Prepare for Seattle weekend road closures, holiday week travel

SEATTLE -- Driving in the Seattle area isn't going to be much fun this weekend. Adam Gehrke tells you the places to avoid in the attached video.



Meanwhile, the Washington State Department of Transportation offers statewide travel information at www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic, including traffic camera images, ferry schedules and a map of highway incidents and closures. Travelers also can download the WSDOT mobile app for smartphones and sign up for news and social media tools, such as Twitter. Visit www.wsdot.wa.gov/inform to learn how.

The statewide travel information phone line, 511, will broadcast the latest updates through the weekend. Travelers should also preset 530 AM and 1610 AM on their vehicle radios to hear what might be developing up the road.

For those traveling key holiday weekend routes, WSDOT offers additional information on Interstate 90 over Snoqualmie Pass, U.S. 2 over Stevens Pass, Interstate 5 between Thurston and Pierce counties and I-5 between Bellingham and the U.S./Canadian Border. Thanksgiving weekend is typically one of the busiest travel days of the year for I-90 over Snoqualmie Pass and U.S. 2 over Stevens Pass.

To keep traffic moving, WSDOT and its contractors suspend most state highway construction work from noon Wednesday, Nov. 21, to Monday, Nov. 26.  A few exceptions include U.S. 97 south of Toppenish at Satus Creek, where a pilot car will direct traffic through the work zone. Drivers can expect delays near this area, the main route between Portland and Yakima.

In the Puget Sound-area:


    On Nov. 13, WSDOT closed State Route 410 Chinook Pass and State Route 123 Cayuse Pass for the season. Chinook Pass (elevation 5,430 feet) closed from Morse Creek to Crystal Mountain Boulevard, leaving open eastbound access to the Crystal Mountain Ski Resort. Cayuse Pass (elevation 4,675 feet) is closed within Mount Rainier National Park from the summit to Stevens Canyon Road.

    State Route 20 North Cascades Highway (elevation 5,477 feet) remains open as of today.

    Long-term weather forecasts indicate typical late-November weather with rain and wind across most of the state. Snowfall is expected in the higher elevations, so travelers should plan extra time to cross all mountains passes, carry chains and the WSDOT Winter Driving Guide.

    Travelers planning weekend trips by ferry, train, personal aircraft or bus should also make plans to avoid holiday delays:


      For information about traveling via state-operated airports, visit www.wsdot.wa.gov/aviation/airports/Amenities.htm or call 800-552-0666.

      Most public transit systems will follow a holiday schedule, and some transit systems will not operate fixed-route or Dial-A-Ride service on holidays.