Expect busy roads, longer ferry waits for Fourth of July weekend in Western Washington
With the state fully reopened from COVID-19 restrictions, many Western Washington residents are looking to get out of their homes and hit the road for the Fourth of July weekend.
AAA expects more than 47.7 million Americans to travel over the Independence Day weekend — a 40% increase compared to last year's pandemic lows — and even listed the Seattle metro area as one of the top destinations for Americans. And while that is good news for the region's hard-hit tourism and hospitality industries, it might also mean traffic headaches for locals looking to get out of the city.
"Travel is in full swing this summer, as Americans eagerly pursue travel opportunities they’ve deferred for the last year-and-a-half," said Paula Twidale, senior vice president of AAA Travel in a news release. "We saw strong demand for travel around Memorial Day and the kick-off of summer, and all indications now point to a busy Independence Day to follow."
The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is asking drivers to plan ahead and determine the best times to travel on key routes to avoid congestion. The agency currently expected that Interstate 5 between Lacey and Tacoma, Interstate 90 between North Bend and Cle Elum, and U.S. Route 2 from Skykomish to Stevens Pass will be the busiest corridors over the holiday weekend.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/expect-busy-roads-longer-ferry-waits-for-fourth-of-july-weekend-in-western-washington/ar-AALFsmD