CLE ELUM, Wash. — From Wednesday to next Monday, there's expected to be more traffic than normal on Washington's major roadways as people hit the road for the Thanksgiving holiday.
The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) compiled travel charts to show at what times of day traffic is expected to be the most and least congested on Interstate 90 and Interstate 5 from Wednesday of this week to Monday of next week. Here are the travel charts to make planning your Thanksgiving road trip easier.
I-90 Eastbound - North Bend to Cle Elum
The busiest day on I-90 eastbound is expected to be Wednesday when traffic will be more congested than normal nearly all day. During red hours, traffic analysts predict travel will reach roadway capacity, which means any small incident can cause a significant backup, according to the WSDOT.
The best times to be on the roadway are before 8 a.m. or after 8 p.m.
Travel charts between North Bend and Cle Elum for the Thanksgiving Holiday
I-90 Westbound - Cle Elum to North Bend
Traffic on I-90 westbound isn't expected to pick up until Saturday, but it is expected to be much more congested than normal through the weekend.
The roadway is expected to be at capacity between the hours of 12 p.m. and 4 p.m. on Saturday and between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Sunday.
Travel charts between Cle Elum and North Bend for the Thanksgiving holiday
I-5 Northbound - Lacey to Tacoma
I-5 between Lacey and Tacoma will experience added congestion Wednesday through next Monday, but not too much more than normal. The worst days to be on the road will be Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Travel charts between Lacey and Tacoma over the Thanksgiving holiday
I-5 Southbound - Tacoma to Lacey
I-5 Southbound will see higher-than-average vehicle volume on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday around midday, but traffic volumes are expected to return to normal by the weekend.