Tips for avoiding Labor Day weekend gridlock

Heading out of town this weekend? The Washington State Department of Transportation has advice about the best times to travel to avoid gridlock on area freeways.

Department analysts looked at typical weekend travel in late August and how many cars were on the road on past Labor Day weekends.

Interstate 90 from North Bend to Cle Elum: The heaviest traffic will be eastbound between 1 and 4 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. to noon Saturday and westbound from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday.

U.S. Highway 2, also known as the Stevens Pass Highway, between Everett and Leavenworth: The only heavy traffic is expected between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. westbound Monday, otherwise the freeway is expected to have light or moderate traffic.

Interstate 5 near Lewis and Thurston counties: Heavy northbound traffic is expected Friday from noon to 4 p.m. and Saturday between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Southbound traffic is expected to be heavy Friday between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. and between 9 and 11 a.m. Saturday.

Sunday, expect heavy northbound traffic between 2 and 6 p.m. and on Monday from noon to 7 p.m.

Southbound on Monday, heavy traffic is forecast between 1 and 2 p.m.

I-5 near the Canadian border: Northbound on Friday expect heavy traffic between 1 and 6 p.m. and southbound between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. and 3 to 5 p.m.

Saturday, the heaviest traffic is expected between 3 and 5 p.m. northbound and between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. southbound.

Sunday, traffic is expected to be jammed between 3 and 7 p.m. northbound.

Monday, heaviest northbound traffic will be between 3 and 5 p.m.

Washington State Ferries: The heaviest westbound traffic is expected between 3 and 7 p.m. Friday. Eastbound traffic is expected to be heaviest Sunday afternoon and evening through early morning sailings Monday.

Tacoma Narrows Bridge: WSDOT expects heavy traffic Labor Day afternoon and evening on Highway 16 over the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, and more drivers than normal will be using the manual toll lanes.

For more advice, go to www.wsdot.wa.gov/Congestion/LaborDay/

Susan Gilmore: 206-464-2054 or sgilmore@seattletimes.com