Washington State Highways-Too many cars/people

[MtnHigh]

What the @#$% is up with all the traffic in Washington state?

 

The last two weekends I've been forturate to leave the confines of Portandia and climb in the Cascades.

Last weekend Index, this weekend Stuart. On both occasions I found myself driving west bound heading

home late afternoon/early evening on Sundays. Hwy 2 from Index and I90 from the Teanaway Rd. And on both

occasions I found myself STUCK IN TRAFFIC JAMS 40-70 miles from I5.

Yesterday between Roslyn and Snoqualmie Pass the traffic alternated between a 1st gear crawl to 80mph sprints. Last week we inched along from Gold Bar to Sultan.

 

Is the traffic always like that on Sunday and I've just been lucky to miss it all these years???

[slothrop]

Yes.

[thelawgoddess]

yes. that's when just about everybody is heading home from somewhere they went for the weekend.

[mattp]

At least there is some measure of predictability about it. In general, it seems to me these backups seem the worst if you are headed toward Seattle with an estimated arrival time between 6:00 and 9:00 pm or so. If you'd just take a little longer on your climb you might not get the car-to-car bragging rights, bt you'll probably have less trouble on the highway.

[chucK]

They're doing some work on I-90 lately, and the Sultan stoplight ALWAYS bungs things up (in the time window Matt describes). Note the signs in Sultan re: contacting your legislator. Could the WCC build Sultan an overpass?

 

Also of note, there is some major work going on on 530 West of Darrington. We got stopped for about 1/2 hour on our way back from NCNP. Hwy 20 might be the way to go for NCNP until this job is done.

[kurthicks]

Yesterday between Roslyn and Snoqualmie Pass the traffic alternated between a 1st gear crawl to 80mph sprints.

 

I saw that as I headed home. for once, i felt glad to live on the east side!

[espirita]

At least the views are nice (mostly).

[dbb]

Yep, except last night it was stopped from Index->sultan. damn traffic light. I've heard that one happens every sunday and clears up around 9pm. sucks...

[Ducknut]

I-5 northbound was a parking lot from Seattle to south of Olympia yesterday afternoon/evening. I was happy to be heading south and the drivers going north.

[j_b]

it is usually worthwhile to drive back early monday a.m., for at least a couple of reasons (no traffic being one of them).

[larrythellama]

your best bet is to head east to yakima and then south, cross the river at burns and then drive to pdx.

[TeleRoss]

I was stuck on the HWY 2 parking lot yesterday. 5mph from Index to the light in Sultan....super lame.

[kurthicks]

your best bet is to head east to yakima and then south, cross the river at burns and then drive to pdx.

 

god I hope you mean biggs.

 

either way, that sucks.

[mattp]

Your best bet is to stop for dinner or something and wait for the jam to fade out. As noted, if you drive past Index after 9:00 p.m. you rarely have a problem. Alternatively, you could cut the lcimbing day short and head home early, but how many of us are willing to do that?

[Double_E]

planning a trip out to the Quinault area this weekend.

 

after reading all this (and memories of the times I've been stuck in Sunday traffic on I5)... I think I'm gonna push for leaving Quinault around 8 pm. cuz whether we leave there at 6 pm, or leave there at 8 pm, we'll probably get back to Seattle at 11 or 1130, either way.

 

might as well just prolong the play time.

[MisterMo]

What the @#$% is up with all the traffic in Washington state?

 

The last two weekends I've been forturate to leave the confines of Portandia and climb in the Cascades.

Last weekend Index, this weekend Stuart. On both occasions I found myself driving west bound heading

home late afternoon/early evening on Sundays. Hwy 2 from Index and I90 from the Teanaway Rd. And on both

occasions I found myself STUCK IN TRAFFIC JAMS 40-70 miles from I5.

Yesterday between Roslyn and Snoqualmie Pass the traffic alternated between a 1st gear crawl to 80mph sprints. Last week we inched along from Gold Bar to Sultan.

 

Is the traffic always like that on Sunday and I've just been lucky to miss it all these years???

 

Traffic on SR2 in the Sky Valley is so bad that I just never go down the hill on Sunday anymore...........an option maybe not open to you.

 

Below Skykomish the only portion of SR2 to which there is absolutely no alternative is the chunk over the Wallace River between Gold Bar and Startup. Other than that, if you're creative and can read a map you have choices.

 

If you take an alternate route that leads you through, say, Index.....please drive pretty slow so I (we) don't get all pissy and irate & such.

 

Sultan is adding a second light; if the two aren't synchronized it could be doubly awful there soon.

 

And lastly, special thanks to the Washington State Legislature for passing a whopping gas tax increase with NONE of it going to SR2. Fuckers. Now I know how the folks east of the crest feel.

[To_The_Top]

That section of HWay2 blows....

Been stuck a few Sunday nights (last couple of weeks) coming home and whoa, another accident blocking.

whine!

[ashw_justin]

Be smarter than the sheep! Don't drive a major highway during rush hour... which apparently is all the time in the Snohomish River Valley. No I take that back. 5 AM is usually ok.

[Winter]

Pete you're driving the wrong way dude. Don't drive anywhere near Seattle on Sunday afternoon. Head back through Yakima.

[JoshK]

Your best bet is to stop for dinner or something and wait for the jam to fade out. As noted, if you drive past Index after 9:00 p.m. you rarely have a problem. Alternatively, you could cut the lcimbing day short and head home early, but how many of us are willing to do that?

 

Yup...just like weekend skiing at Stevens Pass. If you leave at the typical 3 or 4pm you get to sit along US2 with all the families in their SUVs heading home. Get some night turns (or hang out in the bar? ) and leave at 7pm and you are much better off.

 

On a remotely related note, i have been amazed to find how many people don't realize that going to leavenworth is *generally* faster via I90/US97 than via US2. If you are going during daylight hours you are almost certainly going to make up for the extra milage on I90 by not having to stop as much as you would on US2.

[thelawgoddess]

shhh!!!! dammit!

[Ireneo_Funes]

Winter and the Llama are right. Go by way of Yakima/the Gorge whenever possible.

[kix]

 

On a remotely related note, i have been amazed to find how many people don't realize that going to leavenworth is *generally* faster via I90/US97 than via US2. If you are going during daylight hours you are almost certainly going to make up for the extra milage on I90 by not having to stop as much as you would on US2.

 

cle elum to the pass is often still an issue on the return.

 

YOUR CARS ARE KILLING THE SOUND!!!!!!!!!!!!! YOURS.

 

and mine. dammit.

[downfall]

No gas tax going to sultan but they got money from the new transportation bill for that new lite and the sync of the lights: http://www.taxpayer.net/Transportation/safetealu/WA.pdf

[kix]

theres some good stuff in that bill. Of course, now we have to live the nightmare while the construction is in progress.