No, the travel times weren’t broken on Wednesday

By Mike Allende, WSDOTNews

No, the travel times weren’t broken

If you happened to be browsing the Internet and came upon the WSDOT travel times page at about 8am Wednesday, Sept. 25, you may have been startled to see it show 140 minutes from Everett to Seattle.

No, it wasn’t a typo, as those unlucky enough to be on the roads during our first big rain of the fall season know. Everett to Bellevue clocked in at 135 minutes, and travel times reached triple digits again on those routes during the rainy Thursday commute. Ouch!

Yes, friends, our beautiful summer appears to be gone and the rainy season is upon us. Now is a great time to remind people about some tips for safely maneuvering through the slick roads. Yes, I know you’re pros at it, but just in case:

• Leave early. As this week showed, travel times get longer when the roads get wet, so give yourself plenty of extra time.
• Watch your speed and following distance. Bon Jovi was right, things are slippery when wet, and that includes roads, so give yourself plenty of room to brake and be especially cautious on curvy ramps.
• Focus on the road. This is always important, but it never hurts to be reminded. Eyes and attention on the road, please.
• Turn on those lights. Amazing how many people we see driving in the dark with no lights. It’s simply unsafe.
• Check your tires. Good tires are key as the weather turns wet. Make sure yours are in good shape.