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The Story Behind 520 || 90

520 || 90 began at startup weekend seattle in November 2011, when a group of entrepreneurs, designers, and innovators developed a fully functioning web application within 48 hours.

Gabe Brown, the Founder, had experienced first hand the difficulties of traveling from one side of lake washington to the other via car. Therefore he knew there were thousands of people each day driving to work or school without access to basic and easily understandable comparisons of SR 520 and I 90. The founders' ideas immediately clicked with the rest of the group; therefore, the founders decided to develop a platform that would allow commuter's to compare options quickly to make an informed decision about which option is best to take prior to leaving for a commute.

Our Mission

Our mission is to enable commuters to optimize how they spend their time while traveling; reduce travel expenditures by providing an easy-to-use method for them to compare routes and select the most cost-effective route to meet their needs.


We believe that making smaller changes in your day-to-day commute has the potential to significantly improve one's life. We are committed to creating a more efficient and educated commuter experience by enabling drivers to utilize the most suitable option from their perspective.

What We Do

The goal of this site is to help people who use Seattle's two main Lake Washington Crossing (Seattle to the Eastside) determine which option is best for their commute:


• SR 520 – A straight shot from Seattle to the Eastside with the potential for less traffic congestion, however; it includes a toll.


• I 90 – An alternate route with no toll, however; there are other things to consider when choosing your route.


When you compare travel time and cost for both routes, you can choose which one meets your needs best.

Meet the Team

Gabe Brown
Founder

Gabe Brown developed the concept of 520 || 90 in response to an issue he realized many Seattle commuters were experiencing; finding a way to better select routes so as to save them time and money when traveling around their area. Gabe envisioned creating a resource that would help streamline route decision-making for Seattle's commuter population.

Karen Cheng
Design and Product

During Startup Weekend Seattle Karen joined the project with a strong desire to utilize her knowledge of Design Innovation and User Experience (UX) in order to create a streamlined solution that Seattle commuters could easily and effectively use on a daily basis.

Shashi Shashidhar
Community and Growth

Shashi is deeply committed to developing communities and empowering entrepreneurial ventures. His involvement in the development of 520 || 90 provided direction toward the community-based model the company adopted and its continued dedication to serve Seattle commuters.

Latika Kirtane
Product Strategy

Latika added important thought and experience regarding product strategy and customer experiences in relation to the overall consumer. Latika sought to develop a system to simplify the day-to-day choices commuters have to make when deciding how they will get from one place to another locally.

Why It Matters


Traveling to work is a big part of everyday life for thousands of residents in the Seattle area.


Saving just a couple of minutes per day may add up to many hours by the end of the year; using the most efficient travel routes can be less stressful on a commuter and will allow them to have more control of their expenses related to traveling.


The main goal behind building 520 || 90 was that better information would lead to better decision making.

Looking Forward


As the world of transportation evolves as will the needs of travelers.


However, our commitment remains the same. We will continue to provide valuable data to assist travelers in making smart travel choices and navigating through Seattle's complex transportation system with confidence.


You are either commuting over Lake Washington every day, or you might commute occasionally.