Lake Stevens - is it really that bad getting in and out? (Seattle: home)

[MtnSurfer]

Hello,

I'm curious to hear from folks, especially locals familiar with Lake Stevens since it came up on our radar recently. It seems to have many of the qualities we are looking for if we were to move north of Seattle. Since I'll be working remotely, I won't need to drive in the same rush hour traffic with everyone else across the dreaded 2 Trestle. Though with three teenagers we will be driving to Everett Community College along with shopping at places like Trader Joes in Everett, etc... So we'll either need to cross the Trestle or go the long way up and around through Marysville.

Here's the weird part. When I look Google maps getting across the Trestle doesn't look *that* bad as long as not at peak rush hour (7 AM/5 PM). The articles and Youtube videos I've seen of it look really bad. So for those actually living there even if not working in Everett or Seattle how bad is it? And what about the alternate route. For example, here is what Google shows to get to to Community College leaving at 8:30 AM on a weekday. Both routes seem to average 20-30 minutes:





This video published by Lake Stevens makes it look much worse:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_bPE3cGh60


Derek

[Hemlock140]

I often take 5 north from Seattle to Snohomish on 2 and the bridge after work, and it’s 5 through Everett that’s a nightmare. Once you get onto 2 and the bridge it’s not that bad. If I were living in Lake Stevens, however, I would be going down 9 into Snohomish to shop, Woodinville for Costco, and stay out of Everett except for Dutch Bros. coffee.

[CrazyDonkey]

It's pretty much like everywhere here - it's not so bad if you can drive non-peak. It's just, however, that the peaks keep getting longer, and the non-peaks shorter. Combining tasks to limit trips is smart, but the windows for doing that are getting narrower.

[CrazyDonkey]

As for the teenagers, they can supposedly get themselves from Lake Stevens TC/P&R to Everett CC in 37 to 40 minutes on Community Transit, departing at 9:15 am.

https://www.communitytransit.org/busservice/tripplanner/

[mayfair]

Have you considered Cascadia College instead of EvCC, which would skip the Trestle and Everett I-5 commute from Lake Stevens?

[MtnSurfer]

Originally Posted by mayfair

Have you considered Cascadia College instead of EvCC, which would skip the Trestle and Everett I-5 commute from Lake Stevens?

Hi mayfair, no, but thank you for the suggestion. It actually inspired some new ideas about living a bit further south and then going that route. From Lake Stevens it would be too far in the AM. But from places like Mill Creek, Snohomish or even South Everett it looks more doable.

I guess I was just thinking how nice it would be to live more north of Seattle around Lake Stevens with a bit more open land. In addition, one seems to be able to get more home for one's money. But with that comes some trade-offs when driving kids from point A to point B outside of Lake Stevens, shopping, etc... My wife 'must' have reasonable access to stores like Trader Joes and Costco.



Derek

[MtnSurfer]

Originally Posted by CrazyDonkey

As for the teenagers, they can supposedly get themselves from Lake Stevens TC/P&R to Everett CC in 37 to 40 minutes on Community Transit, departing at 9:15 am.

https://www.communitytransit.org/busservice/tripplanner/

Yes, we need to consider public transit as a viable option. Thanks for the link. I think Everett CC students get discounted bus tickets/Orca passes as well.

Derek