Labor Day traffic: When to travel, not travel in WA

SEATTLE - Labor Day weekend is often one of the busiest travel periods of the year, and the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is urging travelers to prepare for heavier-than-usual traffic as people make one last trip before summer ends.

To help drivers plan ahead, WSDOT has released a series of charts and travel forecasts. These resources, drawn from past traffic patterns, highlight the busiest times on major routes based on data from previous years.

Timeline:

All times marked in green indicate light traffic on the roadways; yellow indicates moderate to heavy traffic. WSDOT says during times marked in red, even the slightest incident could cause significant backups.

Mobile users, please tap this link.

If you're planning to hit the Washington roads for Labor Day weekend, tap the links below to jump to traffic predictions on:

• I-5 between Lacey and Tacoma
• I-5 between Bellingham and Canada
• I-90 between North Bend and Cle Elum
• US-2 between Skykomish and Stevens Pass

What are the best times to drive north on I-5 in WA over Labor Day weekend?

WSDOT used data from past years to predict the best times to travel on I-5 from Lacey to Tacoma, with day-by-day, hour-by-hour traffic charts over the holiday weekend. To jump to southbound traffic maps, please visit this link.

Predicted northbound I-5 travel times for Thursday, August 28

According to WSDOT, the worst traffic on Thursday, Aug. 28, will likely happen between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. Congestion is expected to be moderate during the 5 a.m. hour and between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. Traffic is expected to be smooth before 5 a.m. and after 10 p.m.

Predicted northbound I-5 travel times for Friday, August 29

According to WSDOT, the worst traffic on Friday, Aug. 29, will likely happen between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. Congestion is expected to be moderate between 5 a.m. and 9 a.m., and between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. Traffic is expected to be smooth before 5 a.m. and after 10 p.m.

Predicted northbound I-5 travel times for Saturday, August 30

According to WSDOT, the worst traffic on Saturday, Aug. 30, will likely happen between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. Congestion is expected to be moderate between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m., and between 7 p.m. and 11 p.m. Traffic is expected to be smooth before 7 a.m. and after 11 p.m.

Predicted northbound I-5 travel times for Sunday, August 31

According to WSDOT, the worst traffic on Sunday, Aug. 31, will likely happen between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. Congestion is expected to be moderate between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m., and between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. Traffic is expected to be smooth before 8 a.m. and after 10 p.m.

Predicted northbound I-5 travel times for Labor Day, Monday, September 1

According to WSDOT, the worst traffic on Labor Day will likely happen between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. Congestion is expected to be moderate between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m., and between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. Traffic is expected to be smooth anytime before 8 a.m. and anytime after 10 p.m.

Predicted northbound I-5 travel times for Tuesday, September 2

According to WSDOT, traffic is expected to be pretty bad on Tuesday, Sept. 2. It looks like traffic is going to be heavy between 5 a.m. and 6 p.m. Congestion is expected to be moderate at 4 a.m., 6 a.m., and between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. Traffic is expected to be smooth after 9 p.m.

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What are the best times to drive south on I-5 in WA over Labor Day weekend?

WSDOT used data from past years to predict the best times to travel on I-5 from Tacoma to Lacey, with day-by-day, hour-by-hour traffic charts over the holiday weekend. Here are WSDOT's Labor Day travel predictions for August 28 through September 2. To jump back to northbound traffic maps, please visit this link.

Predicted southbound I-5 travel times for Thursday, August 28

According to WSDOT, the worst traffic on Thursday, Aug. 28, will likely happen between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Congestion is expected to be moderate during the 6 a.m. hour, and between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. Traffic is expected to be smooth before 6 a.m. and after 10 p.m.

Predicted southbound I-5 travel times for Friday, August 29

According to WSDOT, the worst traffic on Friday, Aug. 29, will likely happen between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. Congestion is expected to be moderate during the 6 a.m. hour, and between 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. Traffic is expected to be smooth before 6 a.m. and after 11 p.m.

Predicted southbound I-5 travel times for Saturday, August 30

According to WSDOT, the worst traffic on Saturday, Aug. 30, will likely happen between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Congestion is expected to be moderate during the 7 a.m. hour, and between 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. Traffic is expected to be smooth before 7 a.m. and after 10 p.m.

Predicted southbound I-5 travel times for Sunday, August 31

According to WSDOT, the worst traffic on Sunday, Aug. 31, will likely happen between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Congestion is expected to be moderate between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m., and between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. Traffic is expected to be smooth before 8 a.m. and after 9 p.m.

Predicted southbound I-5 travel times for Labor Day, Monday, September 1

According to WSDOT, the worst traffic on Labor Day will likely happen between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Congestion is expected to be moderate between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m., and between 3 p.m. and 9 p.m. Traffic is expected to be smooth before 8 a.m. and after 9 p.m.

Predicted southbound I-5 travel times for Tuesday, September 2

According to WSDOT, traffic is supposed to be pretty bad on Tuesday, the day after Labor Day. The worst traffic will likely happen between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. Congestion is expected to be moderate between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. Traffic is expected to be smooth before 6 a.m. and after 9 p.m.

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What are the best times to travel north on I-5 from WA toward the Canadian Border for Labor Day weekend?

WSDOT used data from past years to predict the best times to travel north on I-5 to Canada, with day-by-day, hour-by-hour traffic charts over the holiday weekend. To jump to southbound traffic maps, please visit this link.

Predicted northbound I-5 travel times toward the Canadian Border for Thursday, August 28

According to WSDOT, the worst traffic on Thursday, Aug. 28, is expected to happen between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. Congestion is expected to be moderate throughout most of the day; during the 7 a.m. hour, between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m., and between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. Traffic is expected to be smooth anytime before 7 a.m., during the 8 a.m. hour and anytime after 10 p.m.

Predicted northbound I-5 travel times toward the Canadian Border for Friday, August 29

According to WSDOT, the worst traffic on Friday, Aug. 29, is expected to happen between 12 p.m. and 8 p.m. Congestion is expected to be moderate between 7 a.m. and 12 p.m., and between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. Traffic is expected to be smooth before 7 a.m. and after 10 p.m.

Predicted northbound I-5 travel times toward the Canadian Border for Saturday, August 30

According to WSDOT, the worst traffic on Saturday, Aug. 30, is expected to happen between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. Congestion is expected to be moderate between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m., and between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. Traffic is expected to be smooth before 8 a.m. and after 10 p.m.

Predicted northbound I-5 travel times toward the Canadian Border for Sunday, August 31

According to WSDOT, the worst traffic on Sunday, Aug. 31, is expected to happen between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. Congestion is expected to be moderate between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m., and between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. Traffic is expected to be smooth before 9 a.m. and after 10 p.m.

Predicted northbound I-5 travel times toward the Canadian Border for Labor Day, Monday, September 1

According to WSDOT, the worst traffic on Labor Day is expected to happen between 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. Congestion is expected to be moderate between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., and between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. Traffic is expected to be smooth before 10 a.m. and after 9 p.m.

Predicted northbound I-5 travel times toward the Canadian Border for Tuesday, September 2

According to WSDOT, the worst traffic on Tuesday, Sept. 2, will likely happen between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. Congestion is expected to be moderate between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., and between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. Traffic is expected to be smooth before 9 a.m. and after 9 p.m.

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What are the best times to travel south on I-5 from the Canadian Border to WA for Labor Day weekend?

WSDOT used data from past years to predict the best times to travel south on I-5 from Canada, with day-by-day, hour-by-hour traffic charts over the holiday weekend. Here are WSDOT's Labor Day travel predictions for August 28 through September 2. To jump back to northbound traffic maps, please visit this link.

Predicted southbound I-5 travel times from the Canadian Border to WA for Thursday, August 28

According to WSDOT, traffic is expected to be moderate for most of the day on Thursday, Aug. 28. Traffic is expected to be smooth before 6 a.m. and after 8 p.m.

Predicted northbound I-5 travel times from the Canadian Border to WA for Friday, August 29

According to WSDOT, the worst traffic on Friday, Aug. 29, is expected to happen between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Congestion is expected to be moderate between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m., and between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. Traffic is expected to be smooth before 6 a.m. and after 9 p.m.

Predicted northbound I-5 travel times from the Canadian Border to WA for Saturday, August 30

According to WSDOT, the worst traffic on Saturday, Aug. 30, is expected to happen between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Congestion is expected to be moderate between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m., and between 1 p.m. and 9 p.m. Traffic is expected to be smooth before 8 a.m. and after 9 p.m.

Predicted northbound I-5 travel times from the Canadian Border to WA for Sunday, August 31

According to WSDOT, the worst traffic on Sunday, Aug. 31, is expected to happen between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. Congestion is expected to be moderate between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m., and between 12 p.m. and 9 p.m. Traffic is expected to be smooth before 8 a.m. and after 9 p.m.

Predicted northbound I-5 travel times from the Canadian Border to WA for Labor Day, Monday, September 1

According to WSDOT, the worst traffic on Labor Day is expected to happen between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Congestion is expected to be moderate between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m., and between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. Traffic is expected to be smooth before 8 a.m. and after 9 p.m.

Predicted northbound I-5 travel times from the Canadian Border to WA for Tuesday, September 2

According to WSDOT, congestion is expected to be mostly moderate throughout the day on Tuesday, Sept. 2. Traffic is expected to be smooth before 6 a.m. and after 7 p.m.

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What are the best times to travel east on I-90 in WA for Labor Day weekend?

WSDOT used data from past years to predict the best times to travel on I-90, with day-by-day, hour-by-hour traffic charts over the holiday weekend. To jump to westbound traffic maps, please visit this link.

Predicted eastbound I-90 travel times in WA for Thursday, August 28

According to WSDOT, the worst traffic on Thursday, Aug. 28, is expected to happen during the 1 p.m. hour. Congestion is expected to be moderate between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m., and between 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Traffic is expected to be smooth before 9 a.m. and after 8 p.m.

Predicted eastbound I-90 travel times in WA for Friday, August 29

According to WSDOT, the worst traffic on Friday, Aug. 29, is expected to happen between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. Congestion is expected to be moderate between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m., and during the 8 p.m. hour. Traffic is expected to be smooth before 8 a.m. and after 9 p.m.

Predicted eastbound I-90 travel times in WA for Saturday, August 30

According to WSDOT, the worst traffic on Saturday, Aug. 30, is expected to happen between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. Congestion is expected to be moderate between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m., and between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. Traffic is expected to be smooth before 7 a.m. and after 6 p.m.

Predicted eastbound I-90 travel times in WA for Sunday, August 31

According to WSDOT, traffic is expected to be moderate throughout most of the day on Sunday, Aug. 31. Traffic is expected to be smooth before 9 a.m. and after 5 p.m.

Predicted eastbound I-90 travel times in WA for Labor Day, Monday, September 1

According to WSDOT, traffic is expected to be moderate throughout most of the day on Labor Day. Traffic is expected to be smooth before 9 a.m. and after 5 p.m.

Predicted eastbound I-90 travel times in WA for Tuesday, September 2

According to WSDOT, traffic is expected to be moderate throughout most of the day on Labor Day. Traffic is expected to be smooth before 10 a.m. and after 5 p.m.

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What are the best times to travel west on I-90 in WA for Labor Day weekend?

WSDOT used data from past years to predict the best times to travel west on I-90, with day-by-day, hour-by-hour traffic charts over the holiday weekend. Here are WSDOT's Labor Day travel predictions for August 28 through September 2. To jump back to eastbound traffic maps, please visit this link.

Predicted westbound I-90 travel times in WA for Thursday, August 28

According to WSDOT, traffic is expected to be moderate throughout most of the day on Thursday, Aug. 28. Traffic is expected to be smooth before 10 a.m. and anytime after 6 p.m.

Predicted westbound I-90 travel times in WA for Friday, August 29

According to WSDOT, traffic is expected to be moderate throughout most of the day on Friday, Aug. 29. Traffic is expected to be smooth before 10 a.m. and anytime after 8 p.m.

Predicted westbound I-90 travel times in WA for Saturday, August 30

According to WSDOT, traffic is expected to be moderate throughout most of the day on Saturday, Aug. 30. Traffic is expected to be smooth before 9 a.m. and after 8 p.m.

Predicted westbound I-90 travel times in WA for Sunday, August 31

According to WSDOT, the worst traffic on Sunday, Aug. 31, will likely happen between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. Congestion is expected to be moderate between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m., and between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. Traffic is expected to be smooth before 9 a.m. and anytime after 10 p.m.

Predicted westbound I-90 travel times in WA for Labor Day, Monday, September 1

According to WSDOT, the worst traffic on Labor Day will likely happen between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. Congestion is expected to be moderate during the 8 a.m. hour, and between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. Traffic is expected to be smooth before 8 a.m. and after 10 p.m.

Predicted westbound I-90 travel times in WA for Tuesday, September 2

According to WSDOT, traffic is expected to be moderate throughout most of the day on Tuesday, Sept. 2. Traffic is expected to be smooth anytime before 9 a.m. and anytime after 6 p.m.

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What are the best times to travel east on US-2 in WA for Labor Day weekend?

WSDOT used data from past years to predict the best times to travel east on US-2, with day-by-day, hour-by-hour traffic charts over the holiday weekend. To view westbound traffic maps, please visit this link.

Predicted eastbound US-2 travel times in WA for Thursday, August 28

According to WSDOT, traffic is expected to be moderate throughout most of the day on Thursday, Aug. 28. Traffic is expected to be smooth before 10 a.m. and after 8 p.m.

Predicted eastbound US-2 travel times in WA for Friday, August 29

According to WSDOT, the worst traffic on Friday, Aug. 29, will likely happen between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. Congestion is expected to be moderate between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m., and between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. Traffic is expected to be smooth before 8 a.m. and after 9 p.m.

Predicted eastbound US-2 travel times in WA for Saturday, August 30

According to WSDOT, the worst traffic on Saturday, Aug. 30, will likely happen between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. Congestion is expected to be moderate between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m., and between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. Traffic is expected to be smooth before 7 a.m. and after 5 p.m.

Predicted eastbound US-2 travel times in WA for Sunday, August 31

According to WSDOT, traffic is expected to be smooth throughout most of the day on Sunday, Aug. 31, except during the 11 a.m. hour. Traffic is expected to be smooth before 9 a.m. and after 3 p.m.

Predicted eastbound US-2 travel times in WA for Labor Day, Monday, September 1

According to WSDOT, traffic is expected to be moderate throughout most of the day on Labor Day. Traffic is expected to be smooth before 9 a.m. and after 3 p.m.

Predicted eastbound US-2 travel times in WA for Tuesday, September 2

According to WSDOT, traffic is expected to be smooth for most of the day on Tuesday, Sept. 2, with a brief period of moderate congestion anticipated around 11 a.m.

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What are the best times to travel west on US-2 in WA for Labor Day weekend?

WSDOT used data from past years to predict the best times to travel west on US-2, with day-by-day, hour-by-hour traffic charts over the holiday weekend. Here are WSDOT's Labor Day travel predictions for August 28 through September 2. To jump back to eastbound traffic maps, please visit this link.

Predicted westbound US-2 travel times in WA for Thursday, August 28

According to WSDOT, traffic is expected to be smooth all day on Thursday, Aug. 28.

Predicted westbound US-2 travel times in WA for Friday, August 29

According to WSDOT, traffic is expected to be smooth all day on Friday, Aug. 29. Officials anticipate congestion to be moderate between 1 p.m. and 6 p.m.

Predicted westbound US-2 travel times in WA for Saturday, August 30

According to WSDOT, congestion is expected to be moderate between 1 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 30. Traffic is expected to be smooth anytime before 1 p.m. and after 8 p.m.

Predicted westbound US-2 travel times in WA for Sunday, August 31

According to WSDOT, the worst traffic on Sunday, Aug. 31, will likely happen between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. Congestion is expected to be moderate between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., and between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. Traffic is expected to be smooth before 10 a.m. and after 9 p.m.

Predicted westbound US-2 travel times in WA for Labor Day, Monday, September 1

According to WSDOT, the worst traffic on Labor Day will likely happen between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. Congestion is expected to be light during the 8 a.m. hour, and between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. Traffic is expected to be smooth before 8 a.m. and after 9 p.m.

Predicted westbound US-2 travel times in WA for Tuesday, September 2

According to WSDOT, traffic is expected to be moderate throughout most of the day on Tuesday, Sept. 2. Traffic is expected to be smooth before 10 a.m. and after 5 p.m.

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