SEATTLE – This new year is expected to bring traffic headaches as Amazon is requiring its 50,000 employees to go back to the office full-time.

Starting this Thursday, Amazon workers are expected to return to in-person work at both its Seattle and Bellevue locations.

According to an INRIX study, Amazon’s first return to the office back in 2023, which required workers to come in three times a week, led to slowdowns throughout the region. 

The data shows there was a 35% drop in speeds on I-90.

“There’s going to be more people on the road, and so that’s when that extra travel time is really going to play a part into where people need to leave extra time to get there,” said Aisha Dayal with WSDOT.

Dayal tells FOX 13 Seattle that WSDOT is monitoring what the impact of the extra commuters will be on local highways and roads.

She says commuters need to plan ahead on how this change will impact their drive to work.

“Look at your routes before they go. So, we have a lot of resources that we have available on our website, downloading the app, and that gives that real-time traffic information for people,” said Dayal.

Amazon tells FOX 13 Seattle it works to cut down on commuter issues with its employees by providing a variety of benefits, including money for public transportation, new ride-share options and incentives, and commuter shuttle services.

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