The wheels on the bus go round and round, but sometimes, without warning, the bus driver finds himself at a complete, mind-numbing, stomach-churning standstill. During summer months, when road construction is at its highest, commuters will find themselves stuck in traffic. We’re going to point you towards trouble spots, and give you solid info on traffic-reporting radio stations and websites that warn you long before you stick the keys in your ignition.

Washington State Department of Transportation

The ultimate authority on where road construction is taking place, www.wsdot. wa.gov offers cameras honed directly onto mountain passes, the Narrows Bridge, and several points along the I-5 corridor. With daily, weekly and monthly postings, drivers can be forewarned and find alternate routes.

WSDOT has installed in-road sensors, allowing drivers to get ‘right now’ information about how fast (or slow) traffic is moving. Check current traffic, especially as it pertains to main thoroughfares between Federal Way and slightly north of Everett, at www.wsdot. wa.gov/traffic/seattle/. If you are heading to a game, Seattle event, or driving up to Canada, this Web site is your new best friend.

Construction updates are also posted, with the entire state divided into regions, so no matter where you are heading, the DOT is waiting to help you arrive safely and in a good humor. You may also call them at (360) 705-7000 during business hours on weekdays.

We’re Number Nine!

And it’s nothing to be proud of. Seattle and its surrounding communities (meaning the Tacoma/Puyallup region), was recently given the dubious distinction of having the ninth worst traffic of all cities in the U.S. Although ‘our’ I-5 is certainly not as hostile as what has fondly been called ‘Satan’s Highway’ in the greater Los Angeles area (voted Number One worst traffic city), it can be vexing to sit between two 18-wheelers on a hot day, while at a complete standstill.

Tillicum or Steilacoom?

One place along I-5 that causes people to squench up their faces as though sucking on a lemon is the stretch of I-5 that passes, southbound, next to Tillicum. On a Friday evening, that area is clogged and choked with vehicles heading south towards Olympia. The reason? Tillicum has its very own exit lane, stretching from the Gravelly Lake exit. Drivers are caught unaware, and quickly need to slip into one of two lanes to avoid driving into Tillicum or turning left over the overpass, and finding themselves in a cow pasture. Avoid this scenario by changing your commute time, or circumvent through scenic Steilacoom, (which connects the DuPont exit of I-5 at 119 to Lkewood and University Place.).

Who’s at the helm in Yelm?

Another place of great driver angst is the long and winding two-lane road through Yelm. An area increasing in population has yet to find the funds to fix its traffic snafus, not helped by too-long traffic lights at main intersections. Until a bypass has been constructed, residents are pretty much stuck. Again, make time for this added stall, or leave/arrive during non-rush hours. As to alternate routes, sorry, honey: Unless your vehicle is all-terrain, and the farmer is on vacation, this road is the only game in town.

I-5 & 512 parking lot

When it’s quittin’ time, those travelling northbound on I-5 will notice cars actually using the right lane as a parking lot between Bridgeport Way and the 512-exit to Puyallup. It’s as though some sort of conspiracy has caused a backup at a very predictable time five days of the week. But here’s the good news. If you are heading to Puyallup from, say, Fort Lewis at around 4-6 p.m. on a Monday-Friday, take the Logistics Center/Tillicum exit off I-5 and wind around McChord’s airstrip. This road leads to Pacific Highway and from there a multitude of side roads can lead you to Mount Rainier or Puyallup.

A particularly troublesome area continues to be the northbound I-405 area that connects Pierce County to the South King County/Renton area. I-405 connects drivers to I-90, the main drag between Western and Eastern Washington. To get to I-90 without the dreaded back-ups on 405, go to a handy map located at www.wsdot. wa.gov/Projects/I405/112thAvetoSE8th/ Closures.htm.
Because this major thoroughfare can sometimes go down to one lane, commuters need to either avoid the area altogether, or come armed with a full tank of gas and a heart full of compassion for the road crew and fellow drivers who forgot to read this article.
Put this number on a yellow sticky and apply it to your dash: 1-425-456-8585, which gives you an immediate answer to all I-405’s issues.

Turn your dial to…

Here’s a list of helpful traffic-reporting radio stations. Program them in, keep your tank full, and if you don’t have GPS, keep a good Washington map handy.

• KLAY 1180 AM
• KBSG 97.3 FM
• KIRO 710 AM