09/04/2026
Labor Day weekend always marks our last Paint Map of the summer. And to say goodbye, our resident doodler decided to show you her real fine arts skills. Presenting a Handsome Squidward edition of the map.
Labor Day weekend also means the Summer Scaries have officially set in. Symptoms may include a sudden urge to squeeze three months of summer plans into one three-day weekend. If symptoms persist, consult your travel map. before making any weekend plans. Luckily, we have have one handy, so here’s what you need to know:
The handsome news: Most of our highway construction work will pause this weekend, which means all lanes of the I-90 Vantage Bridge are OPEN for the weekend. Lane reductions will go back into effect Tuesday morning.
The Squidward news: You should still expect delays on I-5, I-90, US 2, at the Canadian border and on Washington State Ferries as people chase the final days of summer. Between sports games, two state fairs, festivals, concerts and everyone trying to squeeze in one last summer adventure, the roads will be BUSY.
We can’t cure the Summer Scaries, but we can at least try to keep holiday traffic from aggravating this unfortunate illness. Our travel charts estimate the best times to travel on key highways throughout the weekend. Visit this link, consult the charts, and make a plan to avoid peak travel times: wsdot.wa.gov/travel/holiday-weekend-travel/labor-day-weekend-travel-times
As always, check real-time conditions before you head out, give yourself extra time and have a plan.
And with that, our Paint Map artist hangs up her paintbrush. For now. She’ll rest. She’ll wait. And when Washington’s roads inevitably descend into chaos once more, she’ll be ready.
