Hitting the road for Thanksgiving? There are times you’ll want to avoid traveling
If you’re driving for the Thanksgiving holiday, weather and transportation officials are offering some early advice.
State Department of Transportation officials said state highways will see typical heavy holiday weekend traffic, and long delays are expected on Interstate 90 and on the ferries.
Google’s “Mapping Thanksgiving” page offered the following travel trips for the holiday:
▪ Don’t leave Wednesday night.
▪ Return on Saturday morning.
The heaviest holiday traffic in the Seattle area is from early afternoon to midnight Wednesday, according to Google — which analyzed the speed and location of Android phones with location services enabled.
▪ The best times to be on the road in Seattle are 4 a.m. Thanksgiving Day and 3 a.m. Black Friday, Google said.
▪ The worst times to be on the road in Seattle are 4 p.m. Wednesday and 4 p.m. Saturday, Google said.
▪ If you’re heading to Canada for the holiday, the worst northbound traffic on Interstate 5 is Wednesday afternoon and evening, and before noon on Thanksgiving, WSDOT said. For the southbound return, border traffic is heaviest from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday.
▪ If you’re taking a ferry, make a reservation. Heavy traffic, unsafe tidal currents and maintenance could affect sailing schedules, according to Washington State Ferries.
Weather forecast
Windy weather could add to traffic woes in Western Washington, but clear and cold conditions are expected across the region through Saturday with a chance of rain in the lowlands and snow in the passes on Sunday.
Sunday morning’s forecast shows the possibility of a rain/snow mix in the lowlands, the weather service said.
Roads could be icy because of freezing temperatures, the weather service said.
Travel kit
WSDOT advises anyone driving in winter to prepare by downloading its mobile app and carrying a few essential items in their car.
At a minimum, travelers should pack a flashlight and batteries, cell phone charger and battery, ice scraper, tire chains, blanket, extra warm clothing, water and snacks, WSDOT said. It also helps to keep a full tank of gas.
This story was originally published November 22, 2019 at 5:00 AM.
