NORTH SOUND, AUG. 28: Nationwide, close to 140 million people are expected to travel during the Labor Day holiday weekend, according to the American Automobile Association (AAA). About 90% will travel by car, with the remainder flying or taking Amtrak. Here is what you need to know before you head out this holiday weekend.
Weather
For the North Sound the Labor Day weekend, Thursday, Aug. 28 to Tuesday Sept. 2, will have seasonable temperatures, much cooler than a week ago. There will be a mix of clouds and sunshine with highs climbing into the 70s to lower 80s. Any threat of showers should remain in the mountains, including a risk of late-day thunderstorms on Friday and Saturday.
If heading east of the Cascades, a chance of showers and afternoon thunderstorms is in the forecast Friday into Saturday, followed by clearing skies into Monday. High temperatures will be quite warm, reaching into the 80s and 90s.
Given the ongoing dry conditions, wildfire risks will remain quite high across the state. All precautions to avoid wildfires must be taken, including ensuring campfires are cold before leaving, avoiding tossing burning materials out of vehicles, and ensuring tow chains are tight to avoid sparks on the pavement.
Driving
According to the Washington State Department of Transportation Labor Day holiday weekend travel charts, the heaviest travel days eastbound on Stevens Pass will be on Friday and Saturday. Thursday and Sunday will have far lighter traffic volumes. Returning westbound across Stevens Pass finds the heaviest travel day to be Monday. The peak times in both directions range from about 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Going over Snoqualmie Pass on I-90 reflects the same trends throughout the holiday weekend, just a higher volume of cars on the road. One bright spot on I-90 is that all lanes will be open across the Vantage Bridge as that road work will be paused during the weekend travel period.
If you are heading south toward Portland or even heading north from Portland, the time period between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. has by far the heaviest traffic from Thursday through Labor Day in both directions. Driving early in the morning or later in the evening offers light traffic volumes.
There are no travel charts heading north toward Bellingham but expect similar higher traffic volumes to those heading toward Portland. Expect slowdowns between the Arlington and Stanwood exits, with traffic in both directions limited to two lanes with the ongoing fish culvert construction.
If you wish to avoid delays and frustration in traffic, also plan to travel before or after peak times of 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
If you plan to use Washington State Ferries by vehicle, prepare for long wait times. Peak travel times on most routes are expected to be westbound Thursday through Saturday and eastbound or off-island, Sunday through Tuesday. Customers can also bypass vehicle lines by traveling as a walk-on passenger. Visit the ferry system website for the latest schedules and plan ahead.
Gas Prices
The price of gas remains elevated in Washington state. The average price of regular gas is $4.30 a gallon, up from $4.17 this time last year. The national average is $3.21 per gallon.
East of the Cascades, prices tend to be lower. Some fuel stations in Yakima, Benton, Franklin, Spokane, Ferry, and Stevens counties are at or below $4.00 a gallon.
Air Travel
Nationwide, just over 17 million are anticipated to fly on about 36,500 flights. That said, Sea-Tac Airport is again going to be a busy place through the holiday weekend.
The airport is anticipating about 180,000 passengers moving through the airport each day from Thursday to Monday, up about 9% from last year. Authorities ask passengers to arrive at least 2 hours ahead of their flight times.
The SEA Spot Saver program can help you move more quickly through security lines at the airport. In addition, there is a new security checkpoint at the south end of the lower baggage claim level that is often not as busy.
Snohomish County’s Paine Field is a different story. The Paine Field passenger terminal will be busier than normal but will have far less congestion than that at Sea-Tac. Alaska Airlines, Frontier Airlines, Kenmore Air, and San Juan Airlines have a total of 24 daily flights out of Paine Field, including many Western U.S. destinations and flights to the San Juan Islands.
Amtrak
Amtrak rail service to and from the North Sound will also be busy but will have enough capacity. Amtrak says the busiest travel days are Thursday and Friday, and Sunday and Monday for return trips.
Wherever you travel this holiday weekend, plan ahead and travel safely.
