News
Find news releases and announcements about the agency in our virtual newsroom.
Nighttime road crews recall multiple work zone crashes
When the sun goes down and the evening commute wraps up, Joy Draper and his overnight maintenance crew get to work. Most nights you can find them fixing guardrail or cleaning drains on state highways in Pierce and Thurston counties.
Injured workers share their stories before National Work Zone Awareness Week begins April 15
PORTLAND, Ore. and VANCOUVER, Wash. – After roadway work zone fatalities in Washington state doubled in 2023 from the previous year, transportation and law enforcement agencies from both sides of the Columbia River are coming together to renew their focus on driver safety in and around work zones.
Spokane River remains closed at Greene Street Bridge
SPOKANE – Recreationalists will be unable to use the river in the vicinity of the Green Street Bridge due to construction and safety concerns.
Driving kindness home on the road: our crews are looking out for you, please be patient and understanding with them
Chris Clarke is a highway maintenance lead in east Snohomish County and has worked for WSDOT for nine years. Two winters ago, Chris was involved in a collision on US 2 while plowing snow.
Euclid Avenue between Ralph and Market streets to close starting April 15
SPOKANE – Seven-week closure needed to reconstruct roadway under North Spokane Corridor
San Juan Islands ferry riders invited to learn about schedule rewrite process
SEATTLE – Washington State Ferries will host two virtual public information sessions to discuss the process for updating sailing schedules for the Anacortes/San Juan Islands route. The updates are geared towards improving on-time performance and reliability on the route.
April showers bring May flowers...but sunny April weather brings new asphalt to highways and roads near Gig Harbor
There are a lot of reasons to enjoy spring in the Pacific Northwest – the sun comes out more, cherry blossoms appear, tulips and daffodils start popping up, and a different kind of plant opens – the kind that makes asphalt!
Fatal work zone crashes on state highways doubled in 2023
Numbers like these take our breath away. It's why we're continuing to take aggressive steps to protect not only our workers, but drivers and passengers as well.
Celebrating 30 years of Amtrak Cascades passenger rail service
OLYMPIA – Amtrak Cascades passenger rail service celebrates its 30-year anniversary on April 1, 2024. Looking to the past and to the future as the service continues to expand.
Pedestrian safety improvements coming to SR 503 near Prairie High School in Vancouver
VANCOUVER – People who walk or roll will soon have a safer way to cross State Route 503 with the help of a new signal and crossing location.
The Washington State Department of Transportation plans to build a HAWK (High intensity Activated crossWalK) pedestrian signal, creating safer access for…
Slow down – lives are on the line.
In 2023, speeding continued to be a top reason for work zone crashes.
Even one life lost is too many.
Fatal work zone crashes doubled in 2023 - Washington had 10 fatal work zone crashes on state roads.
It's in EVERYONE’S best interest.
95% of people hurt in work zones are drivers, their passengers or passing pedestrians, not just our road crews.