University Place or Puyallup? (Seattle, Tacoma: home, living in, Whole Foods)

[Subie04]

Hello,

I am new to the area but originally from Alaska. After four years of living in Italy, I will return to the States and be stationed at JBLM (for maybe a year or two before I retire). I thought I was set on Puyallup as my home base because of its central location of getting to Sea-Tac-JBLM by the 512 and I-5, but it might be null and void because traffic is a burden either way.

For reference, in UP, I was looking at the Bridgepoint area near Whole Foods, which provides many day-to-day options. In Pyullup, I was looking at the Frederickson area, Canyon Rd/176th, just West of Meridian.

Now, my question is, which offers more with "less" traffic? I know the I-5 can be backed up from traffic, but is it bad to and from JBLM? How does the drive from UP to Seattle and the surrounding areas compare to Puyallup?

Any input and advice would be appreciated. Thank you.

[homesinseattle]

Hi Subie! If it were me, I’d live in University Place: closer to JBLM, and closer to Puget Sound. You can always choose to go to Seattle during times when traffic isn’t as bad, but you can’t choose when to go to work. Being south of Tacoma will really help your work commute.

[Diana Holbrook]

Keep both options open and see what you can find in each.

Both options have multiple back ways.... From University Place you can go down Bridgeport or Steilacoom Blvd... and potentially avoid the freeway... and from Puyallup, you can access the base from the back side through Spanaway on several good secondary routes.