SEATTLE – The Thanksgiving holiday is often the busiest travel day in the U.S., and the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is making sure travelers anticipate higher-than-usual traffic across the state this year.
WSDOT compiled several charts and guides to help drivers plan for congestion on major routes throughout the state. These charts, based on historical data, show the typical hourly traffic volumes in previous years.
All times marked in green indicate light traffic on the roadways; yellow indicates moderate to heavy traffic. WSDOT says that even the slightest incident could cause significant backups during times marked in red.
If you’re planning to hit the Washington roads for Thanksgiving, tap the links below to jump to traffic predictions on:
- US-2 between Skykomish and Stevens Pass.
What are the best times to travel north on I-5 for Thanksgiving?
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 view southbound traffic maps, please visit this link.
I-5 travel times predicted for northbound I-5 on Wednesday, Nov. 27
According to WSDOT, the worst traffic on Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving, will likely happen between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. Congestion is expected to be moderate between 5 a.m. and 9 a.m., and between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. Traffic is expected to be smooth before 5 a.m. and after 9 p.m.
I-5 travel times predicted for northbound I-5 on Thursday, Nov. 28
According to WSDOT, the worst traffic on Thursday, Thanksgiving Day, will likely happen between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Congestion is expected to be moderate at 9 a.m. and between 2 p.m. and 10 p.m. The best times to drive are anytime before 9 a.m. and anytime after 10 p.m.
I-5 travel times predicted for northbound I-5 on Friday, Nov. 29
According to WSDOT, the worst traffic on Friday, the day after Thanksgiving – also known as Black Friday, will be between the hours of 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Congestion is expected to be moderate between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m., and between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. Traffic will be smooth anytime before 7 a.m. and anytime after 9 p.m.
I-5 travel times predicted for northbound I-5 on Saturday, Nov. 30
According to WSDOT, the worst traffic on Saturday is likely to be between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Congestion is expected to be moderate between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m., and between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. Traffic is expected to be smooth anytime before 8 a.m. and anytime after 10 p.m.
I-5 travel times predicted for northbound I-5 on Sunday, Dec. 1
According to WSDOT, the worst traffic on Sunday, Dec. 1 is expected to be between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. Congestion is expected to be moderate at 9 a.m. and between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. Traffic is expected to be smooth anytime before 9 a.m. and anytime after 9 p.m.
I-5 travel times predicted for northbound I-5 on Monday, Dec. 2
According to WSDOT, the worst traffic on Monday, Dec. 2 will be between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m., and between 12 p.m. and 6 p.m. Congestion is expected to be moderate at 5 a.m., between 8 a.m. and 12 p.m. and between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. Traffic is expected to be smooth before 5 a.m. and anytime after 8 p.m.
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What are the best times to travel south on I-5 for Thanksgiving?
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 Thanksgiving travel predictions for Aug. 29 through Sept. 3:
I-5 travel times predicted for southbound I-5 on Wednesday, Nov. 27
According to WSDOT, the worst time to travel on Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving, will be between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. Congestion is expected to be moderate between 6 a.m and 8 a.m., and between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. Congestion is expected to be moderate between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m., and between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. Traffic is expected to be smooth anytime before 6 a.m. and anytime after 10 p.m.
I-5 travel times predicted for southbound I-5 on Thursday, Nov. 28
According to WSDOT, the worst time to travel on Thanksgiving Day is between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Congestion is expected to be moderate at 8 a.m. and between 3 p.m. and 10 p.m. Traffic is expected to be smooth anytime before 8 a.m. and anytime after 10 p.m.
I-5 travel times predicted for southbound I-5 on Friday, Nov. 29
According to WSDOT, the worst time to travel on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, will be between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Congestion is expected to be moderate between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m., and between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. Traffic is expected to be smooth anytime before 7 a.m. and anytime after 9 p.m.
I-5 travel times predicted for southbound I-5 on Saturday, Nov. 30
According to WSDOT, the worst time to drive on Saturday is anytime between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Congestion is expected to be moderate between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m., and between 5 a.m. and 9 p.m. Traffic is expected to be smooth anytime before 8 a.m. and anytime after 9 p.m.
I-5 travel times predicted for southbound I-5 on Sunday, Dec. 1
According to WSDOT, the worst time to drive on Sunday is between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. Congestion is expected to be moderate at 9 a.m. and between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. Traffic is expected to be smooth anytime before 9 a.m. and anytime after 9 p.m.…