Burb Traffic or Suburban Traffic

What I call Burb Traffic is the traffic outside of Seattle.
For me there are three types of traffic areas in the area I live: Seattle Traffic, Burb Traffic, and Peaceful Traffic.

Seattle Traffic encompasses the greater Seattle area. Including outer areas of Seattle which are suburban areas of Seattle.

Burb Traffic encompasses the area outside of Seattle and it’s suburban areas. I call it Burb Traffic because it’s in the areas where people move to, to get away from Seattle and its suburban areas but still work in Seattle.

Peaceful Traffic encompasses the areas where you don’t mind to be in traffic due to the view.

I live in an area outside of Seattle. It can take me any where from 30 minutes to forever to get down to Seattle. If I want to go to Pike Place Market it’s like 40 minutes on a good day truly should have said the film store but everyone should know Pike Place Market.

I tend to go to Seattle often. Often as in maybe once or every other week. And I do not enjoy Seattle traffic.
It’s a weird traffic.

I never knew I could get so angry at traffic even though I was going the speed limit. I’ve found myself in the car thinking “why is this traffic so bad” look at my speed and BAM going the speed limit. Not under, but exactly the speed limit. And then questions WHY am I so mad at the traffic. It’s moving.

But then you arrive in the Seattle Traffic and you are thinking “is this the fourth or fifth time the light has turn green and I haven’t been able to go yet”. For no apparent reason you sit at a light. Then after you give up and put it in park you can go…

After I’ve managed to get everything done, or hope I did, in Seattle. I’m glad to get on I-5. I can move at a steady pace.

Then you enter the Burb Traffic. The going the speed limit but so much traffic. Like everyone decided to go that way at the same time. Only it doesn’t matter which direction you are going the traffic is the same.

You want to pass the person in front of you. You’ve been behind them for so long you’re tired of it. But you can’t pass them. Not because you don’t want to but to get into another lane would be like time traveling aka it will happen eventually but not now.

Then there is this magical line. It’s some where North after the HOV lane ends.

Magically people disappear they get off at exits and you are left with Peaceful Traffic.

There is magical line. Like some magnitude line. Something that shouts “you shall not go farther” and poof the traffic cuts in half.

It’s the line I’ve labeled ‘past here is too far to live and commute to Seattle every day’.

A line I noticed after living here a while. Because of it’s magical power to diminish the traffic.

I-5 and I-405 can be a nightmare. I’ve spoke about the traffic on FB and have confused friends thinking I’m in LA. Nope, Seattle.

There are times I’m driving down a country road I live in the country and I’m glad there is no traffic.

But I do love going towards Seattle cause it has the things I love. It has the Ikea and Lego Store. More than the Target down the road.

Oh Burb Traffic I hate thee.