Over the river, through the woods

Millions plan to travel on long holiday weekend; be prepared for lines

By Rolf Boone | The Olympian • Published November 26, 2008

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An estimated 41 million people nationwide are expected to travel over the four-day Thanksgiving weekend, making it one of the busiest travel times of the year.

Planes

If you're flying out of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, expect large crowds: the number of holiday travelers is expected to swell to 100,000 today and 101,000 Sunday, then drop to 90,000 Monday and Tuesday, said Perry Cooper, a spokesman for the airport. The travel season peaks at about 106,000 travelers a day in the summer, Cooper said.

Thanksgiving is not as busy as summer, but more people who are not as familiar with the airport tend to travel during this time, Cooper said.

Cooper reminds travelers to:

• Check in online and print boarding passes at home.

• Check flight times online before you leave home.

• Pack luggage with airport security in mind. For more information, go to the Transportation Security Administration Web site at www.tsa.gov.

For airport information, call 800-544-1965 or go to www.portseattle.org/seatac.

Automobiles

If you're driving to Seattle or Portland for Thanksgiving, expect Interstate 5 in the Thurston and Lewis County area to be busiest today, starting about noon and continuing through early evening, according to state Department of Transportation data.

The data show:

• I-5 northbound traffic in the Thurston/Lewis County area is expected to peak at 3 p.m. today at 3,000 cars per hour, about twice the typical volume

• I-5 southbound traffic in the Thurston/Lewis County area is expected to peak at 1 p.m. today and be heavy through 10 p.m. at nearly 3,000 cars per hour, also twice the typical volume

• Travel between Seattle and Federal Way is expected to take as long as 90 minutes at 4 and 5 p.m. today

For more information, travelers can call highway information at 5-1-1, or go to the state Department of Transportation Web site at www.wsdot.wa.gov.

Holiday travelers will get some relief at the gasoline station this year. The statewide average for self-serve regular unleaded is $2.21, a dollar less than the price in Thanksgiving 2007, according to AAA.

Trains

If you're traveling by train, Amtrak Cascades is operating one additional round trip between Seattle and Portland today through Saturday and two additional round trips on Sunday, Lacey Centennial Station volunteer Elyse Starr said.

The total number of travelers passing through Centennial Station was not known Tuesday, but volunteer Fran Harder said the station was busy. Harder encouraged travelers to reserve their tickets as soon as possible to get the best deals.

For more information, go to www.amtrakcascades.com or call 800-872-7245 or call Centennial Station at 360-923-4602.

Rolf Boone covers business for The Olympian. He can be reached at 360-754-5403 or rboone@theolympian.com.