Home › Forums › Open Discussion › realistic commute time from west seattle to redmond?
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March 1, 2010 at 6:15 am #594041
lotuspetalMemberConsidering moving to the Alki area. Work at Microsoft in a good, stable job. Does anyone here commute to Microsoft from West Seattle each day? I work a typical 9-5 day, usually leaving around 7:45 each morning, then leaving to head home around 5:30. I really hate traffic and commuting, so do you think I’d be biting off more than I can chew by trying to get from West Seattle to Redmond each day?
Can someone who has done this tell me how long this will take on average? Is 520 or I-90 the best route to take? How often do accidents or major holdups on the West Seattle bridge restrict movement to and from Alki? If the traffic is really heavy, what’s the maximum commute time I can expect?
March 1, 2010 at 6:58 am #689449
charlabobParticipantIf you’re an FTE (full time MS employee) they have a number of commuting alternatives/shuttles/etc. My commute is hardly ever more than an hour :-)
I’ve been doing the WS to Redmond run for the past three years (various contracts) and it has been doable. Baseball season makes it a little trickier. Where do you live now?
WS means taking the 90 instead of 520 bridge and that’s usually better. Warning: I come from the Boston and Bay area commutes, so I tend to think if my wheels are moving it isn’t a traffic jam — so I may be more tolerant than most people.
March 1, 2010 at 8:24 am #689450
colleenhMemberI know that the Microsoft shuttles run every day between WS and campus, but have no idea if there is space. I usually see them when I am driving over the bridge between 5:30 and 6. And they do head over 90.
I would really avoid 520. Its going to be faster to go down 405 or the back roads to 90, and the head east.
The longest wait can be getting onto I-5 South from I-90, then the wait to the west seattle bridge. I usually take 90 and then get off on Ranier and go up and over the hill. I also will take 90 all the way down to the stadium and then go down first, but that’s not really an option come baseball and spring construction.
Its not horrific, like Charla said, baseball nights can be a little rough but it’s still moving.
March 1, 2010 at 4:36 pm #689451
mannamcParticipantI’ve been doing this commute for almost 6 years now… the biggest tip I can give is to adjust your start/stop times if possible. If you can work more of an 8-4 you will miss most of the bad traffic. It rarely takes me more than 40 minutes. As others have mentioned, you definitely want to take 90.
March 1, 2010 at 7:46 pm #689452
QueMembermy husband has been doing that for years and his commute is about 40 minutes, but has adjusted his hours so that he works more of a 10-6 schedule to miss the worst of the rush. The Commuter bus doesn’t tend to work for him well, because he isn’t on Main Campus (he was at Redmond Town Center and now is at a location in Kirkland, so he needs to take an additional shuttle to get to the main shuttle) It is definitely a workable commute though.
March 1, 2010 at 10:11 pm #689453
JiggersMemberI worked in Redmond part-time just a little while ago and I caught the Metro bus No.54 or 55 into town and then transferred onto SoundTransit No.545 on 4th avenue in front of Westlake Park which takes you into Redmond Town Center. It is around an hour 20 minutes depending on traffic on the 520. It was brutal and expensive.
March 2, 2010 at 4:06 pm #689454
DaveBParticipantHave you thought about a vanpool?
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