Drivers urged to use caution during commute home

State officials are asking people to either leave work early or late to stagger commute times and slow down as they head home from work this afternoon.

“We need drivers to be very cautious,” said Myly Posse, a state Department of Transportation spokeswoman.

Drivers should check on the transportation department’s Web site to make sure their evening commute routes are clear before they leave work, she said.

Near record rains continue to fall and several roads are closed due to flooding, officials said.

In Snohomish County, 220th Street SW in Mountlake Terrace was closed as well as many streets countywide.

Gov. Chris Gregoire today declared a state of emergency freeing up state resources to help areas in need.

U.S. Coast Guard officials said two people died in southern Washington near Chehalis from the flooding.

I-5 in Chehalis was completely closed due to flooding, Posse said. Drivers were being diverted all the way to Yakima to avoid the area.

Drivers should pay attention to road closed signs, Washington State Patrol trooper Keith Leary said.

There’s no way to tell how deep water is or what the water may be obscuring, he said.

Snohomish County sheriff’s deputies who catch people who drive around the signs can expect to get a $411 ticket, sheriff’s spokeswoman Rebecca Hover said.

Drivers should drive carefully in the bad weather, officials said. Drive at speeds safe for the conditions, even if that’s well below the speed limit.