This page displays average (mean) and reliable (95th percentile) morning and evening peak commute times for weekday trips on I-5 between Seattle and Everett, Seattle and SeaTac, and Seattle and Federal Way.
The average peak commute times indicate how long it took, on average, to make trips during the worst part of the morning (or evening) commute in a given year. The reliable peak commute time shows how much time someone traveling during the worst part of the morning or evening commute must allow to arrive at their destination on time on 19 out of 20 days. Reversible lanes are used to add capacity on I -5 between Northgate and downtown Seattle, serving southbound travelers during the morning commute and northbound travelers during the evening commute. I-5 commute routes along this reversible lane section are reported based on the direction of lane operation. For example, only the morning commute is reported for the Everett to Seattle HOV commute. For details on the methodology used to calculate commute times, see WSDOT's Handbook for Corridor Capacity Evaluation (PDF 5.9MB).
Sources: WSDOT Transportation Safety and Systems Analysis Division and WSDOT TRACFLOW (https://tracflow.wsdot.wa.gov/)
Note: Travel time data for Link Light Rail, the representative trip for the SeaTac-to-Seattle commutes, was unavailable for 2019. Commute times are rounded to the nearest minute. GP and HOV commutes include only the freeway section, while transit includes the freeway section and city surface streets. In addition, the transit commute time is influenced by the number of scheduled stop and their times.
Performance highlights
In 2023, travel times worsened in most locations on I-5 compared to 2022 due to the continued recovery of traffic volumes across the state in the wake of COVID-19. However, travel times were still slightly better than pre-pandemic levels.
The 24-mile trip from Everett to Seattle in the GP lanes of I-5 during the peak morning commute took an average of 51 minutes, which was:
27 minutes more than traveling this route at the posted speed limit, and
28 minutes below the reliable travel time of 79 minutes.
The average travel time for the same commute in the HOV lane was 38 minutes (with a reliable travel time of 60 minutes).
The 22-mile trip from Seattle to Federal Way in the GP lanes on I-5 during the peak evening commute took an average of 45 minutes, which was:
23 minutes more than traveling this route at the posted speed limit, and
20 minutes below the reliable travel time of 65 minutes.
The average travel time for the same commute in the HOV lane was 38 minutes (with a reliable travel time of 52 minutes).
In 2022, travel times worsened in most locations on I-5 compared to 2021 due to the continued recovery of traffic volume across the state in the wake of COVID-19. However, travel times were still slightly better than pre-pandemic levels.
The 24-mile trip from Everett to Seattle in the GP lanes of I-5 during the peak morning commute took an average of 46 minutes, which was:
22 minutes more than traveling this route at the posted speed limit, and
27 minutes below the reliable travel time of 73 minutes.
The average travel time for the same commute in the HOV lane was 32 minutes (with a reliable travel time of 49 minutes).
The 22-mile trip from Seattle to Federal Way in the GP lanes on I-5 during the peak evening commute took an average of 40 minutes, which was:
18 minutes more than traveling this route at the posted speed limit, and
15 minutes below the reliable travel time of 55 minutes.
The average travel time for the same commute in the HOV lane was 33 minutes (with a reliable travel time of 45 minutes).
In 2021, travel times in most of the locations worsened compared to 2020, due to the recovery of traffic volume across the state in the wake of COVID-19. However, travel times were still better than the pre-pandemic levels. Making the 24-mile trip from Everett to Seattle in I-5 GP lanes during the peak morning commute took an average of 38 minutes—14 minutes more than the 24 minutes it would have taken to travel the same route at the posted speed limit, but 20 minutes below the reliable travel time of 58 minutes. In contrast, the average travel time for the same commute in the HOV lane was 28 minutes (with a reliable travel time of 39 minutes).
The 22—mile trip from Seattle to Federal Way in the GP lanes on I-5 during the peak evening commute took an average of 36 minutes—14 minutes more than the 22 minutes it would have taken to travel the same route at the posted speed limit, and 17 minutes below the reliable travel time of 53 minutes. The average travel time for the same commute in the HOV lane was 30 minutes (with a reliable travel time of 41 minutes).
In 2020, due to the statewide response to COVID-19 there was a significant decrease in commute times compared to previous year. Making the 24-mile trip from Everett to Seattle in the GP lanes on I-5 during the peak morning commute took an average of 34 minutes—10 minutes more than the 24 minutes it would have taken to travel the same route at the posted speed limit, but 43 minutes below the reliable travel time of 77 minutes. In contrast, the average travel time for the same commute in the HOV lane was 32 minutes (with a reliable travel time of 78 minutes).
Similarly, making the 22-mile trip from Seattle to Federal Way in the GP lanes on I-5 during the peak evening commute took an average of 31 minutes—nine minutes more than the 22 minutes it would have taken to travel the same route at the posted speed limit, and 19 minutes below the reliable travel time of 50 minutes. The average travel time for the same commute in the HOV lane was 27 minutes (with a reliable travel time of 40 minutes).
In 2019, making the 24-mile trip from Everett to Seattle in the GP lanes on I-5 during the peak morning commute took an average of 59 minutes—more than twice the 24 minutes it would have taken to travel the same route at the posted speed limit, but 32 minutes below the reliable travel time of 91 minutes. In contrast, the average travel time for the same commute in the HOV lane was 47 minutes (with a reliable travel time of 73 minutes), and the average transit travel time was 84 minutes with a reliable travel time of 115 minutes.
Similarly, making the 22-mile trip from Seattle to Federal Way in the GP lanes on I-5 during the peak evening commute took an average of 39 minutes—nearly twice the 22 minutes it would have taken to travel the same route at the posted speed limit, and 17 minutes below the reliable travel time of 56 minutes. The average travel time for the same commute in the HOV lane was 33 minutes (with a reliable travel time of 44 minutes), and the average transit travel time was 40 minutes (with a reliable travel time of 52 minutes).
In 2018, making the 24-mile trip from Everett to Seattle in the GP lanes on I-5 during the peak morning commute took an average of 56 minutes—more than twice the 24 minutes it would have taken to travel the same route at the posted speed limit, but 31 minutes below the reliable travel time of 87 minutes. The average travel time for the same commute in the reversible lane was 42 minutes (with a reliable travel time of 67 minutes). Transit travel times were not collected for 2018 due to a pause in publication.
Similarly, making the 22-mile trip from Seattle to Federal Way in the GP lanes on I-5 during the peak evening commute took an average of 40 minutes—close to twice the 22 minutes it would have taken to travel the same route at the posted speed limit, and 16 minutes below the reliable travel time of 56 minutes. The average travel time for the same commute in the HOV lane was 35 minutes (with a reliable travel time of 49 minutes). Transit travel times were not collected for 2018 due to a pause in publication.
