WA has over 90 road construction projects this summer. Use our guide to avoid traffic

Rosemary Montalvo, Daniel Schrager, Shaun Goodwin, Karlee Van De Venter
·6 min read

Road construction is a reality of much of everyday life for drivers. But this summer, Washington drivers should certainly expect to encounter road work while on the way to any event, according to the state’s Department of Transportation.

With 93 projects in active development in the coming months across the state, travelers should be aware of where and when road projects are underway.

McClatchy’s Northwest service team put together a list of resources to help you navigate the summer 2024 construction season.

Where is WA road construction happening?

The Department of Transportation has released a detailed map of the 93 construction projects currently planned across Washington.

As far as regions go, here are the total number of projects occurring at different areas of the state, ordered from most number of projects to least:

  • Southwest Region: 15

  • Olympic Region: 21

  • Northwest Region: 26

  • North Central Region: 6

  • South Central Region: 6

  • Eastern Region: 7

93 road construction projects are planned on and near state highways, not including other regular maintenance or emergency repairs, for this summer.
93 road construction projects are planned on and near state highways, not including other regular maintenance or emergency repairs, for this summer.

In addition, some larger-scale programs have several projects in motion:

  • I-405/SR 167 Corridor Program (Northwest Region): 5

  • Puget Sound Gateway Program (Northwest region): 4

  • SR 520 Bridge Replacement and HOV Program: 3

You can also look up maintenance in real time with the department’s online interactive construction map. The map shows users when and where maintenance is occurring and whether maintenance will significantly impact traffic flow or not.

Events impacting traffic through September

In late June, WSDOT laid out some notable events that might impact traffic in the coming months that will also impact traffic. If you’re thinking of traveling on a major route one of the listed days, plan ahead for extra time. Here’s a list of concerts, festivals and sports games that have recurring events throughout the summer, as well as links to full schedules:

Sports

Storm – Climate Pledge Arena, Seattle

Mariners – T-Mobile Park, Seattle

Seahawks – Lumen Field, Seattle

Seawolves – Starfire Sports, Tukwila

Reign – Lumen Field

Sounders – Lumen Field

University of Washington Football – Husky Stadium, Seattle

Washington State University Football – Martin Stadium, Pullman

Concert and entertainment venues

Tacoma Dome – Tacoma

RV Inn Style Resorts Amphitheater – Ridgefield

White River Amphitheatre – Auburn

Gorge Amphitheatre – Grant County

WAMU Theater – Seattle

Climate Pledge Arena – Seattle

Lumen Field – Seattle

T-Mobile Park – Seattle

Spokane Arena – Spokane

Angel of the Winds Arena – Everrett

Festivals and events

Bite of Seattle (July 19-21) – Seattle Center

Midsummer Renaissance Faire (July 20-21 and 27-28, Aug. 3-4, 10-11 and 17-18) – Snohomish

Tri-City Water Follies (July 26-28) – Columbia River

Torchlight Parade (July 27) – Downtown Seattle

WSDOT maintains a calendar of events expected to impact traffic in Washington this summer.
WSDOT maintains a calendar of events expected to impact traffic in Washington this summer.

Watershed Festival (Aug. 1-4) – Grant County

Seafair Weekend (Aug. 2-4) – Genesee Park and Lake Washington

Outlaw Music Festival (Aug. 10) – Grant County

Bass Canyon Festival (Aug. 16-18) – Grant County

Evergreen State Fair (Aug. 22-27 and Aug. 29- Sept. 2) – Evergreen State Fair Park, Monroe

Puyallup Fair (Aug. 30- Sept. 22) – Washington State Fairground, Puyallup

PAX West (Aug. 30- Sept. 2) – Seattle Convention Center

Bumbershoot (Aug. 31- Sept. 1) – Seattle Center

WWE Smackdown (Sept. 13) – Climate Pledge Arena

WSDOT expects several September events to impact traffic in Washington.
WSDOT expects several September events to impact traffic in Washington.

Information on road construction and closures

Although the McClatchy Northwest service team will keep this resource as updated as possible, there are multiple other online resources to keep track of Washington road delays and closures. Here are social media accounts, phone numbers and roadside assistance options for Washington drivers:

Washington State Department Of Transportation - Reports traffic information across Washington

WSDOT Traffic - Traffic information in King and Snohomish Counties. Monitored 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday

WSDOT Tacoma - Traffic information for Pierce, Thurston, Kitsap, Jefferson, Mason, Grays, Harbor and Clallam Counties. Monitored 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

WSDOT SW- Traffic information for Clark, Cowlitz, Klickitat, Lewis, Pacific and Skamania Counties. Monitored 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

WSDOT East - Traffic information east of the Cascade Mountains. Monitored 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

WSDOT North - Traffic information for Whatcom, Skagit and Island Counties. Monitored 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday.

SR 520 - Reports traffic information and construction updates for State Route 520.

Snoqualmie Pass - Reports weather, travel and construction updates for Interstate 90 through Snoqualmie Pass.

Fleet Operations Roadside Assistance - Provides WSDOT roadside assistance

  • Available from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

  • Roadside assistance number: 800-542-6840

Radio station updates

The transportation department says to tune your vehicle’s radio to 530 AM and 1610 AM to receive highway advisory alerts. Take note of signs in your area that may recommend additional stations offering updates.

Email alerts

To stay up-to-date on traffic conditions and construction updates, sign up for WSDOT’s email alerts on the department’s website.