TACOMA COMMUTE - JBLM New Duty Station - Best place to live? (Olympia: cheap apartment)

[newdutystation]

I'm deployed right now, and just got orders for Fort Lewis. I know I'll be taking the South exit. I really have my heart set on living in North Tacoma. I have a dog, and a husband, no plans for kids. We are in our mid-twenties, and do not want to live in Suburbia. Just somewhere somewhat away from the military life style, but I do NOT want a commute more than 45 minutes. I'm from the DC metro area, where a serious commute was an hour to and hour and a half, and Fridays could be two hours. How bad exactly is the traffic outside of JBLM compared to the DC Metro area? I've heard I-5 is a "nightmare", but compared to what exactly?

I was also looking in Steilacoom or Olympia? What would be the best place for a mid-twenties couple who haven't seen each other in 3 years, who just want to have some fun together? Walking distance to some pubs, or fun venues with maybe some sort of public transportation?

Any insight would be great? Is this actually possible, if not, I guess I'll just manage to move to a cheap apartment in Lacey, and call it a day.

Thanks!

[poopskooper]

Well, I've not lived in DC but have visited the area and It's difficult to compare traffic as, to me, stop-and-go traffic is stop-and-go traffic no matter where you are. Yes, I-5 through the Tacoma area can get nasty in both directions during both AM and PM commuting times. I wouldn't want to hassle with it daily. But anywhere in a metro area, traffic is a fact of life.

It sounds as if you have your heart set on living in an urban setting; an older, traditional-type neighborhood. Have you considered some of the older neighborhoods in Olympia? I would rather make the commute from Olympia to JBLM than from the Stadium area of Tacoma pertaining to traffic congestion. The traffic can get a little congested going through the Nisqually area on I-5 but it is a rather short distance and not as consistently bad as it is in the Tacoma proper corridor of I-5.

[lady fern]

Traffic can be a pain around JBLM but I doubt it compares at all to DC. If you are looking to be close, Steilacoom or Lacey would be your best bet. I don't know Steilacoom intimately, but I enjoy driving through there. It has a nice vibe. I'm not a huge fan of Lacey. I find it more congested and not pedestrian friendly.
Since you mentioned walking distance to pubs, I would check out the houses on the South, East and lower West side of Olympia. You could walk downtown and have nice access to pubs, Puget Sound, and the Farmer's Market. You should be able to find rentals on Craigslist and there are decent apartments heading South from downtown. There are apartments on 9th Ave in Olympia that are pretty nice. I believe they frequently raise their rents, but if you just want to find a quick place to settle in until you can find a more permanent place, it should fit the bill. It is close to Black Lake Blvd, giving you easy freeway access. Commute should be about 25 minutes, of course depending on traffic.