drewsy

3rd Avenue NW is an important arterial for North Seattle, connecting the Ballard/Fremont area to the south with the Broadview area to the North. Although busy during rush hour, this is a very nice street, and is tree-lined much of the way. It has very little retail except near 85th street, where there is a grocery store.

77th St. NW in Seattle is a wonderful neighborhood to raise a family. There is a pocket park just around the corner at 6th NW and 76th St. which has a playground for youngsters. It is also easy walking distance to retail, shopping, and dining opportunities on Greenwood Avenue, just 3 blocks to the east. 77th St. NW has a very neighborly feel. It is the kind of neighborhood where kids play in the streets together.

Northwest 145th Street is a major connecting arterial that runs from Broadview to the west, and connects Greenwood Avenue and Aurora Avenue. It also runs along the Seattle Golf Club to the Northwest. It has only a few retail shops where it intersects with Aurora Avenue. Most of 145th Street Northwest is scenic, especially the area around the golf course. It moves efficiently all times of day, even during rush hour.

Carkeek Park Drive is an incredibly beautiful and winding street that leads from 3rd Avenue NW down to Carkeek Park. The drive is tree-covered, with sharp twists and turns leading down to a dramatic view of the Puget Sound. Because of the sharp turns, driving fast is not recommended. There is no commercial activity on the road, and only a few houses are along the route.

Northwest 80th is a minor arterial, which connects people living west of Interstate 5 and Aurora with those major highways. At rush hour it is very busy in both directions. It is largely tree-lined, and a generally pleasant drive. Near Sunset Hill far to the west, it has a very nice retail center where it connects with 24th Ave NW. Larsen's Scandinavian Bakery is the highlight of that retail center.

130th Avenue North is mainly a thoroughfare that connects Interstate 5 and Aurora Avenue and also allows those living in Broadview to the west with easy access to the southbound Interstate 5 ramp. It has some appealing features, such as Bitter Lake Park and some retail activities. It has a mix of small residential houses and large apartment complexes near Bitter Lake.

Linden Avenue North runs just to the west of Aurora Avenue. Because Aurora is so busy and has such a high rate of crime and grime, Linden isn't the nicest street to do much of anything. There is almost no commercial or retail activity on Linden, and the homes are generally modest along Linden Avenue. Traffic sometimes spills onto Linden from nearby Aurora during rush hour, making it less appealing. The new Interurban biking and running trail recently opened near where Linden dead-ends into the cemetary near 109th St., so that helps a bit.

West Dravus is a very steep hill that is surrounded by nice residential homes between the Interbay and Magnolia neighborhoods of Seattle. It has a retail center at the base of the hill in the Interbay neighborhood with a grocery store and restaurants, and then a very steep hill connects that with Magnolia, where very nice homes have commanding views. This is a popular spot for sledding during the winter, but the steep hill makes it somewhat dangerous, so caution is recommended.

Norpoint Way NE is a wonderful street full of well kept homes. It also has winding streets that make for great running routes in the neighborhood. It is just across the street from Dash Point State Park, and there is the public Centre at Norpoint fitness facility run by the city of Tacoma. Norpoint Way is a wonderful, well-lit, well-kept street best for families and retirees.

Eastlake Avenue has a nice collection of retail and restaurants along this arterial corridor that is between Lake Union to the west and Interstate 5 above to the east. Because of the right-of-way, runners often run along this street because there is minimal stopping between the southern tip of Lake Union and the University Bridge to the North. This area also has relatively affordable housing too. The downside of Eastlake Avenue is the large volume of buses which use it, which can make it a bit noisy and some air pollution.

Palatine Avenue North is just a block west of Greenwood Avenue, a major commuting corridor that is the furthest west of all major arterials in North Seattle. Palatine Avenue doesn't have any sidewalks, but most of the time cars drive slowly. During the rush hour in the afternoon, however, traffic increases greatly as cars look for alternatives to traffic-clogged Greenwood Avenue, so it pays to be a little more careful then. Palatine is a residential street, with no businesses or sidewalks, so it makes for a nice walk when traffic is light.

The Broadview/Bitter Lake neighborhood is well outside of the more popular neighborhoods in Seattle. It's a little rough around the edges, such as lacking some basic necessities as sidewalks, but it offers a little bit of everything. It has a mix of modest homes, mansions, cheap apartments, and senior citizen assisted care facilities. Broadview is home to some wonderful parks, including Carkeek Park, which occupies the western border of the neighborhood along Puget Sound. The recently redone Interurban bike trail segment provides a nice opportunity for running, biking, and rollerblading. A key weakness of Broadview and Bitter Lake is the relative lack of upscale dining and entertainment options compared to other more trendy neighborhoods in Seattle.