Back to the Low-commute requirement (Seattle, Bellevue: for sale, apartment complexes, how much)

[SouthSeasLifestyler]

Okay, I had pretty much settled on Issaquah based on feedback from you kind folk. But after discussion with the hubs, we think we'd really like to stick to the low commute requirement - we'd really like to try to manage with one car (for me, preferably hybrid) if we can. So, back to the drawing board. I basically looked at the MS campus, and drew a circle around it. On the north-end, up to and including Education Hill, southern part of Kirkland. To the east, 405 as the border (an area called Bridle Trails?). To the west up till Lake Sammamish. And the south, sort of draw a strait horizontal line from where Bellevue city centre is and take that as the border. The areas within this are pretty much what we are currently considering.

Can everyone please give their opinions about these areas? At a very cursory glance, the houses look older, is it older neighbourhoods perhaps? Do they have any character? What's the best thing about these areas, and the worst thing?

Are all these within walking distance? Cycling distance? What's the public transport like? Is it possible to get to either the Redmond or Bellevue campuses easily? I realise I may not have a sense of the scale of things (I've been warned things are bigger in the USA!) ... Also, what is the significance of that 520 running right through?

Also, the three parks in the area (Bridle Trails, smaller one in the middle, can't see it's name, and the big one with Lake Sammamish going through it) - are they nice for walking? For kids?

And finally, schools in the area okay?

Thanks!

SSLifestyler

[Inkpoe]

Oh, you're working @ MS? Do you plan on using the MS Connector bus? With the MS connector bus, you can be as far out to Maple Valley. But anyway, back to your post:

In the Eastside, things are generally very suburb-y (and car-centric), safe and boring. The schools are generally very good that most people don't really have to worry about it. There's actually a lot of parks and trails in the area. Bridle Park is a State park so that will require a Discovery Pass which is 30 dollars annually that you can get at some of our stores; or just pay 10 dollars at the parking lot. BP is beautiful with lots of old trees, a very rejuvenating walk. The Discovery Pass is good for the rest of the state parks in the state. Upon looking at that map, the smaller no name park you see is actually a golf course.

520 makes it easier for you to get to work... but keep in mind, if you use 520 to get to Seattle, you'll be tolled (electronically).

[SouthSeasLifestyler]

Suburby, boring, sigh, sounds pretty much like where we are now, anyway! I guess I can live with that. A nice park close by is good though, cos we have one here too, and we walk almost every evening when the hubs gets back from work. So, car-centric ... does that mean that most of this area we can't really bus or walk? I'm really feeling like I want to take this move as an opportunity to clear out our lives and cut back on a lot of what I see as the materialistic excesses of modern life. I mean, I'll need a car to get the kids to activities and on weekends it would be nice to drive around to get to know your beautiful state, but other than that ... COULD he walk to work in the area I mentioned, or are there hills or it's too far or I'm not factoring in the weather ...?

SSLifestlyer

[Kayela]

Suburby, boring, sigh, sounds pretty much like where we are now, anyway! I guess I can live with that. A nice park close by is good though, cos we have one here too, and we walk almost every evening when the hubs gets back from work. So, car-centric ... does that mean that most of this area we can't really bus or walk? I'm really feeling like I want to take this move as an opportunity to clear out our lives and cut back on a lot of what I see as the materialistic excesses of modern life. I mean, I'll need a car to get the kids to activities and on weekends it would be nice to drive around to get to know your beautiful state, but other than that ... COULD he walk to work in the area I mentioned, or are there hills or it's too far or I'm not factoring in the weather ...?

There are a few place where one can walk to MS, but it's such a huge campus that there is a shuttle service for getting from building to building. The campus is over a mile wide - literally, in any direction. There are a few apartment complexes, some housing along parts of it, and some commercial stuff to the south. There are also several other office complexes around it for the companies that work closely with MS. ie: you can't really walk to work unless you live in a couple of very specific areas that don't have much else around them (I used to live in one - you can walk to work, but not much else).

It's very hard to live without a car on the eastside. There are a couple areas where it's more walkable, but not very. The eastside was designed post-WWII for the car. That was the 'future' at that point, and although the pedulum has swung the other way, there are still huge blocks, wide streets, tons of parking and the zoning is generally commercial or residential - not mixed. Things, they are a-changing, but what's already there is there. Plus, there are plenty of people who really like the suburban, car-focused life with quieter residential neighborhoods and big yards.

Seattle, OTOH, was developed mainly before the car. It's much denser, has lots more walkable neighborhoods, and consequently you're not going to find the square footage and yards that the eastside has. But you will find historical charm, tons of unique little shops and very distinct neighborhoods. It's sucky to drive in Seattle though, and parking is a nightmare in most of the core neighborhoods. You really can't have it both ways.

The MS Connector, that Inkpoe mentions, is a bus that is run by MS for MS employees. They are air-conditioned touring couches equipped with wifi and they make minimal stops between your neighborhood and work. As a MS employee, your husband can use these. If you want a walkable, amenity-filled neighborhood - the MS Connector has stops in many (Queen Anne, Cap Hill, Wallingford, etc). He can ride the Connector to work (no worries about tolls, no driving, the Connector can take the carpool or express lanes) and you can live in your walkable neighborhood and have the car for anything outside it. Have him ask his HR contact for a map.

Also, MS will completely pay for a bus pass on the regular King county transit system. So anywhere with a decent bus commute is also not bad. I live in DT Seattle, and take the 545 express to Redmond. If I had to make a transfer I'd probably deem it 'not worth it', but as it is - I can get from DT Seattle to the Overlake transit center in ~25-30 minutes using public transit (half the time if I drive, but then I pay tolls, plus I like reading the morning paper on my way in). That's as good as commuting to MS from plenty of eastside neighborhoods, and I love being near all the stuff that there is to do DT (ok - maybe I'm a bit of an extreme case, but you get the idea).

[Sadie181]

Being close to the main campus doesn't mean you will stay there. I have 2 friends who work for MS and they said MS likes to move people to different locations every 6 months. Our neighbor has worked for them for 2 years and been at 3 different locations during that time. This is just what I have been told, I do not work for them.

ETA ~ Good luck with your move here, it a gorgeous place to live!

[SouthSeasLifestyler]

Very interesting urban planning history, thank you!

Based on your comments, it sounds like being close to a Connector stop makes more sense than aiming for a campus (as might be moved around). I can't seem to find an up to date Connector map - I suppose we'll have to ask HR.

I'll probably still stay on Eastside, though you make a great case for Seattle!

I've been looking closer at the parks, and I stumbled upon the Sammamish trial. It looks great for cycling. I wonder if there are homes close to access points to the trail AND a Connector stop.

SSLifestyler

[poopskooper]

Here's a quick explanation of the MS Connector ==click

And although not a map, here's the schedule and list of stops (not sure how up-to-date this is but is an active and current link). Yes, check with MS HR for confirmation ==click

ETA: there actually are maps on those schedules by clicking on the XPS icons.

Also, as has been said, MS employees can ride public transportation for free and both MT and ST will have good bus service to the main campus and possibly some of the other satelite campuses. And again, for the ultimate convenience, if you can live along or close to the new eastside Rapid Ride BRT (==click) that connects downtown Redmond with downtown Bellevue with the MS campus in the middle, you may get away with using you personal vehicle very little. I'm a fan of BRT as you can tell. If it's planned correctly and given more right-of-way and priority, I believe it's more cost effective and sometimes makes more sense than light rail. JMO and I know many will disagree.

[Inkpoe]

Originally Posted by SouthSeasLifestyler

I've been looking closer at the parks, and I stumbled upon the Sammamish trial. It looks great for cycling. I wonder if there are homes close to access points to the trail AND a Connector stop.

SSLifestyler

The Sammamish River trail connects to a well known trail called the Burke Gilman trail that extends all the way to Seattle and is definitely great for bicycling and walking.

Redmond likes to call itself the Bicycling Capitol of the PNW and does what it can to be very bike friendly. There are lots of bike lanes in the area.

[SouthSeasLifestyler]

I got really exicited about the Rapid Ride BRT, but there don't seem to be many family homes (for sale) along the route! Does it go through a less residential area perhaps? (or maybe just low inventory)

So the BRT is paid for my MS? How much would it be for people without a free-transport pass?

Having lived in compact cities with successful light rail options and spread out cities without - I think something like BRT would work better in spread out cities or areas, like Eastside. Too cost prohibitive otherwise.

Wow, cycling all the way to Seattle! That would be fun (if long) excursion.

SSLifestlyer

[Kayela]

All the local transit providers take a card called the Orca pass. MS pays for one of those. It's good on Metro, Sound Transit, Rapid Ride and probably some I don't know about.