With the South Bellevue Park & Ride closing soon, I have been looking at other work commute…read moreoptions. This includes utilizing the Evergreen Point Freeway Station from time to time. This station is the last Eastside stop before you head onto SR 520 so it is basically a transfer point. A lot of buses from places like Kirkland, Redmond and Woodinville make stops here before crossing over. On the return trip east, you can change between buses that originate from downtown Seattle and the U-District here. To quicken my commute, I have taken buses to this station and then transferred to a different bus to get to my final destination. While the station is covered, it is open air. Thus it can get chilly waiting here on winter days. Still your wait here is usually only going to be a few minutes, so it is bearable. So if your usual bus is delayed, I would recommend taking a bus to this stop as it gives you more options to choose from. It is helpful for those who need to change over from a U-District bus to a downtown Seattle bus and vice versa.

The new Evergreen Point Freeway bus stop is just about complete. There's now sufficient covered…read morewaiting area everyone can stay out of the rain. This is a great stop, because every bus headed westbound stops there, except the 271. That means you can catch a U District bus or a Seattle bus there very easily. The bad news is parking: there's not enough of it. They put a nice lawn in instead of supplying enough parking to meet demand. If you get there after 7:30 a.m. or so, there's no parking available. They have plenty of room on the deck for three times as much parking as they built.

The highway could use upgrades - some of which are underway - but gets you from point A to point B…read moreand often quite undisrupted. One lane usage on weekends throughout the summer of 2019 make for long north/south-bound trips when construction and upgrades are being made, but the end result is better. Fewer potholes, better conditions all around. The highway itself is quite long, making its way from south of SeaTac Airport and up north beyond Shoreline/Edmonds. It's a great thoroughfare that allows one to see the city while traversing through it - including the vibrant and shady aspects of a big city not unlike others.

Absolutely love the new SR - 99 tunnel under the city of Seattle…read more The use of the tunnel saves time on driving and saving time means saving money. Sure I pay a toll but who cares, I can afford it ! With several entry points I merge onto by the stadiums or come off West Seattle bridge to go north bound. Only a slight complaint for getting on after a Kraken game but I'm sure it will be addressed in the future.. Inside the tunnel is well lite so no reason harsh transition for daylight to tunnel like the old days... Now if you option to grab a Good To Go pass which ill recommend you'll get a nice discount on the toll. And should not have one you'll get a bill in the mail for your laziness. Anyways that's how I feel about the new tunnel and I'm sticking to it!

In what can only be described as a project of epic scope and proportions, the much-anticipated new…read moreSR-99 Tunnel is finally open for business. First envisioned after the deadly 2001 Nisqually Earthquake, the tunnel's purpose was to replace the condemned 2-level concrete monstrosity known as the Alaskan Way Viaduct. Luckily for the drivers of Seattle, engineers were able to hold the Viaduct together with duct tape and chewing gum so that traffic could keep flowing during the ensuing 18-year path to construction that included, among many delays, a multi-year struggle to repair Bertha (a drill bit so huge it needed its own name). While the arrival of the tunnel was much anticipated, as construction dragged on it also created a lot of anxiety in the Seattle driving community. How would we get into the tunnel? How would we get out of it? How would we get downtown when the Viaduct's crumbling-but-effective off-ramps to that area were not going to be replaced by tunnel exits? And, of course, the big question was: would the city survive three weeks of the viaduct being closed so that the tunnel could be finished and opened? Well, my transportation-loving friends, I am pleased to report that the tunnel is finally open for business. And it's really quite lovely. The lights are bright, and the walls are white and clean. On this particular morning, traffic was flowing freely through it at 7 am. And while it's true that you're in trouble if you need to get into downtown, it's really quite a nice fast route *through* the city. As long as you don't need to stop in the *actual* city. So while we drivers will miss the beautiful views from the (former) Viaduct, we will not miss the ugly views *of* the Viaduct. Yes, plans are in the works to replace the ancient structure with a park. And in another 10 years (or maybe closer to 18) people walking through that park might not even realize that there's a tunnel underneath - or the arduous process it took to complete it. And yes, I'll update this review when they start charging us to use the new tunnel sometime later this year.

Large and bustling, this transit center offers bus rides to and from most areas in Seattle ,…read moreShoreline and more. Very little is offered by way of seating, covered space under which to hide from the elements (sides are all open so any light wind will bring the elements to you), and streets must be crossed in order to get anywhere off of TC Island, unless, of course, you plan to just hop on to another bus. Close-ish, proximity-wise, to Northgate Mall, but still a bit of a walk (maybe 5-10 minutes depending on your speed, traffic and the weather) to the mall entrances. Get ready, too, for some stairs!

The Northgate Transit Center is conveniently located just off I-5 and is across the street from…read moreNorthgate Mall. In addition, there are numerous parking lots that riders can utilize for their commutes. Most of the routes located here are to and from downtown Seattle. Though there are a few that head further north. Route 41 is great because it has nonstop service to and from downtown making for a faster commute. There are also a few buses that go to nearby neighborhoods like Ballard, Green Lake, Wallingford and the U-District. Though you are better off taking a different route to those places if you are travelling from downtown rather than getting to Northgate and changing buses. The transit center is just okay. It seems clean enough, though not pristine. Though I don't know how I would feel waiting here at night. If you live on the north end, this should be your spot in commuting to and from downtown.

I'm giving this five stars just because it can get you from the airport to downtown for just $3 one…read moreway! Waaaaay more affordable than Uber or Lyft which can be $50-$80, depending on the time of day, etc. While it takes longer, it's not THAT long, and if you time it right, you have a chill ride with money saved for lunch/dinner/shopping, etc. The train itself was clean and it automatically announces which station you're at and which is the next stop - great for anyone nervous about where you are - and there's plenty of signage showing the stops. The only thing about this particular station is that it was a little hard to find because it doesn't appear to be a train station at first, quick glance. It's on University and 2nd - look at the surrounding buildings and you'll see the subway looking tiles and where to go.

Within walking distance of Pike's Market in Seattle, the Symphony Station stop on the 1 Line Light…read moreRail is part of the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel, about 60 to 70 feet below ground. It is named such being next door to Benaroya Hall, the home of the Seattle Symphony. The entrances to the subway system in downtown Seattle are (unintentionally?) hidden. Google will get you to the right corner, but the entrance/exit is specifically in one place. In this case, it's the SouthWest corner of the building, so had to walk around until I found signs for it...even then, it's just not as easy to find as other stations in more transit-intensive cities. You need to choose which train you want to take, before going down the appropriate set of stairs. Once on the platform, one would notice the extreme amount of space between the tracks going in opposite direction, and the lack of height from the platform and the tracks. The gap between the tracks is wide enough to handle 3 or more lanes of cars...so I wondered "That's a lot of work to dig just to allow repair vehicles to come down". Later I learned the history behind it. The Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel was initially built (dug) to handle transit buses, serving that purpose from 1990 to 2005, and then shared by light rail and buses from 2005 to 2019. During that time, it was one of only two tunnels shared by both buses and trains in the U.S. Now it is just for Light Rail, with the large bus lanes being a remnant of the past.

Sis and I rode the rails for her work and I gotta say, this was quite a charming way to discover…read moredowntown Tacoma. I stopped at the Thriftway just because there was a stop there and got to buy some nice little snackies. As we rode around, I saw businesses I want to try. I had no idea there was a Melting Pot nearby, so I'm gonna take Mom to the station near the Tacoma Dome, take the train there and have our fondue, then have a little adventure riding the rails. Why not? It's cheap and it's fun.

Everyone knows you head down to Federal Way for Korean food. It's pretty obvious once you start…read moreseeing business signs in Hangul off Pac Hwy. Now you can get here by taking the light rail. The light rail connection from Federal Way to Sea-Tac Airport and Downtown Seattle is a big win for the South End. It's pretty convenient since it's close to the I-5 ramps. I know it'll be a drop off point for folks heading to the airport, work and school. The best thing about the 1 line is that it takes you right into downtown Seattle and UW without having to transfer to other lines. Plus, if you get on at the Federal Way station you'll get first dibs on prime seats. Hi-Five, right? Just like the named art piece at the station. The track feels like the Canada Line SkyTrain from Richmond to Vancouver, BC. No fare gates so fare evasion happens all the time. No platform screen doors like Sea-Tac Airport's underground trains so pay attention and don't fall on the tracks. As for tourism, some people may opt to stay in hotels in Federal Way rather than downtown Seattle or SeaTac. With this new light rail station, it's only a couple stops away from Sea-Tac Airport and less than an hour to Westlake Station/Downtown Seattle. I'm sure hotel shuttles will be a common sight at this station too. I always saw shuttles at the Angle Lake station whenever I dropped fam and friends off. They have public restrooms at this station. Hopefully during Summer 2026 they'll have enough Honey Buckets for stations that don't have restrooms. With all the games, concerts, and special events at the stadiums plus heatwaves there's going to be a lot of beverage consumption. Federal Way doesn't have free on-demand shuttle service like Bellevue. People will still have to use their car to navigate around the business district. As Federal Way grows, I'm curious how the city will shift from being car-centric to pedestrian-friendly. They don't have to reinvent the wheel. They just have to study the growth blueprint of Lynnwood and Redmond, ask them about their successes and failures, then apply whatever fits the needs of this South End community. I just hope Federal Way finds passionate, experienced urban planners who have the best interest for this area. I'm ok if the city takes their time strategically planning growth as long as they're thoughtful about the PNW environment and the people they serve. Anyway, the Federal Way Link Extension grand opening was a fun celebration. Lots of people showed up. Not everyone was able to get on the first NB train though. They had food trucks, activities, and pop-up tents with freebies and swag bags plus they had ST Merch. It was a successful party. Next up? The 2 Line Crosslake Connection.

It is so extremely convenient to hop on the light rail and get dropped off almost directly to my…read morejob. I can go from SHORELINE to Sea tag on the number one light rail, which is great and super easy for me and saving gas. I really can't wait until Federal Way and Tacoma are completed probably it'll take another 10 years but it's definitely gonna be worth the wait On the down side, there are not enough handicap parking spaces on each floor

Using public transportation in Seattle…read more..... My friend told me that we were gonna catch the light rail to go to Lumen Field for the Seahawks football game, and he also mentioned to me that we could also stop by Pike Place Market to "holo-holo", as the light rail would take us all the way to where we needed to go. I guess the light rail system has been used in Seattle for sometime now, as I could see there were lots of rail stations throughout the city. The station that we used to get onto the rail was the - Angle Lake Station, because it was the closest station in proximity to where my friend lived. The Angle Lake Station had a very large parking garage. After parking our car, it was a breeze to get onto the light rail & make our way to Pike Place Market, as well as Lumen Field. I can see how effective it is when light rail is built, & utilized properly. It certainly saved us a lot of money in the sense that we didn't have to look for parking while attending the Seahawks game, as I saw some parking places charging like $90.00 for game day parking. More rail stations are still being constructed, and my friend said he couldn't wait till the rail station in Federal Way is finished.

I am planning a trip to Seattle and the general area for late this summer. I generally make my own…read moretravel plans, etc. I was concerned about the itinerary that I had pulled together; was it too ambitious, the right places etc. I ended up working with Pacific Northwest Journey's to complete my planning. They were recommended by Frommers. It was perfect. Sheri Doyle offers different layers of service. I chose a 30 minute consultation. I sent her my itinerary in advance and we then discussed how it might be tightened up to make sure we got the most in a style of travel that we are comfortable with. Her knowledge of the area is outstanding and she provided great insights about how to travel and get the most enjoyable experience. She also recommended hotels and B&B's in the different locations as well as cheaper alternatives for seeing some sights e.g., a harbor ferry in Seattle to Bainbridge island versus taking a much more expensive harbor tour. Sheri also had a negotiated rate with the hotel I picked in Seattle ( Hotel Andra) . After checking with them directly on the best sale rate, her rate was $ 35 a night cheaper. In the end I got expert advise that made a real difference in my planning - the differential in the room rate paid for the consult and booking fee and I still saved a few bucks.