffic
Across the rest of the state, drivers can:
- Get informed about WSDOT’s online tools, including mobile apps, traffic cameras and email alerts.
- Visit our online traveler information about traffic, weather and ferry schedules; call 5-1-1 for updated road conditions.
- Follow WSDOT’s social media accounts, such as Twitter and Facebook.
- Pre-program your vehicle radio to 530 AM and 1610 AM for highway advisory radio alerts.
- Leave extra time for travel; don’t rush and be extra alert: one crash can snarl traffic for hundreds of drivers.
Travel in the San Juans
Plan ahead for heavy vehicle traffic heading westbound from Thursday, June 30 through Saturday, July 2, and eastbound July 5-6.
The San Juan Islands routes will operate on a Sunday schedule on Monday, July 4, with an interisland sailing a sailing departing Friday Harbor at 2:15 p.m., departing Lopez at 3:05 p.m. and arriving at Anacortes at 3:55 p.m.
To accommodate customers, WSF is providing several additional sailings departing Anacortes throughout the weekend: Wednesday, June 29, 6:45 p.m. to Lopez and Orcas, Thursday, June 30, 8:50 p.m. to Orcas and Friday Harbor and Friday, July 1, 8:50 p.m. to Orcas and Friday Harbor.
In addition, on Tuesday, July 5, WSF will provide extra sailings eastbound to Anacortes: Tuesday, July 5 departing Lopez at 7:35 p.m. and Tuesday, July 5 departing Orcas at 10:30 p.m.
Reservations for the final 30 percent of reservable vehicle space will be available starting at 7 a.m. two days before each sailing date; limited drive-up space will be available on each sailing. Reserve online at www.takeaferry.com or by calling 511 to speak with an information agent.
When traveling with a reservation, you must check in at the terminal tollbooth 30 minutes prior to your reservation time. WSF recommends that you arrive at the terminal 60-90 minutes in advance of your sailing time to ensure that you reach the booth with 30 minutes to spare. We do not recommend traveling stand-by for an earlier sailing, because you will forfeit your later-reserved space and risk missing both the earlier departure and your original reserved departure. please travel at your reserved time. Thank you for your patience and cooperation, and have a safe and happy 4th of July!
