Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
How are you with cycling on hills? Most of Seattle is very hilly --- probably less so in the suburbs, especially Snohomish County. I would guess Boston's weather is also a bit better for cycling, just because there are so many days in Seattle with at least some amount of rain.
Can’t speak for Seattle, but Boston and the surrounding cities have gotten much better with their cycling infrastructure over the last 10 years. Many more protected bike lanes and cycling paths! More in the pipeline too as the green line extension finishes.
Quote:
Originally Posted by CirculateRX
I think this answer makes me choose Seattle. Wanting to be able to kayak, golf etc more days out of the year
Mmhmm. Boston’s great for winter sports, but because of the snow and cold weather biking and golfing are usually difficult or impossible to do Dec-Feb (at least).
Can’t speak for Seattle, but Boston and the surrounding cities have gotten much better with their cycling infrastructure over the last 10 years. Many more protected bike lanes and cycling paths! More in the pipeline too as the green line extension finishes.
Seattle proper is okay, not as good as you might think. A lot of the major streets (Aurora, 145th St N, 85th St N, Northgate, 15th Ave NW, California, MLK, Rainier, Madison, etc.) have no bike lanes. It's often better on the "less major" major streets like Thorndyke in Magnolia. It does help that the city is mostly on a grid plan, and the side streets are narrow and have traffic circles every so often, which keeps people from going too fast, so you can get around those thoroughfares.
I'd say the bike lane situation is actually better overall in the suburbs than the city, with the Eastside suburbs being the best. Many more bike trails in the suburbs too. There's a popular one that goes along the limited-access highway WA-520 and crosses Lake Washington, which a lot of tech workers (like at Microsoft in Redmond) commute on, and another popular one that goes through the Google campus in Kirkland. I've only ever lived in the city since I relocated here, and I sometimes keep my folding bike in the car so I can take long, relaxing rides in the suburbs.
It's not unique to Boston - a lot of cities have instituted way more European-style outdoor dining during Covid and it's created a lot of vibrancy. Yet most of these are temporary and could go away when (if?) Covid finally fades.
Seattle proper is okay, not as good as you might think. A lot of the major streets (Aurora, 145th St N, 85th St N, Northgate, 15th Ave NW, California, MLK, Rainier, Madison, etc.) have no bike lanes. It's often better on the "less major" major streets like Thorndyke in Magnolia. It does help that the city is mostly on a grid plan, and the side streets are narrow and have traffic circles every so often, which keeps people from going too fast, so you can get around those thoroughfares.
I'd say the bike lane situation is actually better overall in the suburbs than the city, with the Eastside suburbs being the best. Many more bike trails in the suburbs too. There's a popular one that goes along the limited-access highway WA-520 and crosses Lake Washington, which a lot of tech workers (like at Microsoft in Redmond) commute on, and another popular one that goes through the Google campus in Kirkland. I've only ever lived in the city and I sometimes keep my folding bike in the car so I can take long, relaxing rides in the suburbs.
Totally agree - Seattle's urban bicycle infrastructure is not as good as people expect it to be. Portland and Minneapolis put it to shame, for example.
However, I would not say Seattle is mostly on a grid plan. It actually has a pretty damn confusing and circuitous geography as well.
I have a patio and gas fire pit in our house and we use it year round in Seattle. That would not be possible in Boston. Grilling and eating outside is just not that fun in 28F even with a fire pit. Also lack of mosquitos help with outdoor activities in Seattle.
People are also pretty big into their gardens here as flowers start blooming in late February.
Seattle can be good or bad for a new bicyclist. It's better for an experienced, fitter one. We're getting new bike lanes at a good clip. But there are big holes in the system. And you might need to go up hills.
For example, to bike from Columbia City to Downtown it would be stupid to try Rainier Avenue, a busy arterial with no margin. But you can ride up Beacon Hill, which is flat on top, or ride hilly side streets through the Rainier Valley. If you're reasonbly fit neither is that hard, but either is a real barrier for many people.
A longer-distance ride can be great. You can do major loops that are beautiful, safe, and relatively flat, including the I-90 and SR520 bridges to the Eastside. The Eastside itself depends where you're going.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
