Has anyone stopped taking seattle King County Metro due to service going downhill? (Bellevue: 2015, apartment complex)

[annonymous0381]

When I moved to seattle northgate in July 2015 my methods of transportation back in those days was king County metro,sound transit buses, link and uber.

Due to covid public transportation in seattle got cut service wise and uber as well as lyft trippled their prices.

So my solution in May 2021 was to get a car. My car is a brand new Ford escape.

Since I got my new car in May I haven't been on a public bus or light rail either. I don't miss king county metro or link light rail.

I also don't miss those expensive uber and lyft rides.

Having a car has made my life much much easier. To see my friends in Bellevue without traffic it's now an east freeway drive without traffic.

If I want to go to Lynnwood or alderwood mall it's an easy 10 to 15 minutes down the 5 freeway from northgate seattle.


When I had no car I couldn't get to Lynnwood by bus unless I wanted to go to downtown seattle first.

Luckily enough as a birthday gift my parents in California bought me a brand new Ford escape.

In May we drove the ford escape from southern California to seattle up the 5 freeway.


Buying groceries is such easier for me now.

Even though local politicians want people in seattle to give up their cars and use public transportation it's not realistic.

Unfortunately I have learned that to live in most areas of seattle a car is needed to get around.

Have other people found it impossible to live in seattle without owning a car??

Im glad to pay for a parking spot in my apartment complex for the convenience of having a car.

Filling my car up with gas and paying insurance is much less money than I spent on uber and lyft per month.

It's sad that public transportation doesn't work well for most people in king county.

Even though this is a different topic the link light rail going from northgate seattle to downtown that opens October 1st 2021 is worthless in some ways. The reason why I say it's worthless is because downtown seattle is unsafe and many bussiness have left downtown seattle.

It's seems that Bellevue and Lynnwood are the new shopping, restuarant and movie theater place for seattle residents. Is it just me or is this reality??

[Arcos]

I’m sure the closer you live to more densely populated areas the less likely you would be to need a car, since everything is closer by and the density of public transport routes is higher. Also, the new link light rail stops are for the next 30 years of transit, not just for what’s happening now.

[homesinseattle]

Originally Posted by annonymous0381

When I moved to seattle northgate in July 2015 my methods of transportation back in those days was king County metro,sound transit buses, link and uber.

Due to covid public transportation in seattle got cut service wise and uber as well as lyft trippled their prices.

So my solution in May 2021 was to get a car. My car is a brand new Ford escape.

Since I got my new car in May I haven't been on a public bus or light rail either. I don't miss king county metro or link light rail.

I also don't miss those expensive uber and lyft rides.

Having a car has made my life much much easier. To see my friends in Bellevue without traffic it's now an east freeway drive without traffic.

If I want to go to Lynnwood or alderwood mall it's an easy 10 to 15 minutes down the 5 freeway from northgate seattle.


When I had no car I couldn't get to Lynnwood by bus unless I wanted to go to downtown seattle first.

Luckily enough as a birthday gift my parents in California bought me a brand new Ford escape.

In May we drove the ford escape from southern California to seattle up the 5 freeway.


Buying groceries is such easier for me now.

Even though local politicians want people in seattle to give up their cars and use public transportation it's not realistic.

Unfortunately I have learned that to live in most areas of seattle a car is needed to get around.

Have other people found it impossible to live in seattle without owning a car??

Im glad to pay for a parking spot in my apartment complex for the convenience of having a car.

Filling my car up with gas and paying insurance is much less money than I spent on uber and lyft per month.

It's sad that public transportation doesn't work well for most people in king county.

Even though this is a different topic the link light rail going from northgate seattle to downtown that opens October 1st 2021 is worthless in some ways. The reason why I say it's worthless is because downtown seattle is unsafe and many bussiness have left downtown seattle.

It's seems that Bellevue and Lynnwood are the new shopping, restuarant and movie theater place for seattle residents. Is it just me or is this reality??

Glad you are enjoying your car, hope you are getting out to the mountains in it for some hikes, too! The Bridal Veil Falls/Lake Serene trailhead if very accessible and close to the little town of Index. Whidbey Island is another great day trip, drive on the top of it through Anacortes/Deception Pass, then work your way slowly down the island (Coupeville, Ebey Landing, Freeland, Bayview, Double Bluff Beach, Langley. At the end of the day, take the ferry back from the south tip of Whidbey (Clinton) to Edmonds.

Yes, I think your point about shopping in Lynnwood and Bellevue is good, though University Village is a very popular, pleasant place to go. We go to the movies at Thornton Place in Northgate and that cool retro little theater called The Crest in Shoreline. There are pockets of cafes and independent shops all over, just depends what you like.

[Hemlock140]

I work in Seattle but would never think of going back there on the weekend or staying for the evening. All of our shopping and entertainment is on the eastside, except for 1-2 baseball games/year. I too used to take the bus. I would drive to Issaquah Transit Center, and take the ST554 to Westlake Park at 3rd and Pine and walk to my Belltown office. I stopped and started driving in all the way not because of the bus service, it was still good, it was the walk through the homeless, watching drug deals in progress, and sometimes having to walk a few blocks away to avoid a mentally ill violent person. It was just making it unpleasant and even dangerous at 6am. Since February, 2020 I have been working from home, and only went in maybe 3 times. Driving in I don't go by that Westlake area to see if it's gotten better or worse, but when I go to hybrid the first of the year I will be driving in on office days.

[annonymous0381]

Originally Posted by Hemlock140

I work in Seattle but would never think of going back there on the weekend or staying for the evening. All of our shopping and entertainment is on the eastside, except for 1-2 baseball games/year. I too used to take the bus. I would drive to Issaquah Transit Center, and take the ST554 to Westlake Park at 3rd and Pine and walk to my Belltown office. I stopped and started driving in all the way not because of the bus service, it was still good, it was the walk through the homeless, watching drug deals in progress, and sometimes having to walk a few blocks away to avoid a mentally ill violent person. It was just making it unpleasant and even dangerous at 6am. Since February, 2020 I have been working from home, and only went in maybe 3 times. Driving in I don't go by that Westlake area to see if it's gotten better or worse, but when I go to hybrid the first of the year I will be driving in on office days.

I used to take light rail and the bus to sea tac airport from northgate seattle. Over the past year when I had to change from the bus to the link I walked over drug needles and homeless. So I stopped taking public transit to sea tac

[annonymous0381]

Originally Posted by homesinseattle

Glad you are enjoying your car, hope you are getting out to the mountains in it for some hikes, too! The Bridal Veil Falls/Lake Serene trailhead if very accessible and close to the little town of Index. Whidbey Island is another great day trip, drive on the top of it through Anacortes/Deception Pass, then work your way slowly down the island (Coupeville, Ebey Landing, Freeland, Bayview, Double Bluff Beach, Langley. At the end of the day, take the ferry back from the south tip of Whidbey (Clinton) to Edmonds.

Yes, I think your point about shopping in Lynnwood and Bellevue is good, though University Village is a very popular, pleasant place to go. We go to the movies at Thornton Place in Northgate and that cool retro little theater called The Crest in Shoreline. There are pockets of cafes and independent shops all over, just depends what you like.

I like the crest in shoreline. University village is a nice place that is lovely.

[TheTimidBlueBars]

Seattle's bus system is very good as far as American bus systems go --- fairly reliable, many routes (into the suburbs as well as the city), still runs late at night.

But there's a fundamental problem that American cities are just not designed for people without cars, compared to cities in other countries. I live in an urban part of Seattle (Lake City) and I wouldn't give up my car --- most of my errands are more convenient with it, and some would be a huge pain without it.

As for entertainment: yeah, the big strip malls are in the suburbs. But those amenities still exist in the city. I liked the Admiral Theater in West Seattle, during the few months I lived here pre-COVID. It's a nice historic neighborhood theater, and my friends and I could walk to get food or go to the Vidiot arcade afterward (although it's now closed). The Southgate Roller Rink, an escape room, and several nice parks (Lincoln Park, Puget Park) are also close to there. And West Seattle is just one section of the city.

[rjshae]

I haven't been on a metro bus since the pandemic started, so I haven't a clue. Hopefully whatever's amiss is just a consequence of the health measures.

[CrazyDonkey]

I mostly take the 44, 40, or D-Line, which haven't been effected by the cuts.

[GraceKrispy]

I really appreciate the bus system. Prior to the pandemic, it got me to my various work sites, to most shopping places (except the ones I could walk to), and sometimes to friends' houses. I really appreciated not having to worry about parking or traffic. I liked using the time for reading or working (or just resting).

We also have a car, and I appreciate it for getting places I can't get to on the bus. I chose my most recent living space in part for the easy bus commute to work. Hard we moved to one of the other areas we were thinking of, I wouldn't have been able to bus. It is very hard to park at my work.