7 Ways To Beat The ViaDoom Blues By Train, Bus, And More

Whether you're coming from Sumner or Edmonds, ViaDoom will probably slow your commute. Here are some alternate routes to consider.

By Neal McNamara , Patch Staff | Jan 13, 2019 7:29 pm ET | Courtesy of Patch.com

SEATTLE, WA — About 54 percent of the people who responded to our ViaDoom survey said they plan to continue to commute by car through the three-week SR 99 shutdown.

We'd like to make a suggestion, however: don't drive during ViaDoom if you can help it.

Why? Because there are better, cheaper, low-stress ways to get into Seattle (or around it). Whether you live in Puyallup, Woodivnille, or downtown Seattle, the viaduct closure is probably going to have some impact on your commute, so why not try a new way?

Here are seven alternative ways to get into and out of Seattle during ViaDoom.

7) Bike paths. Whether you're an experienced biker or a New Year's-resolution newbie, there are some great, safe bike paths that can get you into downtown Seattle. The Green River and Interurban trails are a good option if you're coming from the south. The Interurban Trail, for example, begins 17 miles south in Pacific. Here are some other good bike paths (these are also walking and jogging paths):

• From Shoreline or Edmonds: Pick up the Interurban Trail along North 200th just east of Costco; it's a 3-mile ride to 145th and Aurora in Seattle where you can catch the E Line.

• From Mercer Island or Bellevue: Starting at Enatai Beach Park in Bellevue, it's a 6-1/2 mile ride to Jackson Street and 12th Avenue in Seattle, where you can catch a bus or the Seattle Streetcar.

• From Northwest Bellevue and Kirkland: From the Evergreen Point park-and-ride, it's a 3-1/2 mile bike ride to the UW light rail station near Husky Stadium.

6) Bike share. Speaking of bikes, did you know that Seattle is littered with Lime and JUMP bikes? You can use these bikes for your last mile trip - say from a light rail or bus stop to your workplace. If you must drive, you could even park in a Seattle neighborhood, grab a bike, and pedal to wherever you need to go.

Not to mention, the two companies are offering discounts during ViaDoom: JUMP is waiving its $1 unlock fee through Feb. 15; Lime is offering $1 off rides from West Seattle with the code PMCLIME.

5) Seattle Streetcar. Maybe not as cool as its big brother, Link light rail, the streetcar is actually a great way to avoid downtown Seattle, and pretty under-utilized (as of June, about 5,000 people per day used the streetcar, according to SDOT). The new First Hill streetcar starts in Pioneer Square, but it completely avoids the downtown core on its trip up to First Hill and then Capitol Hill. If you commute from south Puget Sound to either of those neighborhoods, consider ditching your car for a Sounder-to-streetcar route.

4) Ferry. King County Metro has added a second vessel to the West Seattle water taxi route. If you take 509 to work, you can get off at the 1st Avenue South bridge and take West Marginal Way to Harbor Avenue and the ferry terminal.

3) Bonus for 509 drivers. Another way to hack the 509-to-99 commute is via the West Seattle Bridge trail. The trail runs alongside the West Seattle Bridge and then heads north up West Marginal Way, dumping you in Pioneer Square. The trail links with the Green River Trail coming from the south at Spokane Street. It's about 30 minutes by bike from South Park to Pioneer Square using this route.

2) Rideshare. If you're going to drive, please don't do it alone. Every person that uses rideshare means one less car out on the roads - and that's more time in your pocket. Visit http://www.rideshareonline.comto find someone to commute with.

1) Link light rail. This is hands down the best transportation option around. It's fast, comfortable, and cheap. And remember: even if you've never taken it, you're paying Sound Transit taxes. Light rail is a great bet for anyone commuting from south of Seattle.

Light rail is a wonderful option if you're coming from the south. The brand new Angle Lake station in SeaTac is served by the RapidRide A line, which starts at the Federal Way transit center. From downtown Renton, you can take the 560 bus or RapidRide F line to the International Boulevard station. This is even a good option for commuters coming from Newcastle or south Bellevue.

The best part about light rail: the trains will never get caught in a traffic jam.

No matter how you choose to get to work during ViaDoom, we wish you luck!

Image courtesy SDOT