SEATTLE — AAA projects that 45 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home over Memorial Day weekend, with more than 39 million expected to travel by car.
As travelers across Washington prepare for a busy holiday weekend, transportation analysts are warning that some of the roads drivers use most during holiday travel could also become more dangerous.
INRIX Transportation Analyst Bob Pishue says although city streets may become quieter during the holiday weekend, the same trend does not apply to the region’s busiest travel corridors. That’s especially true for crashes.
“What we found is traffic collisions around the city — Seattle, Bellevue, Everett, Tacoma, really all across the Puget Sound area — are down about 25% over the holiday weekend,” Pishue said. “However, it’s only down 4% on those key holiday routes. So, on those routes specifically where people are traveling, we still are seeing a bunch of crashes going on.”
Among the routes expected to post the greatest risk this weekend is northbound Interstate 5 toward Bellingham.
“We see a 20% increase in crashes on that route on Memorial Day weekend,” he said.
The Washington State Department of Transportation says Memorial Day weekend traditionally marks the unofficial start of summer, and a significant increase in travel across the state.
Drivers should expect especially heavy traffic on several key corridors, including:
- Interstate 5
- Interstate 90
- U.S. Route 2
- I-5 Canada Border Crossing
AAA also released guidance on the best and worst travel times between Thursday and Memorial Day Monday.
For Friday travelers, AAA recommends leaving before 11 a.m. Traffic is expected to be heaviest between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m.
On Memorial Day, drivers are advised to avoid traveling between noon and 5 p.m. The best time to leave is before 10 a.m.
Officials encourage drivers to plan ahead, allow extra travel time, and stay alert — especially on unfamiliar roads during the busy holiday weekend.
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