Keep an eye out for drivers who miss this and suddenly merge into the single-lane flow when they realize the error of their ways. If you don’t see a stripe down the middle, don’t assume the traffic is two-cars wide. Sometimes streets have room for parking and a single lane of driving but might look suspiciously like a two-lane road.

Unexpected lane changes: City and residential-area streets alike often go from one to two lanes.And when you are driving on the freeway, don't think you can drive on the shoulder because you see a bus there-bus shoulder lanes are authorized bus-only lanes that run along selected freeways. Buses and bus lanes: If you’re the car right behind a bus, you’ll be stuck while everyone behind you whips into the other lane.Toll rates adjust every few minutes based on real-time traffic conditions to keep the traffic flowing. Toll lanes: The I-405 express toll lanes and SR 167 HOT (High Occupancy Toll) lanes are a form of HOV lane that can also be used by non-HOV drivers who choose to pay a toll.Direct access ramps allow buses, carpools, vanpools, and motorcycles to directly access the HOV lanes in the center of the freeway-they come down from above the roadway, or up from below, and merge into the HOV lane from inside the median. Carpools, vanpools, and buses use the HOV lane and motorcycles are allowed to use all standard HOV lanes. HOV lanes: HOV (High Occupancy Vehicle) lanes in Seattle either require 2 or 3+ persons per vehicle, depending on the highway or time of day.In some spots, especially downtown, you’ll pass no-left-turn signs galore and may end up discovering new parts of the city-and tacking on a lot more time to your trips. If you miss your turn, correcting the issue may be as simple as looping back around and making a second go. Seattle natives are used to the one-ways and know where to go, but if you’re new to the city or just visiting, it’s worth using a GPS or studying the maps ahead of time. One-way streets: Parts of Seattle are filled with one-way streets.For example, bicycles are not required to use a bike lane or shoulder in Seattle and bicycles can ride on the left (with the traffic flow) on one-way streets. Avoiding cyclists: Seattle has a ton of bicyclists, many of whom are responsible and obey the biking rules of the road, some of which may be confusing to motorists.to 3 p.m to avoid these expected rush hours. Some travelers passing through Seattle plan their trips from 10 a.m. If you drive any route regularly, you'll figure out where those slowing spots will be. Friday often has the worst traffic, but it’s not uncommon to get stuck any day of the week. Rush hour: Seattle's rush hour starts around 6:30 a.m.

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