WASHINGTON — AAA projects a record 72.2 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home for the July 4th holiday this week.
Many of these travelers will be driving, leading to expected heavy congestion on major roadways in Washington state. The holiday rush for the July 4th celebration started on Saturday and is expected to continue until Sunday, July 5.
Washington State Patrol (WSP) is deploying extra patrols to address impaired driving and traffic congestion, especially in Seattle, which AAA says is a top domestic destination.
“This is one of the best destinations in the world to go get on a cruise ship and head up to Alaska. So that’s going to be no different this year,” said Kyle Hays, a product marketing manager for AAA Washington. He added that “cruise ship travel is up about 5% over last year.”
Travelers should anticipate significant delays on major interstates.
Hays warned that “the two big ones are going to be the freeways. I-90 and I-5 are going to be really congested during the peak times this holiday season, as they usually are.”
With Friday the 3rd being the observed holiday, the Washington State Patrol is preparing for an increase in visitors, including those attending a World Cup match in Seattle.
Trooper Rick Johnson, King County Public Information Officer for WSP, explained the agency’s response.
“This year, there’s obviously going to be extra people in town and presumably extra traffic,” Johnson said. “But that’s the reason why we’re putting extra patrols out that will work. The areas that we most commonly see DUIS being made.”
Johnson also advised drivers to remain attentive and prepared for longer travel times.
“You don’t drive distracted, pay attention to what you’re doing, expect it to take longer, pack your patience,” he said.
Last year, 30 impaired drivers were arrested in King County during the holiday period from July 3 to the early morning of July 5. This figure is up from 22 impaired drivers in 2024 for the same time frame.
Authorities are also cautioning against a specific dangerous practice during fireworks displays.
Trooper Johnson said, “Do not, absolutely do not stop your vehicle on the freeways to watch the fireworks. This is an issue that we encounter when there are fireworks, and it’s dangerous, not legal, and we’ll have troopers that are looking for that.”
The holiday travel rush is expected to continue until Sunday, July 5.
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