How Important is Living Near Light or Commuter Rail to You? (Seattle: apartments, how much)

[homesinseattle]

As traffic in the Seattle Metro area has worsened, I hear much more chatter than I used to about living near rail options, be it the close in light rail (or future light rail) stations of Beacon Hill, Columbia City, Capitol Hill, Bellevue, Lynnwood, Roosevelt, Shoreline, Mercer Island, Redmond, Northgate, or the Commuter rail options of Kent, Edmonds, Mukilteo, Everett, Tacoma, Tukwila, Auburn.

I'm curious: percentage wise, how much is access to rail a factor to you in where you plan to live in the future? I find myself starting to shift in thinking, taking light rail home from SeaTac, hopping on the train in Capitol Hill near my home and taking it down to the Othello Station for authentic Vietnamese food or up to U Dist Station for a game or event/museum on campus. I've enjoyed it more than I thought I would.

The light rail system in this region has been a bit of a joke for a while now but true progress seems to be happening. Usage is consistently exceeding projections. Like anything, it just takes time for people to alter their perceptions and habits, I guess.

[Kayela]

It didn't used to be important to me at all until a station opened up near me. Now we take it downtown, to the airport, to the U-Dist for events, to the ID, etc.. If we were to move in the future, it would definitely matter. It makes getting around so much less stressful when you don't have to fight with traffic, or worry about where to park. Too bad it doesn't go near my work!

[fnh]

We've utilized the Link ourselves for years now but we've now successfully converted my in-laws who had not been public transit users before (perhaps had NEVER used before, anywhere). The ease of getting to Husky Stadium was a revelation to them. My 80 year old FIL is remarkably fit but getting to the Husky games (we have season tickets) is a challenge even living just three miles south of the stadium. Montlake grinds to a standstill well before the bridge, the stadium a significant trek away. Last year one gameday I proposed dropping everyone off at the Capitol Hill station instead, and we've never looked back.

Now my BIL openly remarks he is looking forward to the Northgate Station opening and - gasp! - has even started taking the bus to his office in Bellevue after two decades of driving across 520. It's a sea change within the family, for sure.

[leastprime]

As seniors, We try to take advantage of the reduced fares and to keep public transportation full during off-peak hours.

[CrazyDonkey]

I wish it was closer - I live in West Ballard. When will the Monorail get here? (Oh, never mind...)

[Polymorphist]

I lived on the light rail line and really liked it, when I moved it was painful to go without it. I bought a house about two blocks from where the Mountlake Terrace station will go however the city re-zoned my block for townhouse development. That means some developer will offer me a price I can't refuse for my property (which is good), with the result that it probably won't be worth it to buy another place along light rail. At that point i'll just leave the Seattle metro area altogether, i've had enough of this BS.

But light rail is convenient, no question. I'm going to try to move to a city which already has good mass-transit.

[JonasW]

I take a lot of buses so it doesn't really matter to me too much. I do use the light-rail as well but I tend to use the new trolley more (Cap hill to Pioneer Sq). I have friends up in Roosevelt and that area is growing at an alarming rate. The station there is definitely drawing more building to the area. The number of new low rise apartments is something else. Sadly it's only making driving/traffic worse. heh Time will tell if the light-rail changes that much.

[CrazyDonkey]

Originally Posted by JonasW

I take a lot of buses so it doesn't really matter to me too much. I do use the light-rail as well but I tend to use the new trolley more (Cap hill to Pioneer Sq). I have friends up in Roosevelt and that area is growing at an alarming rate. The station there is definitely drawing more building to the area. The number of new low rise apartments is something else. Sadly it's only making driving/traffic worse. heh Time will tell if the light-rail changes that much.

They can run four-car trains at three-minute headways through the transit tunnel. Right now they're running two- to three-car trains at eight- to 12-minute headways. That'll be sufficient for current construction, but to go beyond it (and to Ballard and West Seattle) will require a second tunnel.

[Returning2USA]

Very important.

Not only in the near future but long-term.

[flyingsaucermom]

I'm a huge supporter of any public transportation and if in the future we were to move back to Seattle it would be a priority. I'd definitely pay $$$ to live somewhere where I can ditch the car.