Fort Lewis (Tacoma, Lakewood, Lacey: homes, safe area, schools)

[blckisusan]

Hi everyone,

My husband and I are anticipating orders for Ft. Lewis, so I've been trying to check out our housing options and get an idea of what the areas are like. I've been able to figure out safe/unsafe areas, for the most part, by reading past threads, but I can't seem to find where the security gates are for post.

I know in this day & time that you have to be careful what you tell people.. I'm just trying to figure how long of a drive we'll have from certain areas to the closest gate. If anyone can help me out, even with just a general idea of where the entrances are, I would be very grateful!

Thanks!
Shelley

[Sandy Nelson]

Shelly,

Take a look at this map from Mapquest:

Map of Fort Lewis, WA by MapQuest

There are three gates off I-5:
One at Dupont (Dupont Gate), one at Camp Murray (Madigan Gate) and one about half way in between (Main Gate). The is also a back gate into SE Ft. Lewis in Roy.

I hope this helps figure out your commute from home to work.

Sandy

[NoLoveLost]

Originally Posted by blckisusan

Hi everyone,

My husband and I are anticipating orders for Ft. Lewis, so I've been trying to check out our housing options and get an idea of what the areas are like. I've been able to figure out safe/unsafe areas, for the most part, by reading past threads, but I can't seem to find where the security gates are for post.

I know in this day & time that you have to be careful what you tell people.. I'm just trying to figure how long of a drive we'll have from certain areas to the closest gate. If anyone can help me out, even with just a general idea of where the entrances are, I would be very grateful!

Thanks!
Shelley

Depending on rank will depend on what area you live in on base. If you are talking about living off post, I suggest Lacey. It's a short drive, but I think a better option than Lakewood....

If you need suggestions for areas in Lacey I'm sure a few people here can offer their opinions of the place or I would be happy to....

[blckisusan]

i LOVE opinions!

Have any ideas (besides Dupont) that would allow me to get on base without having to get on I-5? After living in San Antonio, I now have panic attacks when I try to drive on the interstate.

I can't wait to get out of Texas!

[NoLoveLost]

Originally Posted by blckisusan

i LOVE opinions!

Have any ideas (besides Dupont) that would allow me to get on base without having to get on I-5? After living in San Antonio, I now have panic attacks when I try to drive on the interstate.

I can't wait to get out of Texas!

well I think no matter where you live off post you have to g o on I-5 to get on post....

You might want to consider housing on post? Is there a wait?

[blckisusan]

I think there is a wait and we have 3 cats. We only had two before, but adopted another when his owner had to go to Iraq. Housing limits it to 2 pets... Anyone able to compare the traffic on I-5 to traffic in San Antonio??

Another problem with base housing is that we are currently homeowners that have moved into base housing while trying to sell our current home. Living in base housing makes me crazy! Example, we had a pipe with a small leak, but weren't allowed to tighten it ourselves. So I had to wait around for housing to show up, just for housing to say that they had to get in touch with the home warranty company (these were recently built). So I had to wait days for someone to show up with a wrench. It took 2 minutes. I can understand to some degree, but frustrating for "handy couple" nonetheless.

I know I need to get over my fear of interstate driving, but it's really hard. Might have to try Xanex for awhile till I get use to it again!

Sandy -- thank you for the map! It was extremely helpful! All the gates showed up except the one near Roy, but I have a good idea where it is. I had someone tell me that they didn't think the drive from the Clearwood subdivsion out of Yelm was a good drive because it's a two-lane hwy. I don't know.. we lived out in the country here in west-Texas (which I don't recommend if you don't like cactii and lots of stickers), so I'm not sure if that drive would be hard to us or not.

Anyone live in the Clearwood subdivision?

Thanks again for your help, Sandy & Shuffle!

Shelley

[cobolt]

If you live in Steilacoom you need not get on I-5 to enter Ft Lewis. You'd take the Dupont-Steilacoom Rd straight from town to the gate. In fact, the Rd goes over I-5, in an overpass sort of way.

[blckisusan]

From the little I could find, I think Steilacoom is out of our price range. I will look into it a bit more though --thanks!

[Sandy Nelson]

Shelly,

It will be difficult to avoid I-5 if you live in the Ft. Lewis area. There are a few places I can think of that would allow you to enter Ft. Lewis without using I-5. My previous poster already mentioned Steilacoom. Dupont would be the easiest option. Yelm, Clearwood, Orting and Roy are located closer to the Roy gate, but will be a longer commute. If you live in South Tacoma or Lakewood, you could approach from Pacific Hwy and enter through the McChord AFB gate. You would have to wind your way through McChord, which would also be a slow process. If you lived in Lacey, you could take Old Pacific Hwy (also called Nisqually Rd.) to the Mounts Rd. exit. From there you'd have to jump on I-5, but it would only be for about a mile and a half to the Dupont Gate.
Unfortunately I don't know what the highways are like in San Antonio. I personally don't think the stretch on I-5 around Fort Lewis is anxiety causing.
Best of luck to you finding a nice home for your family and pets.

Sandy

[blckisusan]

Sandy,

It might not be, panic-attack inducing I mean We got the unofficial word yesterday afternoon that we will report to Nellis AFB for ALO training and then to Ft. Lewis NLT June 30th!

The traffic in Texas is horrendous, whether you're in a big city or a tiny town. Driver's Ed is not offered in schools here and people drive really badly in gigantic trucks that they don't necessarily need. I use to count at stop lights how many trucks there were to one car and it was usually at least 5:1. When you drive a little car, like I do, around spastic big'uns, well... it's taken a toll on my sanity

Recommend any great rain coats & water proof shoes/boots?? What is your preferred brand of windshield wiper?

I'm so excited!!

Shelley