I wish there were a way I could scream into this video loud enough for my Grandfather to hear me. It's visceral and bittersweet to be reminded of once was.

My grandfather used to take the family to Seaside every summer. As a little kid I didn't have a great awareness of where I was, but whenever I saw that Pepsi sign (it's on the left, not long after emerging from the Battery street tunnel) I knew we were just about home. I'd get all excited and point out the sign to everyone like it was a famous landmark or something! Grandpa used to complain even back then about how crowded the city was becoming, and how awful the traffic had become (he'd moved here right after getting out of the navy after WWII.) He passed away in 1999. I'm not trying to dog the city -- it's still my home and I love it here -- but if he could see the place now, I can only imagine the things he'd have to say. I don't think it's controversial to say that time has not been kind to the Emerald City.

I was 8 years old when this was filmed. I grew up in Everett. What a blast from the past. This brings back a lot of memories. Thank you for posting these videos.

I was born and raised in N. Seattle...This video really interests me! I am now a retired Postal worker, 77yo. But back in the 1970s, around 1971, a lot happened in one year's time...I got out of the Navy, met my future wife, and eventually got a job at a small delivery company, being a "courier" of sorts, driving a Ford Van around 200 miles a day, five days a week, 10 hours a day. My route covered parts of Snohomish, King, and Pierce counties. so, I drove nearly all of 99, as well as much of I-5, over a thousand miles a week!..The 1970s were sort of a laid-back time...I really enjoyed my times on the road, occasionally picked up a cute hitcher or two (and regretting that I was a "married man", that could not be cheating on my beautiful young wife!)...I was in my 20s, satisfied with making $5 per hour, + the overtime!...There simply were not as many cars on the road back then, although things in the mid-70s in downtown Seattle, could get very tight, from around 4-7pm. I knew all the back alleys, shortcuts, etc. I only had to deal with my boss, a semi-wealthy dude in his thirties, who was developing a cocaine addiction, and I sometimes would have to wake him up, to collect my paycheck!...As I neared 30, I realized that I would be having kids eventually, and this job had no real benefits...so I wound up working for the USPS for 35 years, starting in late 1977. It was a smart move for me, financially...but I had a hard time, adjusting to the various, "strict" behavior patterns that my clerk job presented to me...I have been retired for many years now, but I still think about how much fun it was, having my independence as a delivery guy, meeting people, seeing the sights and sounds of our beautiful Puget Sound area!

A number of those retail signs in Lynnwood are still standing, many with their original retailers still in business!

Of all the Washington highway videos, this is the most iconic drive. When this was recorded, I was 25 years old, and Seattle was a playground with endless music, arts, recreation, and much more.

I remember downtown like this. When there wasn’t tents on the side of the freeway or under bridges. 16:55 Dags. What a throwback.

The Columbia tower looked so much taller back then without all the other tall skyscrapers around it. It's really neat to see Everett.

Thanks so much for this. Bought my first bike at Aurora cycle, my first TV at Silo, went shopping by myself for the first time at that K Mart...

Literally a trip down memory lane ❤

Kingdome, Squire Shop sign, disco ‘vette, and the viaduct! Thanks for posting.

33.06 "Skippers" top left corner, all you can eat fish and chips Wednesdays, loved it! 145th and Aurora, miss these days!

I used to visit Seattle with my father when he went there for business. This is how I remember it as a kid. A certain heartache when you can go back in time like this but its amazing to look back on. Thanks for posting

Ah, the good old commercialistic tackiness of Aurora Ave. N. - gotta' love it. And I do: I’ve probably driven this stretch of road well over two thousand times since the 60’s, and I feel right at home with the rumble-tumble-jumble of that unique stretch of highway - then as well as now. A number of things have changed - or even disappeared - along this part of Aurora in the ensuing 36 years or so… some regrettable, like the loss of the Twin Tee Pees restaurant just NW of Greenlake, or the demolition of Aurora Village in the early 90’s, but others wholeheartedly welcome, such as where dilapidated things have been torn down and replaced with vibrant new developments. Many, many other things seen in the video are still there. Noted a few things: the Kingdome really was a big, impressive structure! Canlis Restaurant is still there (SE end of the Aurora Bridge). Saw a motorcyclist without a helmet - legal back then, but not now. An abundance of RV as well as mobile and modular home lots up and down the highway (you still see these today, but not nearly as many). Quaint (and often seedy) motels up and down the highway… but you don’t see the N. Seattle streetwalkers in this video, like you do now. The long-gone Nordstrom store at Aurora Village perched quite close to the highway. Lots of fast-food places, many of which are still there in the same location, though I regret to say that the A&W Root Beer burger joints as well as Denny’s restaurants have disappeared. The location of mobile home parks right up to the edge of the highway - the large lot currently occupied by Lynnwood Honda, on 220th and 99 in Edmonds, was still a big mobile home park back then. Last but not least, I noted that gas was going for as low as 75 cents a gallon for regular at a few ARCO stations. Most of the stations along the way had all three grades of gas priced for under a dollar a gallon. Anyway, loved the video. If you happen to have a WSDOT video of this same stretch of SR-99 even earlier than 1987, I’d love to see it. Thanks for the upload!

I see myself on it at 1:17. Datsun pickup turning left from 168th coming towards driver

So many less cars on the highway back then now it's crazy I was born in 87 and the 90s had not much traffic

Tues. Mar. 31, 1987. I visited there that month, but I was 7 at the time.

This is so soothing. I've watched it 3 times now.

I grew up in Edmonds so the 70's -80's this place was my stomping grounds. When this video was made I was in my mid 20's. What blows my mind is watching this video, I say where is the traffic? LOL. Everett Mall way now is nuts, so is Hwy 99 and I-5.

my aunt said she's in this. i dont see it lol......i checked the side twice now........

29:47 - Shakeys!

It looks familiar yet unfamiliar at the same time.

Thank you, great memories.

33:24 - Sea Galley!

Love this stuff, like getting in a little time machine. Right around this same time in the spring of '87 we were moving from Edmonds and actually gave a kitten away at the Burger King by Aurora Village, right there at the drive thru. Which was pretty crazy but the young woman who worked there seemed very nice so i'm sure it got a good home. Was looking to see if i could spot us on here but I don't think we made it on this one.

Awesome. Very good video.

In Lynnwood, horses are prohibited by city ordinance.

Was born in 97 crazy to see this in 2023

16:46 - DAGS!

Our ancestors never had access to this kind of mundane record of how things looked 35+ years ago, but then again things didn't tend to change so quickly a few hundred years ago.

Even a StationWagon..nice

I love watching these because im born in 98

I grew up in Everett during the 80s-90s. I forgot how some spots in Everett Mall Way were underdeveloped. Target was full of trees and I see construction beginning where McDonalds and Panera Bread sit. I miss Top Foods and Godfather's Pizza. I've lived in Green Lake the past 12 years. Aurora Ave North Seattle looks much cleaner. The motels aren't run down and I see no prostitutes/pimps. Also, it's weird not seeing any Starbucks locations.

I was 12 years old over in Bremerton at this time.

Dude sounds like Sam Elliot.

Will there ever be another video posted of the same route, a few years before or after the one you have already posted?Or does just one video of each route exist? Just curious

34:16 Was That A School Bus Shown?

Shay's is still there! At 34:39

What I wouldn’t give to drive around my home state in 1997, and I could do driving the car I actually have right now, granted I would need to find in Olathe co

👍👍👍👍👍👍

1:20:15 hwy 99 and 188th

12:34 bring back the Kingdome!!!!

Who remembers Mr. Bills old burger place? Best onion rings ever!

A lack of espresso stands stands out

Very old.

Wow, the air quality was REALLY bad in those days. You can barely see the Kingdome from the Viaduct. If you ever get stuck in traffic behind a car from that era--just remember, the entire freaking world used to smell like that.

Goodole hiway 99 a living and magic icon 😎glad someone was smart enuff to make this video and shows what it was like before everything went to hell

Arco gas .75. Cts. Man this world has turned to $hit😡😡😡😡😡😡😡