Go thru or around Seattle

[thumper-tx]

I hear much chatter about how bad the traffic is in Seattle and want to get some input on route. When we get to Spokane, would you take hwy 2 across to Everett and then turn north on 5 or would you take 90 into Seattle and go north from there?

MapQuest shows a slight advantage of going thru Seattle but I don't know how much they factor in the traffic.

Is there a clear choice here or is it a crap shoot on which way to go?

[Dave Rosebaugh]

We live on US 2 in Leavenworth, 2 hours east of Everett. On a weekend I-90 and north on I-405 would be a reasonable option. In rush hour US 2 would probably be better, unless you like bumper-to-bumper or stop-and-go (smile), although the US 2 Stevens Pass is higher and corresponding grades a little steeper than I-90.

[Iowa Dave]

Dave
We pulled the 19 over Stevens Pass with the Highlander last June. We picked up a US Forest service campground guide in your beautiful town of Leavenworth and backtracked a few miles to a very nice campground. Stevens Pass was no real problem and the scenery was Orders of Magnitude beyond I-90 we had driven the previous week. Get off of the Super Slab and into My Heart. Probably be another million selling country song I'm gonna write some day.
Dave

[Ron in BC]

Coming up I 5 the traffic jam can start down in Olympia. Coming in on 90 you'd be already past 2/3 of the total possible bad traffic. It can still be slow up to Everett in the afternoon.

2 is slower than 90 for driving. We choose based on the time of day, no rush hour near Seattle and if we want to do the scenic route.

It's a crap shoot.

Ron

[Zardoz]

What day of the week are you considering traveling up I-5? During the work week, all north bound traffic (two hours either side of am/pm rush hour[s]) between Lakewood and Everett can be everything from a standstill to a "slow creep" at best. There's a lot of, "luck of the draw," but unless you want to sightsee up Route 2 (well worth the time!) I'd take 90 to just south of Seattle and try to pick up I-5 at 11:30 am.

[Loren & Cathy]

Going to Chilliwack? We took #2 out of Spokane and then cut North on 174 to Grand Coulee dam. The dam is something to see if that sort of thing interests you. We entered Canada at Osoyoos and then #3 West. Coming back with the trailer it was I 5 South. There was a big Camping World just off the interstate on the North side of the metro where we bought supplies for the trailer. I 405 is stop and go like the rest of Seattle or it was when we went through. Loren

[gocamp]

From i90.... 203 north will bypass all that traffic

[NW Cat Owner]

90 to 5 can be a major PITA, depending on the time of day. You have to go under the convention center and multiple lanes are merging into fewer lanes. Not exactly a smoothly flowing area at the best of times. It can be slow until north Seattle. You can also slow down around Everett.

I like the person's idea of crossing into Canada earlier than going up 5, and heading west into Chilliwack via the Trans Canadian Highway. Might take longer (heck if I know; just guessing) but it sure would be more scenic.

Also, depending on when you come over, there might be some highway closures for road work (getting to that time of year!). And they're still doing some work on the new 520 floating bridge across Lake Washington (it's closed this weekend for grand opening ceremonies, exhibits and what-not, plus folks can walk across it), so from time to time it's shut down, which puts more traffic on 90 or 405 heading north.

Just too many people and not enough roads. And it won't really get much better as they're not planning on new freeways but want mass transit (light rail mainly) to take up the slack. I'll be dead by the time they get it all done!