With thousands of travelers expected to hit the highway for Sequim Lavender Weekend, congestion on U.S. Highway 101 could be a continued reality for festivities, and this year there are a few road projects in the area that will slow traffic through construction zones.

Doug Adamson, a spokesperson for Washington State Department of Transportation, said “it’s important to note that construction will not have a major impact for people attending (for the weekend).”

“We do, however, see heavy traffic as people head to the various venues,” he said.

WSDOT staff note that while there is construction, both lanes of U.S. Highway 101 will remain open between Sequim and Gardiner.

“WSDOT continues to do a lot to keep people moving during the construction,” Adamson said.

Through the projects’ duration, travelers will see occasional night one-way alternating traffic though, he adds, and travelers especially traveling to Sequim festivities are encouraged to give themselves plenty of extra time to help prevent delays.

WSDOT also plans to station two electronic portable message signs on the highway in the Sequim area at the request of Washington State Patrol to give travelers a heads up about possible congestion.

“We suggest people check the WSDOT app before heading out the door (wsdot.wa.gov/travel/mobile-app-and-social-media),” Adamson said.

“A collision has the potential to cause heavy congestion.”

Projects

Last week, WSDOT announced that after completing major work on U.S. Highway 101 at milepost 271.9 over Chicken Coop Creek east of Blyn to remove fish barriers, road crews returned both lanes of traffic to the highway. Traffic had been redirected to a temporary two-lane bypass around a work zone since last winter.

Travelers will see continued work activities at this location, but most major work activities are complete, WSDOT reported.

This is one of five fish passage projects with another project at milepost 268.5 (Discovery Creek) finishing in October, and another at milepost 277.9 (Contractors Creek) completing in September.

Two more fish passage projects are slated to begin in August and go through September 2025 at milepost 267.1 over Johnson Creek and milepost 271.8 (unnamed tributary to Sequim Bay 2).

WSDOT reports that the overnight closures for the Hood Canal Bridge have not been scheduled to replace shock absorbers on the north side of the bridge, but they will be announced as soon as staff have set dates.

On State Route 104 between U.S. Highway 101 and the Hood Canal Bridge, crews will build two new roundabouts for safety improvements — one at State Route 19, the other at Shine Road/Paradise Bay Road.

Adamson said crews are currently working at State Route 19, but “there is little impact to traffic on State Route 104 as traffic is essentially getting by on a bypass, with the roundabout open for right turns.”

Preliminary work has begun on the Shine Road/Paradise Bay Road intersection with crews working nights from 8 p.m.-6 a.m. through at least Thursday, July 25, WSDOT reports.

For more information about Sequim area projects, visit engage.wsdot.wa.gov/olympic-peninsula-construction.