When i worked down town, 8th and central(for thoes who know where that is), on a good day it took 20 minutes to get to work.
On a bad day it was about 30. not bad from 95th and metcalf. however like any other city if you hit the full rush hour or if there is a run into anything day the traffic stops just like anywhere else.
Anyone ever drive on I-5 in Seatle at rush hour?
For downtown area living the one bad thing is the lack of supper markerts and basic stuff like that, everything closes but the bars.
Living up north is a good idea, there are several hiways to take to get form there to the downtown area, good back-up ways also for when the orange barrel olympics start, how come when there are so many construction projects on the hiways there are still potholes that will rip off a wheel or set off the air bag in your car.
And than there's the sink holes, lost an S10 5 years ago to one of thoes bastards, whole truck went in it with me in the truck doing 35mph. wow what a ride.
Sorry for the rant there.