Heads up if you’re going to T-Mobile Park Friday or Saturday for a Mariners watch party: you may want to budget some extra time for traffic.
First lady Jill Biden will visit Tacoma and Seattle Friday and Saturday, and the Washington State Department of Transportation is recommending Mariner fans head to the watch party early.
On Friday, the Mariners will play the Blue Jays in Toronto starting at 1:07 p.m. in Game 1 of their three-game American League Wild Card series. Game 2 begins Saturday at 1:07 p.m.
People should expect “significant congestion and delays” Friday and Saturday during Biden’s visit, said WSDOT.
Biden is scheduled to arrive in Washington Friday afternoon, landing at 3:15 p.m. at Boeing Field before heading to Tacoma. On Saturday, Biden will headline a fundraiser for Sen. Patty Murray at noon. She is also scheduled to participate in an event celebrating children in military families and veteran caregivers at the Pacific Science Center in Seattle.
Secret Service restrictions mean neither WSDOT nor the city can say exactly which roads will be closed or when for Biden’s visit. President Joe Biden’s visit to Seattle earlier this year led to intermittent closures of Interstate 5 and delays on Sound Transit’s light rail and King County Metro.
Lanes will also be reduced on Interstate 90 and southbound Interstate 5 Friday evening through early Monday morning for roadwork.
The winner of the Seattle-Toronto series will head to Houston to play the Astros in the divisional round starting Tuesday.