Is it Legal For a Motorcycle in Washington to Ride Between Lanes?

My family made a road trip to Seattle last weekend to watch the Blue Angels at Seafair. I was driving north on I-5, stuck in traffic due to the Ship Canal construction approaching the Ship Canal Bridge and the University District.

While all the cars were crawling at 5 miles per hour, a motorcycle slipped past me, splitting between the lanes. A few seconds later, a car was changing lanes and almost hit the bike. The motorbike rider had to make a quick maneuver to avoid a bad situation.

I said out loud for all of the car to hear: “Is it legal for bikes to split between lanes on the freeway in Washington?” 

I did some research.

A handful of states allow for bikes to perform lane splitting

The states that would enable lane splitting or filtering (riding between stopped or slow-moving traffic) include California, Utah, Arizona, Montana (with a speed limit of 20 mph for bicycles during lane splitting), and Colorado.

Is it legal for a motorcycle in Washington to ride between lanes?

No, lane splitting is illegal in Washington state. 

Washington's Revised Code (RCW 46.61.608) explicitly bans motorcycles from riding between lanes of traffic or between rows of vehicles. 

What is the Washington Law for motorcycles on the highway?

The WA law says that motorcycles have the right to the full use of a lane, and no other vehicle should block that right. 

Attempts have been made to legalize lane splitting in Washington, but so far, these efforts have been unsuccessful. Therefore, motorcyclists in Washington should follow the current law and avoid lane splitting.