Nasty Traffic Today In Puget Sound, AAA Predicts

SEATTLE, WA - Tuesday might be the most crowded July 4-related travel day in almost 20 years, and that means the normally terrible traffic situation in Puget Sound will be much worse Tuesday afternoon.

According to AAA, almost 40 million people will travel during this holiday, most of them on Tuesday. Traffic jams will come from people making trips of 50 miles or more - not only to a vacation destination, but also to the airport, and to July 4 celebrations.

The busiest travel time around Puget Sound will be between 3 and 6 p.m. on Tuesday, according to AAA and the traffic data firm INRIX. A typical trip will take almost two times as long, according to estimates. That means a one-hour commute from Redmond to Renton will take two hours or more.

Also keep in mind: AAA has ranked Seattle the No. 3 top travel destination in the U.S.

Unfortunately, there's no trick to avoid the predicted Tuesday afternoon traffic mess except to either hold off on driving or maybe take public transportation.

"With a record-level number of travelers hitting the road this holiday, drivers must be prepared for delays around major metros," Kirkland-based INRIX general manager Scott Sedlik said in a press release. “Although travel times are expected to nominally increase throughout the week, Tuesday afternoon will hands down be the worst time to be on the road. Our advice to drivers is to avoid peak commuting hours altogether or consider alternative routes.”

Photo via Seattle Municipal Archives Photograph Collection