Nothing says holiday weekend travel quite like traffic. 

All your plans to make the most of Labor Day weekend await, but you’ll have to wait behind a near inescapable sea of red brake lights first.

That is, unless you leave at the right time. 

Luckily, the Washington State Department of Transportation has released its travel times forecast, so here are the times when traffic will be the worst if you are heading out from Seattle and returning later in the weekend.

Going south on Interstate 5 from Tacoma to Lacey, traffic will be the heaviest from about 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, so mentally prepare yourself to depart in the dark if you’re particularly susceptible to raging against highway congestion. On Saturday, traffic will be worst from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Coming back Monday, traffic will be the worst from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., so that might mean abbreviated long weekend plans, or stretching them out to the very last minute.

But if you’re planning for a Tuesday return, think again. Coming alongside commuters, traffic will be its worst on Tuesday starting at 5 a.m. 

If you’re heading east on Interstate 90 from North Bend to Cle Elum, traffic is looking far more forgiving. The worst travel window is from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday and from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, so leave a little early, but don’t sweat it. Pack ahead and you won’t have to set the alarm that early. 

Coming back west, traffic looks a little more congested. Expect delays between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Monday. But if you can swing it, an early Tuesday return might be a better move. Traffic will be light to moderate the entire day. 

If you’re heading east on Highway 2 from Skykomish to Stevens Pass, you’ll also have better luck than most. Traffic will be its worst from noon to 6 p.m. Friday, so you could even lollygag in the morning if you wanted (but don’t tell the kids that). Saturday, that window shrinks from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Coming back west, Monday will be the far rougher day to travel, with traffic hitting the red zone between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., while Tuesday looks calm and easy, only hitting moderate traffic midday. 

Should you be taking your Labor Day travels international, paying the land of maple syrup a visit and going north on I-5 from Bellingham to the Canadian border, you’ll want to leave in the morning. Traffic looks its worst between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. on Friday, and 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Saturday. 

Coming back south, the roads are looking a little easier. Traffic will be heaviest between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Monday, so figure out something to do in town after your Airbnb or hotel checkout time and you’ll be golden. Or, wait until Tuesday when traffic will be moderate pretty much all day. 

And keep in mind, you might have some extra visitors to share the roads with this weekend. Seattle is the top domestic travel destination across the U.S. for Labor Day, according to AAA. The Emerald City leads Orlando, Fla.; Boston; Denver; and New York City for the top five. 

But breathe a sign of relief because most highway construction will be paused starting Friday, WSDOT said. Still, the Revive I-5 work zone over the Ship Canal Bridge will remain in place. So think about that if you’re heading north. 

WSDOT is also urging travelers to travel carefully to prevent wildfires while fire danger remains high across the state: Don’t throw lit cigarettes or flammable material from car windows, keep towing chains from dragging on pavement, don’t park on dry grass, and alert authorities if you see a brush fire or an emergency.