The DOT's recommended travel times for Thanksgiving weekend

The Thanksgiving weekend is the busiest holiday weekend of the year for drivers going over Snoqualmie Pass and those heading south of Seattle through Olympia.

The state Department of Transportation has released its recommended travel times so motorists can avoid gridlock.

Last year, on the day before Thanksgiving, travel times were doubled between 1 and 8 p.m. southbound on Interstate 5 between Seattle and Federal Way.

This is what the state is recommending:

• Interstate 90, North Bend to Cle Elum. The heaviest eastbound traffic Wednesday will be between noon and 8 p.m., with particularly heavy traffic predicted for 4 p.m. Westbound. Heavy traffic is expected between 1 and 6 p.m.

• On Sunday, the heaviest eastbound traffic is expected between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. Westbound. Expect heavy traffic from 1 to 7 p.m.

• On northbound Interstate 5 south of Olympia on Wednesday, expect stop and go traffic Wednesday from 1 to 5 p.m. and heavy traffic beginning at 7 a.m. and continuing to 10 p.m.

Southbound, expect heavy congestion from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m.

On Sunday, northbound traffic will be heaviest between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m.; southbound between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m.

There are various Web sites to check on projected Thanksgiving traffic volumes.

For Puget Sound-area highways go to: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Congestion/ThanksgivingDay/2008chartsI90.htm

If you are crossing the border into Canada, you can check the DOT's Web site, equipped with new cameras, for crossing times. The crossing time information is available at www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/border/.

Sixteen cameras are available for all four border crossings.

Motorists are warned of other weekend disruptions. On Friday the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade will close the southbound Interstate 5 exit to Union Street through midmorning and on Sunday, the Seattle Marathon will close the I-90 center roadway through mid morning.

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