Massive Delays Coming to I-90 Vantage Bridge Again

The I-90 Vantage Bridge has undergone a lot of work lately, and it's only going to continue.

You have two more weekends of smooth traveling on eastbound I-90 across the Vantage Bridge. However, after the 4th of July, the 24/7 lane restrictions return.

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More Vantage Bridge Work

This is the second year of work on the 60-year-old Vantage Bridge over the Columbia River.

For the last few months, Washington State Department of Transportation closed a lane in each direction Monday through Thursday, but reopened the lanes for weekend travel.

That is about to change.

“After the 4th of July, we’re going to close it down 24/7 for those single lane closures in each direction,” said Summer Derrey, communications specialist for the Washington Department of Transportation. “Labor Day weekend will be the final weekend when all the lanes will be open, and then the lane restrictions will remain until work is stopped by the weather sometime in November.”

What to Expect

Drivers should prepare for long delays through the area, especially on high traffic days - namely Friday and Sunday afternoons, which are the days many use the bridge to and from vacation.

SEE BELOW: I-90s Best Pit Stops

“This is a recreational route,” Derrey said. “If you’re traveling across the state between the Fourth of July and Labor Day, you will definitely need to plan for additional travel time across the Vantage Bridge.”

Derrey says the best idea is to avoid the area completely.

Luckily for those in North Central Washington, Derrey says you can go up the North Cascades and go around. If you must go down towards Vantage, one place you should avoid is the Old Vantage Highway, despite what your GPS will tell you.

The closures will continue through November, then there will be a break until March 2026. Seasonal deck replacement each spring-fall continues until Spring 2028.

I-90's Best Pit Stops

Driving from Sioux Falls to the Black Hills is a hefty trip. It's pretty difficult to make it across the state without taking a pit stop. If your bladder can take it, it takes about five hours to make the trip. If you're the average person you will need to stop somewhere. So what are the best places to make that quick stop to refuel and relieve yourself?

I went to Black Hills State University in Spearfish and my family and I take at least one trip there every year. I have traversed the state probably a hundred times or more. If you are going to make a stop along the way, these are the places to make it.