Slowdown Lowdown » John Henrikson

Traveling for Memorial Day weekend: Plan your best escape time

John Henrikson — Fri, 25 May 2012 15:58:22 +0000

The good news for your Memorial Day Weekend escape: The weather is looking nice, at least for Friday and Saturday. The bad news: Whether you are traveling by plane, train or automobile (or ferry), you can expect crowds – and high gas prices if you’re filling a tank.

The Washington State Department of Transportation offers a variety of weekend travel tips on its website, including this visualization of peak travel times for weekend to plan the least crowded departure times on Interstate 5 (other routes here.)

WSDOT video shows you how to navigate Exit 133 closure

John Henrikson — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 19:07:31 +0000

The Washington State Department of Transportation is getting the word out about this spring’s closure of the northbound Downtown Tacoma exit (aka 133) with a new video that show drivers how to navigate the detour. The ramp will close around-the-clock for about three months in late April or early May as part of the latest phase of the Nalley Valley project. Here’s the helpful video:

For more info, here’s a Q&A on the detour.

And here’s a map from WSDOT.

ALL CLEAR: Down lines close Interstate 5 in Lewis County

John Henrikson — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 15:55:07 +0000

UPDATE 8:40 a.m.: The Interstate has reopened.

The Washington State Department of Transportation has closed Interstate 5 in both directions between Grand Mound and Centralia because of power lines over the roadway.

Blocking accident in Fife

John Henrikson — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 20:13:49 +0000

UPDATE: Accident has been cleared. Lanes open.

The state DOT reports a collision on Interstate 5 northbound at Milepost 138, near Porter Way. The four right lanes are blocked and traffic getting by on the HOV lane. Crews are on scene and are responding to injuries.

Wet and ugly conditions out there, folks. Be careful.

Getting out of town? Pick the best time to beat the traffic

John Henrikson — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 00:09:40 +0000

If you’re headed to Grandmother’s house or any other place out of town for Thanksgiving, expect to hit some traffic, especially if you’re traveling Interstate 5 or the mountain passes.

The Washington State Department of Transportation is offering some handy tools to help drivers avoid peak times on major routes – or at least know what they are getting into.

These charts from WSDOT show likely traffic delays on I-5 between Tacoma and Olympia on Wednesday and Thursday, based on typical holiday travel patterns. The idea would be to avoid the peak times shown in red.

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Accident had Interstate 5 blocked in Tacoma

John Henrikson — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 19:11:16 +0000

UPDATE: All lanes are now cleared in the collision near Port of Tacoma Rd. on I-5 near mile post 135. The accident happened at about 11:41 a.m.

What’s the best time to travel on Labor Day weekend?

John Henrikson — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 23:25:50 +0000

If you’re trying to get out of town for one last summer trip, your best bet to avoid congestion is to start very early or wait until evening. That’s according to the Washington State Department of Transportation’s traffic predictions for Labor Day weekend. WSDOT put together these handy charts to help plan a quick escape – or at least prepare yourself for traffic snarls.

Here’s the chart for Friday for the dreaded I-5 stretch between Tacoma and Olympia.

For more days and routes, including I-90, Stevens Pass and the Canadian border, check out WSDOT’s website.

Below is some …

Traffic Q&A: Back to (driving) school edition

John Henrikson — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 15:51:07 +0000

With school starting this week in Tacoma, Puyallup, Federal Way and several other districts and elsewhere next week, it’s a good time to review some FAQs about school zones and school buses. Over the years, we’ve gotten more questions on this subject for our Traffic Q&A column than any other.

Who decides where to put school zones? Why do they extend seemingly far away from a school? Where does a school zone end if not posted?

State law (RCW 46.61.440) determines school zones based on the location of school crosswalks. A school zone extends 300 feet on either side of …

ALL CLEAR: Lanes blocked on N-bound I-5 in South Tacoma

John Henrikson — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 13:53:13 +0000

A multi-vehicle collision is blocking the two left lanes of Interstate 5 at South 56th Street, WSDOT is reporting. Happened about 6:40 a.m. Already traffic is backed up three miles to the south – be ready for delays.

UPDATE as of 7:55 a.m.: There were minor injuries as a result of this crash. Troopers report the crash should be cleared up soon.

UPDATE as of 8:15 a.m.: The crash has been cleared and all lanes are reopened.

Reminder: Avoid 520 bridge this weekend

John Henrikson — Sat, 27 Aug 2011 17:13:55 +0000

If you’re planning to travel in the Seattle area this weekend, be warned. Major congestion is expected Saturday and Sunday as construction crews close the State Route 520 floating bridge and highway from Montlake Boulevard to Interstate 405 to install a culvert beneath SR 520 near Yarrow Point and create a median work zone for lid construction in Medina.

Here are details:

SR 520 closure details
Crews will close all ramps in the work zone and all lanes on SR 520 from 11 p.m. Friday, Aug. 26, to 5 a.m. Monday, Aug. 29, between Montlake Boulevard in Seattle

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