Getting Around Seattle

Julie Nicoletta

With a growing population of nearly four million people, the Puget Sound Region (including the cities of Seattle, Tacoma, and Everett) has become slower and more complicated to navigate by car. Fortunately, there are many transportation options, including buses, trains, and light rail (in Tacoma only). Seattle serves as the hub for the region. Later this year, Sound Transit’s light rail line from downtown Seattle to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport will open.

Bus

Because Seattle has a compact downtown, walking is the best way to get around; but buses operated by King County Metro Transit are the most common mass transit mode. Much of downtown Seattle is covered by a Ride Free Area that extends from the north at Battery St. to S. Jackson St. on the south, and east at 6th Avenue to the waterfront on the west. Buses are free in this area between 6:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. daily. Many buses travel through downtown’s “bus tunnel” with stations at the International District, Pioneer Square, University Avenue, Westlake Center, and the Convention Center. This tunnel will later house Seattle’s light rail. The tunnel’s stations contain a variety of public art and are open on weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Before 5:00 a.m. and after 7:00 p.m., buses must be boarded on surface streets. Beyond the ride free zone, passengers must pay a fare of $1.50 during off peak hours and $1.75 during peak hours (Monday-Friday, approximately 6:00 to 9:00 a.m. and approximately 3:00 to 6:00 p.m.). Those wishing to get to the Seattle Center can take buses 1, 2, 3, or 4 traveling north on 3rd Ave. To get to the University District, take one of the northbound University Express buses 71, 72, 73, or 74 from the bus tunnel or from 3rd Ave. after hours. To get to the Museum of Flight, take bus 174 southbound from the bus tunnel and transfer to the 154 or 173 buses. Other bus trips can be planned using Metro Transit’s trip planner at <http://tripplanner.metrokc.gov>.

Regional commuter buses can take visitors to Tacoma or Everett. To get to Tacoma, one can take Sound Transit’s 590 or 594 express bus from 2nd Ave. in Seattle. For more information, see <http://www.soundtransit.org>. To get to Everett, riders can take Community Transit’s 510 or 513 bus from 4th Ave. in Seattle. For more information, see <http://www.commtrans.org/>.

Train

The Puget Sound region has a small, but growing commuter rail system run by Sound Transit. Two trains run from King Street Station (at 4th and Jackson) in Seattle south to Tacoma in the morning departing at 6:10 a.m. and 6:50 a.m. Trains leave Tacoma for Seattle in the afternoon at 4:45 p.m. and 5:35 p.m. More trains run from Tacoma to Seattle in the morning and return in the afternoon.

Light Rail

OAH attendees who travel to Tacoma can ride Sound Transit’s free Link Light Rail from the Tacoma Dome Station to the Theater District. The Union Station/S 19th station serves the Tacoma campus of the University of Washington, the Washington State History Museum, the Museum of Glass, and the Tacoma Art Museum.

Julie Nicoletta is professor in Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences Program University of Washington Tacoma and is a member of the 2009 OAH Convention Local Resource Committee.