Seattle Commute?

[Craig4791]

So I grew up in SW Washington and have been in CA for the past 8 years. This state has worn me down and I'm at the point I need to get out of here. I have an interview in Seattle on the 5th at a place that will allow me to have an awesome work schedule with a block of 7 days off every month and only having to work 14 days a month. The pay is less but at this point I am perfectly ok with it as WA doesn't have a state income tax so it won't hurt as bad.

My question is that I would love to live in Easton, WA or Cle Elum and commute in but I'm a little concerned with the winter months and the pass being closed for avalanches. Does anybody have any experience with how often this happens?

I probably wouldn't buy for a year but I will def be looking and ready if something pops up I like. Likely be living in Puyallup with a friend at first if it works out.

Thanks for any help

Craig

 

[Bmcox86]

Winter time would be a rough commute. I'd try fall city/northbend/carnation. Won't have to worry about the snow closing the pass.

 

[Craig4791]

I kind of want to get away from living on the West side though.... Lol I did it for 18 years and I'll do it again but I really love the weather they get in Cle Elum, Easton and it's very Central in the state. I could be bear hunting in ID in four hours.

 

[littlebuf]

I think something like 6-8000 people make that same commute evey day for work. I almost bought over there ten yeas ago to do the same thing. It will take the same amount of time your commute from puyallup will with trafic so that's a wash, miles are more but your not driving every day it looks like so who cares. As far as the pass being closed.... Sorry boss looks like I gotta go coyote hunting today instead of working, can't get over the mountain. I still may do it one of these days

 

[Brock A]

Lots of people do it. Where at in Seattle? I commute to Seattle from the Enumclaw/Buckley area everyday. In the winter months during heavy snowfall I've seen it closed daily for about 4 or 5 days in a row for a few hours at a time. But that was after a rare dumping. I would venture to say its worth it. Put it this way, given the opportunity, I'd do it in a heartbeat.

 

[Craig4791]

That promising! Good to hear. It's in West Seattle Elliot bay. I really think it would be the best of both worlds.

 

[Brock A]

My only advice would be get into the city early and leave early otherwise traffic is a giant shit sandwich. Also give WSDOT a call and ask them their opinion. I think there is rideshare groups that go from Easton/Cle Elum to Seattle too.

 

[Craig4791]

I would start at 6:30 am to 6:30 pm so I'm hoping that would help a little with the traffic. I'll look into the ride share too that might be a good option.

 

[Brock A]

You should be good on your start time. You'll probably hit a little traffic on I-90 in the evening but nothing to bad.

 

[dsclowers]

I left the Seattle area about a year ago to move back to Colorado. I was out East in Snoqualmie. It took me about 30 minutes to drive to Bellevue if I left at 8am. Luckily, I got off the interstate just before it started getting bad at the junction of I-90 and 405. I had a friend that lived in North Bend that had to commute all the way downtown and it was a minimum of an hour if he left at 7am. On the bright side, it should be wide open if you have to be at work at 6:30am. I frequently had to catch a 6am flight at SEATAC and the road was almost empty at 5am.

Snoqualmie was only about 20 minutes from the top of the pass. I only remember a few really bad storms each winter that would close the pass down, but you're still looking at a long ways to the West Side so it'll take time.

 

[Ben]

Growing up my dad lived in Ellensburg and commuted to Seattle 5 or 6 days a week.

During winter you will have days that either you can get to work or can't get home.

Traffic is bad. Espically after 520 got tolled.

I would opt for living over the pass if that is where you want to be.

 

[Craig4791]

I think I'll be able to work it out with some friends to where if it's bad for a week I can crash at their place in the Seattle area too for some cash. Not ideal but I think it's worth it for living in that area.

 

[Ben]

Worth it 100%. The sun always seems to be shinning once you get past the summit.

 

[Ben]

Oh.... The pass closes every Monday at 7pm for at least an hour for rock blasting.... Not sure how long it will be going on for but it seems they got a pretty big project going on.

 

[WonkyWapiti]

Cle Elum is awesome and I've got several friends at work that commute to Seattle or the Eastside and back over to Cle Elum where they live. Issaquah and North Bend are nice but too many people are moving there already.

 

[mtnwrunner]

Craig, well you are talking with the right guy.
I lived in Easton for 12 years and drove every day to either Burien or downtown Seattle. I was a King County Sheriff so I was able to park my car at the top of the pass and then drive my POV home to Easton. When I first moved up there, everyone thought I as NUTS but guess what? Now there is a shitload of guys that live over there and a lot of firefighters also do the commute. Sure, every once in awhile, you'll get caught in an accident, traffic, or avalanche control but its not all that often and man, it is worth it. You actually get four seasons over there instead of one. And the drive gives you a chance to chill, either coming or going. If you don't mind driving, it is actually a really good commute.

Randy

 

[Craig4791]

Thanks a lot Randy! This is all very good to hear! I'm pretty excited about it, hope it all works out as planned.

 

[Heather Stomper]

I live in Yakima and have made the trip over the hills at least weekly for the past 6 years for work.
I've had to wait for weather closures twice. Some days it is slow due to heavy snowfall, but never so bad I have opted not to go.
The rock blasting is Mon-Thurs around 7 pm. Usual closure is 1-2 hours.
Once the road project is complete the likelihood of weather related closures will be greatly reduced. Probably about two years left on the project.
The worst traffic you will face is eastbound Friday night escapees getting out of the city and holiday weekends. Last year on Labor Day Friday I was 5 hours North Bend to Yak. I will be nowhere near Seattle this coming weekend!
Good luck on the interview and move!

 

[marc]

I lived in Snoqualmie, FYI the bus runs through north bend and Snoqualmie and makes the commute from there easy.

 

[wawhitey]

I live in Stevens county and commute to Seattle for work. No problems getting there yet