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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Vantage bridge lane closure to create delays on eastbound I-90

The Interstate 90 bridge spanning the Columbia River at Vantage will be reduced to a single lane for eastbound traffic during the Memorial Day holiday for repainting.

The eastbound lane closure will remain in effect through the summer. Bridge painting is now in its second year.

Delays of an hour or more are likely on Friday from noon to 10 p.m. - a time span that coincides with the start of the four-day Sasquatch music festival at the Gorge.

Another bottleneck is expected for westbound traffic at Cle Elum from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday due to lane construction.

The interstate through the Cascades is likely to see heavy traffic over the holiday period so drivers should consider traveling at off-peak hours in the morning or evening, warned state transportation officials.

The heaviest traffic typically occurs in the eastbound lanes at the start of a holiday period and in the westbound lanes at the end of the holiday.

Meagan Lott, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Transportation, said that traffic counts last year showed a big spike over the Memorial Day holiday with slowdowns and delays at the Vantage bridge.

“It is probably one of the busiest travel times on I-90,” Lott said.

Elsewhere, a community event Saturday in Creston could cause delays on U.S. Highway 2.

For charts showing the best travel times on Washington’s busiest highways, visit wsdot.wa.gov/congestion/MemorialDay/2016/.

In Spokane, the approach of the summer vacation season will result in 20 mph speed zones adjacent to eight city parks.

And the Transportation Security Administration is advising airline travelers to be sure to show up at Spokane International Airport well in advance of departures.

They recommend arriving at the airport two hours in advance to allow plenty of time to park, get boarding passes, check baggage and go through security screening.

Items that would be prohibited on an airplane should be removed. An uncluttered carry-on bag helps speed the security check.

“Passengers play an important role in the efficiency of security checkpoint operations. They are an indispensable partner,” TSA said in a news release.

“Delays of even a few seconds per passenger multiplied by the number of passengers screened everyday can create unnecessary slowdowns in the process.”

For airline travel information, visit tsa.gov/.

Washington state ferries expect 435,000 travelers over Memorial Day. The busiest crossing is from Seattle to Bainbridge Island. Passengers are encouraged to walk onto ferries to help reduce congestion and wait times. Ridership is up 2.7 percent over the past year.