How Bad Is Seattle Traffic?
Seattle drivers lost about 30 hours due to congestion in 2020—and the traffic is particularly bad in evening rush hour.
Written by Olivia Rose
Reviewed by Jessica Barrett
Table of Contents
- How bad is Seattle traffic?
- Why is Seattle traffic so bad?
- How to navigate Seattle traffic like a pro
- Prepare for Seattle traffic by updating your car insurance
- FAQs
Load full table of contents
Drivers in Seattle lost approximately 30 hours due to congestion in 2020, making Seattle one of the worst cities for traffic in the country.
Seattle, Washington is home to more than just the Space Needle and killer seafood—it’s also the hometown of pretty gnarly traffic. Back in 2017, Seattle was one of the worst cities for traffic in the nation, but time spent in congestion is dozens of hours lower now, thanks to the pandemic. But Seattle congestion has been slowly increasing since its drastic drop in 2020—and it looks like it will be going up from here.
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4.7/5 rating on the App Store | Trusted by 5+ million customers and 7 million cars4.7/5 app rating | Trusted by 5M+ driversHow bad is Seattle traffic?
Seattle Department of Transportation
2021 Traffic Report
details the drop in congestion from 2019 to 2020—a statistic that reflects the drastic decrease in driving due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Year | Average daily traffic in Seattle |
|---|---|
2019 | 998,086 (with WDSOT Bridges) |
2020 | 412,205 (with WDSOT Bridges) |
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Why is Seattle traffic so bad?
As a major city in Washington, Seattle attracts loads of commuters coming in for daily work. But that’s not the only reason Seattle sees bad traffic.
Population size
Seattle's population was 761,100 in 2020, according to Seattle’s 2021 Traffic Report. But the Seattle metropolitan area—which encompasses Seattle proper and its surrounding cities and suburbs—has a population of closer to 4,000,000. With many of these residents commuting through and to Seattle each day, you’re looking at a pretty congested city.
Major chokepoints
Seattle’s Traffic Report
found 10 top traffic hotspots in 2020. The worst three were Mercer Street @ Fairview Ave N, Montlake Bridge, and East Marginal Way S @ Alaska St. There are also a few intersections in Seattle where blocking the box (getting stuck in an intersection during traffic light changes) happens regularly:
- Fairview and Valley
- Howell and Ninth
- Fremont and 324th
- Fifth and Mercer
- Mercer and Westlake
- Rainer and Forrest
- Mercer and Dexter
Driving habits
Seattle lacks a reputable bus and light rail system, making it difficult for residents and commuters to rely on public transportation for their daily commutes.
On top of that, many of Seattle’s city and residential streets are maddening, switching from one- to two-way without apparent warning.
MORE: The best type of car insurance to get if you commute long distances
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How to navigate Seattle traffic like a pro
There are times when it feels like bad traffic is taking years off your life—it’s just that frustrating!
But bad traffic is more than just an annoyance. It can also significantly increase your chances of getting into a car accident—and it can
even cause your car insurance rate to shoot up.
Knowing how to drive in Seattle traffic is imperative to staying happy and sane—and safe on the roads.
Here are some of our favorite tips for navigating Seattle traffic like a pro.
- Avoid rush hour if you can. Seattle rush hour starts around 6:30 am and can often go all the way until 9 am—but it’s worse in the evenings from 5-6 pm.
- Use a traffic app to find the best routes. Knowing the best routes for avoiding traffic is great—and it’s even better to get real-time updates on things like accidents or roadblocks that could throw a wrench in your commute.
- Keep calm and drive on. You might feel like aggressively weaving through traffic is your best option, but in reality, staying calm anddriving undistractedwill keep you safe and help keep your record clean. Avoid loud music and distractions when you’re behind the wheel (and yeah, that means you shouldn’t be mixing cream and sugar into your morning coffee while you drive).
Prepare for Seattle traffic by updating your car insurance
If you want to be doubly prepared for Seattle traffic, we recommend updating your car insurance policy to make sure you have all the coverage you need—and that you’re not overpaying for any of your
car insurance in Washington
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, the trustworthy super app
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FAQs
Is Seattle hard to drive in?
Seattle’s side streets can be tricky if you aren’t paying attention—some one-way streets look like two-ways when there are no parked cars taking up space. And, of course, Seattle’s congestion is hard for any driver who doesn’t like traffic.
What is the best time to drive through Seattle?
The best time for driving in Seattle is outside of rush hour. That means driving around 9 am-4:30 pm or after 7 pm.
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