Commute from WS to Tacoma?

[Raincity]

Considering job options and wonder what peoples experiences have been commuting from WS to Tacoma either by car or trying the ST bus? Would appreciate hearing about your experiences – thanks!

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[datamuse]

Raincity, I commute from Highland Park to Parkland (south Tacoma), by car. I’ve occasionally looked at the bus options but for as far south as I’m going, it hasn’t really been practical.

Driving, it’s not bad at all. Traffic in the morning is light to moderate; in the afternoon there’s usually a slowdown through the 705 interchange around the Tacoma Dome, but you can miss it if you plan accordingly and it’s not nearly as bad as going in the opposite direction.

The commute takes me 45 minutes to an hour most days and I’ve been doing it for almost eight years now.

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[Pibal]

I commute to the Tacoma Mall area Monday through Friday, leaving WS between 7-7:30 AM and leaving Tacoma between 4:30-5:30 PM. It’s as easy a commute as you’ll find. I use 99/599 to I-5. No traffic in the morning at all. In the afternoon, there may be a brief slowdown as Hwy 16 merges with I-5 northbound at the Tacoma Dome. After that set the cruise control on the speed limit and never touch the brake until West Marginal Way and Holden. If it’s the right job, the commute is a non-factor.

Oh, and BTW, you’ll save 25 cents a gallon filling up in Tacoma. Good luck with the job hunt.

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[Thistlemist]

I make a once a week commute to Fircrest (small town in South Tacoma) and it really is a breeze by car. I find it to be a consistent 40 to 45 min. drive, which means I often get home at an earlier time then my Bellevue commute on bad I-90 days. If your job is near the Tacoma Dome or Downtown/University area, the Sound Transit Bus is a great option, only a little more time in comparison to driving and you get to relax (granted I have not tried taking the bus down to Tacoma since all of the changes happened). If you are further out from the main hub, it can become cumbersome (the bus route for my location in Fircrest requires four transfers and would take almost two hours)

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[Talaki34]

If you are driving at other than peak traffic times, then it should only take you a little over 30-45 minutes depending on when and where you come off the freeway. If you can beat the surface street traffic then you have it made. Try calling a local delivery service that drives during the hours of your commute. They can give you the best routes and alternates to use.

If you cannot find public transportation that suits your needs and don’t want to do all the driving, look at Van or carpooling.

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[Raincity]

Thanks for all the input – very helpful. I feel a little better after reading of your experiences and ideas!

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