I-5 Washington Road Conditions

I-5 crosses 276 miles of Washington, from the Oregon line to its end in the state. That is 20% of I-5's 1,381 miles.

Inside Washington it meets I-90 at Seattle.

By mile marker, I-5 passes Vancouver 2 · Tacoma 134 · Seattle 166.

No full closures are reported on I-5 in Washington as of Oct 8, 2026 8:03 PM PDT, and no lane closures or roadworks either. Always check with the responsible state DOT before setting off.

NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals, from 2 weather stations in Washington. A dash is a figure that station does not report, not a zero.

Towns Along I-5 in Washington

From Vancouver to Blaine, with the position of each town measured along this stretch itself — counted from the Vancouver end, not from a state milepost, so it will not match the numbers on the signs.

1. 2 mi Vancouver 3.2 mi off the road
2. 49 mi Castle Rock
3. 110 mi Lacey 1.0 mi off the road
4. 133 mi Tacoma 1.5 mi off the road
5. 138 mi Fife
6. 143 mi Federal Way 1.8 mi off the road
7. 156 mi Tukwila
8. 166 mi Seattle 1.1 mi off the road
9. 168 mi Yarrow Point 4.8 mi off the road
10. 180 mi Brier 1.8 mi off the road
11. 208 mi Arlington 2.2 mi off the road
12. 275 mi Blaine

Places from the US Census Gazetteer and population estimates, both public domain; distances measured along this page's own route geometry.

Washington Traction Tire & Chain Requirements

Washington does not turn a rule on for the winter. WSDOT posts one of four requirements on the pass, changes it as the storm changes, and the words on the sign are the law — the State Patrol writes the ticket, not WSDOT.

What the four signs require

An approved traction tire carries either a mud and snow marking (M+S, M/S, M-S) or the mountain-snowflake symbol on at least one sidewall, and has at least 4/32-inch of tread — an eighth of an inch — measured in the center of the tire. Studded tires and tire chains also count as approved traction devices, and so do the alternative devices the State Patrol has approved.

Traction tires advised

Nothing is required. WSDOT expects snow or ice and is telling you what the pass is like.

Traction tires required

Your drive tires need approved traction tires, chains or an approved device. This is the level most winter days reach.

Tire chains required

Chains on the drive tires. An all-wheel drive vehicle is exempt only with all wheels in gear on approved traction tires and chains for one set of drive tires actually in the car — carrying them is part of the exemption, not a precaution.

Chains required on all vehicles

No exemption left. All-wheel drive included, chains go on or you do not go over.

Fines

Non-compliance is a $500 fine.

Approved alternative traction devices

AutoSock, EasyGrip, EVO Grip, GripTex, ISSE Safety, Polaire Grip, Polaire Steel, SOS Grip and Alpha Trax are on the approved list. The Washington State Patrol keeps the current list at wsp.wa.gov ↗.

Studded tires

Studded tires are legal in Washington only from November 1 through March 31, and running them past the deadline risks a $137 fine. They are an approved traction tire while they are legal — but they are not chains: where chains are required, chains go on over them.

How you will know it is active

• Variable message signs on the pass itself
• WSDOT's mountain pass reports, per pass and per direction
• WSDOT's real-time travel map

What is in force is posted on the sign and changes through the day. This page does not carry it — WSDOT ↗ is the authority before you set off. Where this site does carry it is the pass pages, in each direction as the DOT reports it: Snoqualmie Pass, Stevens Pass and White Pass.

Source: WAC 204-24, checked August 26, 2026.

Related Roads

I-5 in Washington Road Weather FAQ

Is Interstate 5 in Washington closed right now?

No full closures are reported on I-5 in Washington. No lane closures or roadworks are reported either.

What are I-5 in Washington road conditions today?

The map on this page colors the route along I-5 in Washington by what is on the pavement right now — dry, wet, slush, snow or ice — from radar and surface data, last updated Oct 8, 2026 8:03 PM PDT. Right now temperatures run from 56°F to 72°F and the strongest wind is 12 mph.

What are Washington's traction tire requirements?

An approved traction tire carries either a mud and snow marking (M+S, M/S, M-S) or the mountain-snowflake symbol on at least one sidewall, and has at least 4/32-inch of tread — an eighth of an inch — measured in the center of the tire. Studded tires and tire chains also count as approved traction devices, and so do the alternative devices the State Patrol has approved.

How much is the fine for not chaining up in Washington?

Non-compliance is a $500 fine.

Do I need chains to drive I-5 in Washington in winter?

Not always. It depends which of 4 requirements is posted: "Traction tires advised" — nothing is required. WSDOT expects snow or ice and is telling you what the pass is like. "Traction tires required" — your drive tires need approved traction tires, chains or an approved device. This is the level most winter days reach. "Tire chains required" — chains on the drive tires. An all-wheel drive vehicle is exempt only with all wheels in gear on approved traction tires and chains for one set of drive tires actually in the car — carrying them is part of the exemption, not a precaution. "Chains required on all vehicles" — no exemption left. All-wheel drive included, chains go on or you do not go over.

When are studded tires legal in Washington?

Studded tires are legal in Washington only from November 1 through March 31, and running them past the deadline risks a $137 fine. They are an approved traction tire while they are legal — but they are not chains: where chains are required, chains go on over them.

What counts as an approved alternative traction device in Washington?

AutoSock, EasyGrip, EVO Grip, GripTex, ISSE Safety, Polaire Grip, Polaire Steel, SOS Grip and Alpha Trax are on the approved list. WAC 204-24 keeps the current list at wsp.wa.gov.

Where are Washington road closures reported officially?

Washington's official traveler information service is WSDOT, at wsdot.com, and it is where closures and restrictions are reported.

Are there live traffic cameras on I-5 in Washington?

Yes. This page shows 6 live views on I-5 in Washington from the state transportation departments' own camera feeds, further down the page, refreshed each time you load it.

How often are I-5 in Washington road conditions updated?

The road surface and weather layers are rebuilt whenever this page is opened with data more than ten minutes old, and refreshed on a schedule in between, so nothing here is more than about two hours old even on a road nobody has looked at. Closures and road blocks are re-imported from the state 511 feeds every fifteen minutes, and the written state-by-state summaries are refreshed daily. Every section on this page carries the time its data was fetched.