State officials say drivers should prepare for what is going to be a mad dash home on Washington highways Monday.
For weeks, the Washington State Department of Transportation has been preparing drivers for the worst on Labor Day weekend, with construction closures expected to cause even more delays than normal for the holiday.
I-90 is one of the most heavily traveled routes on Labor Day as people return from eastern Washington.
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The westbound lanes are expected to slow down starting late Monday morning and continuing into the evening, especially between North Bend and the Summit at Snoqualmie, where drivers have been dealing with a slowdown all summer long as crews repair the bridge deck.
Crews will be working on the project Monday as well, leaving westbound drivers with only one lane.
WSDOT says the best time for travel on westbound I-90 is before 8 a.m. or after 10 p.m. Traffic is expected to be heaviest from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., but officials are predicting rush hour-like traffic sporadically throughout the day.
Meanwhile, ferry delays could be even more substantial, with three vessels out of service.
Related: Ferry terminal cameras and wait times
“We don't have a deep bench. Every vessel that is operational now is in use. We don't have any vessels to plug in as spares,” said Meagan Lott with WSDOT.
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