Road work halted for Labor Day

Fri., Sept. 1, 2006

By Amy Cannata amyc@spokesman.com

Pack the snacks, pop a DVD into the portable player and bribe the kids to keep the fighting and whining at bay.

With Labor Day weekend approaching, it’s time for a last summer trip before putting away the tent and sending the kids back to school.

The Washington State Department of Transportation will halt work at noon today on most projects and resume Tuesday morning.

WSDOT is now offering wireless Internet access at 28 of its 42 rest areas.

The service is provided by private company Road Connect, but access to state highway information on WSDOT’s Web site is free.

Other Internet access is available for a charge. For a list of rest areas with wireless Internet service, visit www. wsdot.wa.gov/biz/restareas.

Travelers might want to keep a few potential sticky points in mind.

Interstate 90 traffic over Snoqualmie Pass is expected to be heavy today and Monday, although drivers heading east on Friday and west on Monday will bear the brunt of congestion.

Reduced lane widths 14 miles east of the summit could slow traffic.

Concerts at the Gorge Amphitheatre near George, Wash., could cause delays all weekend on I-90 near Vantage.

And remember, law enforcement nationwide is putting the full-court press on drunken drivers over the holiday weekend. Expect patrols wherever you go.

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