Moving from SoCal -- traffic insights in seattle

[wdolson]

The RTA tax situation is ridiculous. We moved a couple of years after they started the RTA tax and they hadn't even broken ground on any of the light rail projects yet. I guess they have built some light rail, but I think it's some of the most expensive light rail per mile ever built.

The state still has a hefty EV surcharge on vehicle tabs (more than I was paying in gas tax by a good margin), but my tabs are only about $150 a year.

 

[PhilBa]

The RTA tax situation is ridiculous. We moved a couple of years after they started the RTA tax and they hadn't even broken ground on any of the light rail projects yet. I guess they have built some light rail, but I think it's some of the most expensive light rail per mile ever built.

The state still has a hefty EV surcharge on vehicle tabs (more than I was paying in gas tax by a good margin), but my tabs are only about $150 a year.

Are you opposed to the EV syrcharge in general? I think it reasonable that every car/driver helps defray the cost of the roads.

As I understand it, $50 of the EV surcharge goes towards EV infrastructure.

 

[wdolson]

Are you opposed to the EV syrcharge in general? I think it reasonable that every car/driver helps defray the cost of the roads.

As I understand it, $50 of the EV surcharge goes towards EV infrastructure.

No I think people should pay their own way, but the way the gasoline tax is structured, the more you drive, the more you pay. With the EV tax it's a flat rate no matter how much you drive. I thought when I first did the math the EV fee was much higher than the gas tax I paid with my old car. It still is higher (I work from home and was only filling my old car once a month), but not outrageously so. The $150 fee works out to an equivalent of about 303 gallons a year which is probably less than most people buy.

According to this the EV surcharge breaks down as follows:

• 70% for Motor vehicle fund
• 15% for Transportation improvement account
• 15% for Rural arterial trust account

WA State Licensing (DOL) Official Site: Renewal and registration fee information

EV infrastructure may be included in one of those, but it isn't obvious. Not that I use any of it. I charge at home 99% of the time and use superchargers when going any distance.

 

[demundus]

Hi everyone, thanks so much for the insightful replies.

I'm not sure why I didn't get any notice that ya'll were replying, didnt mean to go dark. We've decided to wise up and as much as Bainbridge is beautiful and unique, we'll likely look in Sammamish. Trying not to be in Bellevue as we enjoy the seculsion/unique homes that "rural" has to offer. I'm hoping that I can get close enough to ride my bicycle as well, the gf may warm up to Bellevue eventually, we'll see. But it appears that island living just isnt in the cards for now.

Side note, and I'll make another thread if this gets buried. But does anyone want to loan their tesla for a day on Aug 9th? Will pay you the going Turo rate. It'll be parked in the Marriott waterfront for most of the day, and then a trip at around 8pm-12pm. Need to make a jaunt from Pike Place Market to Centralia (hurray for a SC in centralia!), can return the car that night or first thing on the 10th.

Thanks!

 

[wdolson]

The nice thing about the Northwest is many of the newer neighborhoods are built with greenbelts and parks that are kept in their natural state are common. I live in a neighborhood that is a lot like the outer areas of Bellevue and Redmond (mostly to the east) and every house in the neighborhood backs up on a greenbelt. I had to chase a deer out of my yard today.

Where I lived in Kent was a bit more tract house, but I was within walking distance of a great park that was all natural and there was a patch left with trees a couple of blocks away in the other direction.

Unlike California, trees grow here as weeds. We have to literally pull tree saplings from the yard on a regular basis. We have a vine maple at the end of the driveway that was a weed that got away from us. It's now taller than the house.

The newest houses are built on tiny lots, but if you can find a house built in the 90s or early 2000s you can find lots up to 1/4 acre reasonably close to town. Our neighborhood is one of those. It isn't quite as nice as acreage, but it's a good compromise and it's pretty quiet here.