Evacuation Guide

Seattle, Washington Evacuation Routes

Plan your escape with optimized routes and safe zones

Threat Assessment

Earthquake

Cascadia Subduction Zone (M9.0+) and shallow Seattle Fault. Expect widespread damage, liquefaction, and infrastructure failure.

Volcanic Activity

Mt. Rainier lahar threat to south King County. Ashfall possible from Mt. Rainier or Mt. St. Helens.

Landslide

Steep terrain and heavy rain cause frequent slides in Magnolia, West Seattle, and Rainier Valley.

Flood

Duwamish River flooding and urban stormwater overwhelm during atmospheric river events.

Wildfire Smoke

Late summer smoke from eastern WA and BC wildfires causes hazardous air quality.

Windstorm

Major Puget Sound windstorms can down trees and power lines, causing extended outages.

Evacuation Routes

I-5 North to Everett

primary

Primary northbound evacuation via I-5 through Shoreline and Lynnwood to Everett. Well-maintained interstate with multiple service areas.

30 miles to Everett35 min (normal), 2-3 hours (evacuation)

I-5 bottleneck at Ship Canal Bridge - expect heavy delays

Multiple bridges may be compromised in earthquake scenario

Earthquake

Volcanic Ashfall

Civil Unrest

I-5 South to Tacoma/Olympia

primary

Southern evacuation via I-5 to Tacoma and continuing to Olympia, the state capital. Major corridor with many service stops.

60 miles to Olympia1 hour (normal), 3-5 hours (evacuation)

I-5 through SODO is low-lying and flood-prone

Tacoma Narrows Bridge provides alternate route to Kitsap Peninsula

Earthquake

Tsunami Warning

Industrial Accident

I-90 East to Ellensburg

secondary

Eastern evacuation over Snoqualmie Pass via I-90. Crosses Cascade Range to the drier, more stable eastern Washington.

107 miles to Ellensburg1.5 hours (normal), 4-6 hours (evacuation)

I-90 floating bridge may be closed during earthquake

Snoqualmie Pass subject to winter closures - carry chains Nov-Apr

Volcanic Ashfall

Wildfire Smoke

Flood

SR-520 East to Redmond/Woodinville

secondary

Eastbound evacuation via SR-520 bridge to the Eastside communities. Good alternate when I-90 is congested.

20 miles to Woodinville25 min (normal), 1.5-2 hours (evacuation)

SR-520 floating bridge may close during earthquake or high winds

Toll bridge - have cash/pass ready or use I-90

Civil Unrest

Industrial Accident

Urban Fire

Burke-Gilman Trail

foot

On-foot or bike evacuation via the Burke-Gilman Trail heading north from Fremont through the University District to Kenmore and Bothell.

18 miles to Bothell5-7 hours on foot, 1.5-2 hours by bike

Paved trail suitable for bikes, strollers, wheelchairs

Trail parallels Lake Washington - scenic but exposed

Bridge Collapse

Vehicle Unavailable

Grid Down

Urban Disaster

Elliott Bay Waterfront to Alki Beach

foot

Coastal foot route along the waterfront south through Harbor Island to West Seattle. Use water taxi if available.

8 miles to Alki2.5-4 hours on foot

West Seattle Bridge may be closed - check status

Water taxi from Pier 50 to West Seattle if running

Vehicle Unavailable

Road Blockage

Civil Unrest

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Safe Zones & Rally Points

CenturyLink Field / Lumen Field (Emergency Shelter)

shelter • Capacity: 68,000

Harborview Medical Center

hospital • Capacity: 413

UW Medical Center

hospital • Capacity: 529

Virginia Mason Medical Center

hospital • Capacity: 336

Swedish Medical Center - First Hill

hospital • Capacity: 697

Seattle Center / KeyArena

shelter • Capacity: 15,000

Gas Works Park

rally point

Discovery Park

rally point

Seattle Fire Station 10

fire station

Magnuson Park

rally point

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport

resource

Cal Anderson Park

rally point

Green Lake Park

rally point

West Seattle Stadium

rally point

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