Everett to Fife ? (Seattle, Tacoma, Vancouver: construction, high school, live)

[DutchessCottonPuff]

Well I am plugging along that awful commute I told you all about a few weeks ago to where it is mandatory I go to Portland(Forest Grove) 1-2 times a week. It is going ok with the tips you all gave me here.. however on weekdays if I leave before 6 am would it be better to go down 99 instead of 5 ? , I l looked at the traffic maps that are in real time and it looks that way but I recall going down 99 from Everett once and seem to recall tons of stop lights ... IS that my imagination or would this be a better way to go .. in the mornings we sometimes spend 1-3 hours getting from here to Tacoma on 5 . I told my husband we need to leave NO later than the 5 am hour period or else its going to be bad no matter what . Does anyone here go that way ?

I swear if our LAST daughter weren't in her last years of high school I would move closer to town . She has been really good about this whole situation but has REALLY asked to let her finish school here ( in Mukilteo)

[Gardyloo]

Well you could try it once and see. I live near the UW and commuted for over a decade to an office on Evergreen Way just south of downtown Everett, so an "opposite commute," but every time I used 99 instead of the freeway I ended wanting to tear my hair out because of the signals and the visual boredom of 20 miles of strip malls.

If there are two of you surely the HOV and Express Lanes must help a little? Maybe it depends where in Everett you are, but I don't see any easy fixes to your dilemma.

[Inkpoe]

Did you forget about the Viaduct construction? The last time I went through there (admittedly, it's been awhile), it was completely backed up while you did twists and curves on the one lane redirect. Its not going to be that much of an improvement, probably more frustrating actually in the morning rush.

[DutchessCottonPuff]

No I haven't forgotten, I just havent been through there in well over a year . I was just looking at a real time map this morning. This city cannot make it through morning without an accident . We have been leaving about between 5- 5:30am but may have to leave earlier because I didn't go today ,my husband did and we may as well ride the bus then up a block to the blue Max in Portland out to FG . I looked up the entire route, seriously from Everett Station to FG and its in the same time frame .

I thought there were a ton of signals now I KNOW its not my imagination ,I just don't use that road hardly at all

[Hemlock140]

Yes, there are many signal lights on 99 between Everett and Seattle, and again after you get to about the airport, all the way to Tacoma. At that hour you might be lucky enough to catch most of them green, but the lower speed limit is going to make it take longer. We left here about 4:00pm on Thursday and all the way to Vancouver traffic was pretty smooth in both directions except the usual area from Fife to just beyond the Tacoma dome. Taking 99 won't help you with that.