public transportation (Seattle, Everett: buses, light rail, ferry)

[gammerus]

I've heard in Seattle that cars are optional because you have pretty good public transportation. There any truth to this?

In phoenix this isn't not true at all because the bus systems do not run across the whole valley, and 10miles can take 50mins.

[JustCallMeTC]

Originally Posted by gammerus

I've heard in Seattle that cars are optional because you have pretty good public transportation. There any truth to this?

.

Actually Seattle has a great monorail and a lovely bus tunnel. (sarcasm alert)

Seattle's public transportation is a joke. Unless you consider riding the bus an effective mode. Although you can ride the S.L.U.T. South Lake Union Transit.

[gammerus]

Originally Posted by JustCallMeTC

Actually Seattle has a great monorail and a lovely bus tunnel. (sarcasm alert)

Seattle's public transportation is a joke. Unless you consider riding the bus an effective mode. Although you can ride the S.L.U.T. South Lake Union Transit.

This depends on how efficient the buses are, don't it?

[JustCallMeTC]

How efficient can a bus be when it's stuck in traffic?

[gammerus]

good question, buses rarely get stuck in traffic in phx

[JustCallMeTC]

Phoenix has something Seattle does not. Sprawl. Seattle is a narrow penninsula of land is surrounded by water on two sides.

One main north south freeway (Interstate 5), One additional north south Highway with stop lights just to the north and south of downtown (Highway 99)

Access from the east is by Highway 520 choked off by a floating bridge which will soon have tolls. And also Interstate 90, which has two bridges across Lake Washington.

Access from the west is via the Ferry System.

[Backstrom]

No, it's not a joke, but it's not pretty either. I use the bus every day in Seattle and I don't have problems. We have one of the largest bus fleets in the US as well as the highest transit ridership of all major cities without rail before our light rail system opened. Bus service is very expansive, but can be unreliable.

[Backstrom]

The only reason why locals like to bash on our mass transit system is because we got started so late on rail. Bus wise, you can get almost anywhere in the city proper.

[JustCallMeTC]

Originally Posted by Backstrom

The only reason why locals like to bash on our mass transit system is because we got started so late on rail. Bus wise, you can get almost anywhere in the city proper.

Try taking the bus from Everett to Seattle at 730am.

Good luck on that.

As to your comment that Seattle "Got started late" on rail. It STILL barely exists. As a Seattle native, this has always irked me to no end.

[gammerus]

so is commuting to Seattle hard?