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Labor Day is one of the busiest travel days of the year. The state Department of Transportation expects as many as 300,000 riders to hop aboard the state’s ferry network, and they expect heavy traffic along state highways. If you plan to travel this weekend, plan ahead. Download the official WSDOT mobile app, check their network of traffic cameras, and subscribe to email alerts to inform your travel.
You might also plan for unseasonably warm temperatures this weekend. Vancouver and Spokane might approach triple-digit heat, and even Western Washington will see temperatures in the high 80s.
And while you enjoy your Labor Day weekend, you might take a moment to reflect on the spirit of the holiday. Washington state is a top state for workers, and we didn’t get there by accident. Our state’s history is defined by advances in workers’ rights, safety, and pay.
Read more: Washington is a leading state for workers — a long history of state action paved the way (Gov. Jay Inslee’s Medium)
Washingtonians are in for one last little heat wave this summer. Spokane's forecast predicts 97-degree heat on Sunday. Vancouver might get even hotter tomorrow. Heat waves like this send Washingtonians running to the thermostat, cranking up electrical demand.
When energy use skyrockets far above forecasts, utilities may have to call on customers to turn things down a notch. Simple energy-saving practices can make a big impact on grid reliability during peak demand. They’ll also have a pleasant impact on your monthly bill.
Read the full story on Gov. Jay Inslee's Medium
 The Seattle Aquarium’s new Ocean Pavilion opened Thursday to fanfare.
It’s only been a few years since the Alaskan Way Viaduct was destroyed and the SR 99 tunnel opened, more seamlessly connecting Seattle’s waterfront to its downtown. Now, crowds of happy visitors walk up and down the improved promenade enjoying skyline views instead of an overpass’ underside. On Thursday, the Seattle Aquarium opened its palatial new expansion. Seattle’s thriving waterfront has yet another jewel.
“This Ocean Pavilion is exactly what Washington state is in need of,” said Gov. Jay Inslee. “We’re connecting people to defeat climate change, and inspiring people to defeat climate change.”
In 2017, Pike Place was overhauled and the seawall rebuilt. The tunnel opened up, the viaduct came down, and Pier 62 was rebuilt in 2019. Over the next few years, Pier 58 was fixed up, the promenade rebuilt, east-west connections enhanced, the new Colman Dock opened, and now the aquarium expansion is complete.
This enormous undertaking was made possible by partnership. The City of Seattle, the state, Tribes and the federal government have all had a hand in the work. Its result is a modern waterfront brimming with world-class attractions.
In the years to come, countless visitors will enjoy the fruits of this project. Over 750,000 global visitors are expected for the 2026 World Cup in Seattle. Over 1.4 million cruise passengers will set off from the waterfront this year. Light rail into Seattle’s downtown is stretching further north, further east, and further south inviting even more visitors in the years to come.
Light rail opens in Lynnwood
Sound Transit’s Lynnwood light rail expansion opened Friday. The expansion will deliver 50,000 daily riders from Lynnwood to downtown Seattle in just 32 minutes. Judging from the crowd at Friday’s opening, the Lynnwood community is thrilled. As with all public transit within Washington, youth board free thanks to the Climate Commitment Act.
 A large crowd gathered in Lynnwood Friday for the opening of the new light rail expansion.
New Ecology grant program supports air quality for overburdened communities
A new Climate Commitment Act-funded grant program will support air quality improvement efforts within 16 communities ‘overburdened’ by excessive air pollution or consequences of climate change.
WSAC receives federal grant to prepare students for higher education
The Washington Student Achievement Council has been awarded a $5 million federal grant from the U.S. Department of Education to continue the state’s GEAR UP program, partnering with schools and districts to improve college readiness among lower-income students.
Inslee tours San Juan Islands’ ailing eelgrass and bull kelp beds
Rising water temperatures are threatening eelgrass and bull kelp beds in Puget Sound. Those beds are invaluable habitats for marine life, and local volunteers and state agencies are hurriedly studying to save them. Friends of San Juan Islands brought Gov. Jay Inslee aboard last weekend to tour these ailing habitats, which have recently been found to reduce pathogens dangerous to humans in seafood.
 Friends of San Juan Islands hosted Gov. Jay Inslee aboard one of their boats last weekend to tour eelgrass and bull kelp beds
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