Gold Bar, WA Best kept secret!

[haggardhouseelf]

Originally Posted by mayfair

(even with the naural beauty of the area).

It is really beautiful, isn't it? If simply being a beautiful area was enough to make up your mind, it would be a definite yes. But... there are other factors you must consider.

Also... hwy 2 is very dangerous. Perhaps because of the drug problems which are really bad in that area the drivers are awful... and then you mix it with a narrow two lane road which doesn't seem like it is really paid much attention... and really dark at night... and I don't know why but that area, too, seems to get the worst weather. Roads in Neighboring areas might be fine, but somehow that stretch of hwy 2 is just awful.

We love driving out that way during the day... during decent weather... but we've tried it a few times at night and it's too spooky.

Just the other day though there was an article discussing possible improvements to hwy 2, but in the comments to the article people seemed to feel that hwy 2 has been hoping for improvements for 20 years... I don't know...

My husband works in Redmond Ridge, an unincorporated area sort of between Duvall and Redmond (seems closer to Duvall) and the commute to Gold Bar doesn't seem like it should be that bad... but it is because of the condition/situation of hwy 2.

[ostryjak]

I have lived in Gold Bar since 1999 and commuted to Redmond every day since. I can tell you this - it takes me an hour to drive to work and an hour to drive home every day with only the few exceptions caused by mega floods or snow storms. I drive Avondale , Woodinville / Duvall road to Monroe and then East along highway 2 doing for the most part 55 MPH. It is a leisurely almost traffic free drive in the country. I love it. No freeways. Frequently I ride my motorcycle just for the hell of it. I love my Gold Bar lifestyle. :-)

[ostryjak]

I just read the post above mine. Please disregard that post if you are considering Gold Bar. Roads are like guns - only dangerous because of the people who use them. I personally have never had any issues with HWY 2 and I LIKE driving it. My approach to Gold Bar is through Sultan 35MPH , a small stretch of dual carriage way 50 MPH , back down to 35mph in Startup a short 50/40mph stretch and I am home in Gold Bar having just passed the view of Wallace Falls that I pass every day and after 10 years it still brings a smile to my lips. Everyone in the Gold Bar Grocer and the local post office knows my wife and me , we know all of the firemen/firewomen volunteers and I feel like we live in a community not an urban sprawl. We actually hope it stays a *best kept secret* :-)

[Luke9686]

I'll have to check out this area. Sounds very nice with a river for fishing.

P.S. If you want to keep Gold Bar as nice as everyone is describing, keep the government out. Keep the highway a two lane highway. I know it's probably a pain during a commute, but once they open it up it will be a free for all to move out there. Easy commute means more people, more congestion, and less of all the nice qualities everyone has described.

[skygravel]

Old topic, but what the heck. The drug and traffic problems are real.
The state has been studying US 2 forever and the death toll keeps rising. It shouldn't be that hard to figure out. 2-lane highway with cars traveling 60mph, numerous sideroads, no turn lanes. But, they keep paying for million-dollar studies.
The meth heads are thick from Sultan to Gold Bar. The easiest ones to spot are hanging around, or even camping out, near the railroad tracks. Ask folks if they've had anything stolen. Chances are they've had a shed or garage broken into.
Weekend traffic is getting rediculous.

[XXclimberX]

Originally Posted by skygravel

Old topic, but what the heck. The drug and traffic problems are real.
The state has been studying US 2 forever and the death toll keeps rising. It shouldn't be that hard to figure out. 2-lane highway with cars traveling 60mph, numerous sideroads, no turn lanes. But, they keep paying for million-dollar studies.
The meth heads are thick from Sultan to Gold Bar. The easiest ones to spot are hanging around, or even camping out, near the railroad tracks. Ask folks if they've had anything stolen. Chances are they've had a shed or garage broken into.
Weekend traffic is getting rediculous.

Ya this aint no best kept secret unless your looking to cook meth. Personally I am disgusted with all the towns along highway 2. It would have been better if they just built a highway like I-90 through the area and bypassed them all together.

Traffic is horrible too!!

[rayneinspain]

Originally Posted by NCWmark

I personally love the Gold Bar area - quite beautiful and a nice small town feel for being as close as it is to the "big city".

My biggest concern in living there would be highway 2. I know they are once again talking about fixing the issue, but they have been talking about that for more than 20 years.

I think it isn't a bad place to live as a property investment, but as the before mentioned urban-sprawl issue, the Gold Bar of today will not be the Gold Bar of tomorrow. Remember what happened to Issaquah, North Bend, Maple Valley, and the list goes on and on.

I don't mean to sound 100% negative, as I really do think that right now today Gold Bar is absolutely great.

Well said. I was born and raised in western Washington, moved to Indiana in 2007 for an affordable cost of living, and went back to visit early this month. I could not have been more disgusted at the yuppie sprawl that has raped the Cascade foothills in King County (as well as almost everywhere else, too)...and which now threatens the foothills in Snohomish County.

It HAS to stop before Washington the Beautiful permanently becomes Washington the Annex of So Cal.

I love my home state, but it's losing its quality of life faster than the speed of light. I barely recognized it, even after only 2.5 years away from it.

[funkymuse]

We are thinking of moving to Gold Bar and were wondering if there are any good rental homes there for around $1000 but no more! Also if there are any that are away from Hwy 2 where it is more quiet.

Any info from old timers would be welcomed.

We are going to visit on Monday.