These days, living in Seattle, the most frustrating thing is the traffic congestion.

It used to be a bit congested during rush hours, but now it's just too much. Where is everyone going...

Especially on the 5 Freeway, I-5, it's no longer about wondering 'when will it get congested?' but rather 'when will it not be congested?'

By around 7 AM, the northbound direction towards Lynnwood is already lined with brake lights, and cars heading south towards Tacoma start moving at a snail's pace. It goes without saying during the evening rush hour.

From around 3:30 PM, the traffic in the downtown area starts to explode, and between 4:30 PM and 6 PM, it's almost at parking lot levels. In the past, if it got this congested, I would think, 'Was there an accident?' but nowadays, it's just the norm.

When I wonder why it's so congested, it turns out it's not just because there are too many cars. Since the pandemic, as more people return to the office, the traffic volume in the city has significantly increased, and in the meantime, construction zones have popped up everywhere. Projects like lane expansions near Northgate and ramp repairs around downtown are happening simultaneously, causing the flow to slow down much more than usual.

Moreover, with the influx of new residents in Seattle, the number of commuting vehicles has skyrocketed. Jobs in Seattle keep increasing, but housing prices are so high that many people are being pushed to live in Lynnwood, Everett, Federal Way, and Tacoma.

This means that all those people are commuting back and forth on I-5 twice a day. It's inevitable that traffic will concentrate in the city center.

Interestingly, we now accept this as a given. Even while thinking, "Today it should take 30 minutes," it often ends up taking over an hour, and I just turn on the radio and sip coffee in the car, quietly enduring it. But honestly, these days, that sense of ease is gradually disappearing. If the weather were nice, it would be a bit less frustrating, but when it rains, visibility decreases and accidents become more frequent.

Especially on rainy mornings, the north-south traffic on the 5 Freeway often comes to a complete stop. Then, the navigation usually suggests taking 405, but that route is just as congested. So nowadays, many people are moving early to avoid rush hour.

I've tried it a few times, and it's clear that just a one or two-hour difference can completely change the road conditions. If I leave before 6:30 AM, it's relatively smooth, but once it hits 7 AM, the congestion starts immediately.

While it's great that the city is growing, the traffic feels like it's increasingly testing people's patience.

Still, even amidst the congestion, sometimes when I catch a glimpse of the morning fog rising over Lake Union, I think, 'Yes, this is Seattle,' and my heart feels a little lighter.

Even on congested roads, the scenery still offers solace; that's the charm of Seattle.