Home / Commute
Ferry, bridge and commute
On the peninsula the water decides your commute. Here is how the routes work. For times, we drive yours at your hour on a tour day; I won't print a number that changes with every Tuesday.
The Tacoma Narrows Bridge
Everything west of Tacoma, including Gig Harbor, Fox Island and the Key Peninsula, reaches I-5 over the Narrows on SR 16. The toll is charged eastbound only, toward Tacoma, by Good To Go pass or by mail. Current toll rates on WSDOT.
The ferries
From Point Defiance in Ruston a ferry crosses to Vashon Island. For Seattle, many peninsula commuters drive north on SR 16 to the Bremerton terminal, or to Southworth. Washington State Ferries schedules and fares.
Joint Base Lewis-McChord
JBLM is south on I-5. From University Place and the Tacoma side there is no bridge to cross. From Gig Harbor and the islands you add the Narrows. On a PCS tour day we compare the drive to your gate from each.
The commute test
If one drive matters more than the rest, we do it together at the hour you would make it. It is the most useful half hour of the whole day.
