1 hr to get from Laurelhurst to downtown (Everett: apartment, home)

[DavidRudisha]

Now I understand why so many people shell out $2500/month to live in a 500 sq ft apartment downtown near their work. Getting downtown from the outskirts is a regular chore. I can't believe I've gotten used to this.

[AmFest]

Or, you know, be an early riser and get to downtown before rush hours.

[BATCAT]

Originally Posted by DavidRudisha

Now I understand why so many people shell out $2500/month to live in a 500 sq ft apartment downtown near their work. Getting downtown from the outskirts is a regular chore. I can't believe I've gotten used to this.

We don't pay anywhere near that amount, but Mrs BATCAT and I got rid of a bunch of stuff and live a pretty minimal lifestyle so we can afford to continue living on Capitol Hill. (recently downsized to a 1bed/1 bath because rents are rising faster than our incomes) The reason is simply that we refuse to subject ourselves to a crappy commute every morning and evening. Our respective walks to work are about 10 and 20 minutes.

It's a major quality of life issue for us... it would take a lot for us to give up that proximity to work and lack of stress getting around.

[AmFest]

Originally Posted by BATCAT

We don't pay anywhere near that amount, but Mrs BATCAT and I got rid of a bunch of stuff and live a pretty minimal lifestyle so we can afford to continue living on Capitol Hill. (recently downsized to a 1bed/1 bath because rents are rising faster than our incomes) The reason is simply that we refuse to subject ourselves to a crappy commute every morning and evening. Our respective walks to work are about 10 and 20 minutes.

It's a major quality of life issue for us... it would take a lot for us to give up that proximity to work and lack of stress getting around.

When I lived in Green Lake, my commute was less than 20 minutes each way as well. By bus.

[Gardyloo]

Originally Posted by DavidRudisha

Now I understand why so many people shell out $2500/month to live in a 500 sq ft apartment downtown near their work. Getting downtown from the outskirts is a regular chore. I can't believe I've gotten used to this.

You're calling Laurelhurst the outskirts?

There's a reason not very many buses use Montlake Blvd. - the UWMC and parking lots near Husky Stadium make traffic miserable at rush hours. But if you swing north and west and head over to the freeway, even surface streets will get you downtown faster than an hour. Heck, the 74E from NOAA at Sand Point only takes 40 min. to downtown in the morning.

[CrazyDonkey]

Average or worst case?

The Montlake Bridge is a big variable.

[mkarch]

Originally Posted by Gardyloo

You're calling Laurelhurst the outskirts?

There's a reason not very many buses use Montlake Blvd. - the UWMC and parking lots near Husky Stadium make traffic miserable at rush hours. But if you swing north and west and head over to the freeway, even surface streets will get you downtown faster than an hour. Heck, the 74E from NOAA at Sand Point only takes 40 min. to downtown in the morning.

Nearly everything built north of the ship canal that wasn't its own city at some point are really just old bedroom communities. They now seem 'urban' compared to the sprawl that stretches past Everett. As built, it was the suburban sprawl of it's time and still has a lot of those characteristics - one of which is the transportation infrastructure to reach those remote outskirt neighborhoods like Laurelhurst is completely overwhelmed. Greenlake is further north but it's between 2 major highways. Neighborhoods on the far NE and NW where the city gets 'wide' are not just inaccessible from downtown. Try going from one side (lake to sound) from the other at rush hour and it can be a 2 hour round trip.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by Gardyloo

You're calling Laurelhurst the outskirts?

There's a reason not very many buses use Montlake Blvd. - the UWMC and parking lots near Husky Stadium make traffic miserable at rush hours. But if you swing north and west and head over to the freeway, even surface streets will get you downtown faster than an hour. Heck, the 74E from NOAA at Sand Point only takes 40 min. to downtown in the morning.

That's what I was thinking, lol!

Yeah, I wouldn't take Montlake. OP, are you talking about commuting on the bus, or in a car? Why not try taking the bus to downtown? It goes down Eastlake.
I used to live a lot farther out than Laurelhurst, (out past Northgate off 15th NE) and it only took me 40 minutes to get downtown on the bus.

[tobester]

Originally Posted by AmFest

When I lived in Green Lake, my commute was less than 20 minutes each way as well. By bus.

Be fair to the OP and define a 20 minute each way commute ... my guess this is time spent on the bus, not time from leaving your home to being at your place of work. Just asking ...

[AmFest]

Originally Posted by tobester

Be fair to the OP and define a 20 minute each way commute ... my guess this is time spent on the bus, not time from leaving your home to being at your place of work. Just asking ...

Yeah no it was 20 minutes inclusive. About 15 minutes on the 316 bus. Granted, my bus stop was just 3 stops before the I-5 entrance.