Dripping Springs VS. Cedar Park (Austin, Canyon: homes, schools, living in)

[janejanejanejanejane]

I am noticing they both have about the same distance drive to places like Lakeway. Cedar park is closer to the lake, I believe. Is Cedar Park pretty? Hilly?
Would you choose CP over DS? CP is bigger and I bet it has more shopping areas... Why is DS more expensive than CP?

[FalconheadWest]

West Cedar Park has hills and views like Twin Creeks and Crystal Falls. Much of Dripping Springs is flat. Lots, on average, are larger in DS so they might get more for the land.

Shopping is more abundant in CP and there are many roads. DS only has a couple of ways in and out so many people complain about traffic, especially at the Y.

[LisaM76]

Where are you working? That is an important factor.

[janejanejanejanejane]

Husband works at 360 and Bee Caves. Basically same distance there from CP and DS.

[h886]

Have you test driven this one? The distance may be the same, but certain routes (360 being one of them) are a parking lot during peak commute times. I wouldn't want to make that drive.

I know some of the communities you've seen might have looked unideal for one reason or another, but you may want to reconsider something closer. Spending an hour or more parked in traffic each way can really take it out of you when it's a daily thing.

[janejanejanejanejane]

Originally Posted by h886

Have you test driven this one? The distance may be the same, but certain routes (360 being one of them) are a parking lot during peak commute times. I wouldn't want to make that drive.

I know some of the communities you've seen might have looked unideal for one reason or another, but you may want to reconsider something closer. Spending an hour or more parked in traffic each way can really take it out of you when it's a daily thing.

DS and CP both are 1hr in peak traffic? Is this worst case?

DH drove to DS at 6pm on Tuesday and it took him 35 minutes to get to DS...

[janejanejanejanejane]

Originally Posted by janejanejanejanejane

DS and CP both are 1hr in peak traffic? Is this worst case?

DH drove to DS at 6pm on Tuesday and it took him 35 minutes to get to DS...

and thank you for your feedback, btw. much appreciated.

[h886]

Originally Posted by janejanejanejanejane

DS and CP both are 1hr in peak traffic? Is this worst case?

DH drove to DS at 6pm on Tuesday and it took him 35 minutes to get to DS...

No, I was speaking to driving north to Cedar Park, not to Dripping Springs. Sorry I wasn't more clear. You had mentioned that the distances were the same, so I was trying to clarify that driving north to Cedar Park would put you in much heavier traffic. Yes, driving to Dripping Springs could very well be a workable commute because you're not trying to go across town and all the traffic that entails, but driving from 360/Bee Caves to Cedar Park every day would be a long and grueling one that I wouldn't recommend signing up for unless your husband has actually driven it for a week and is fine.

Bee Caves is often snarled with traffic because most people who live out there work in Austin so everyone is going the same direction. If there is an accident or stall on either side of the road (which happens frequently because speeds are high in places) it will practically stop traffic on both sides of the road. 360 is similarly a nightmare. Because of the stoplights that occur about every mile, the bridge, and the heavy volume, it becomes like a parking lot during peak commute times. If your husband doesn't have to work traditional hours, it's a long but workable drive. If he'll have to commute any time between 4 PM and 7 PM in the evenings, expect a mess going north. Then he'll still have to drive to Cedar Park itself once he gets into north Austin and depending what part you guys lived in, that could also be a considerable distance.

This is why so many are recommending that you live and work in the same general area of town and avoid cross-town commutes. Living in DS and working at 360/Bee Caves would be fine as both are on the SW side of town. Going from SW to NW would be a mess. Going from SE to SW would be a mess.

[Trainwreck20]

DS is going to be a much shorter commute time.

[texasgirl1]

What about Canyon Creek/Grandview Hills in zip code 78726
(approximately 12 miles from 360/Bee Caves) or even Steiner Ranch (just a tad further)....I don't know what the "real time" commutes will be, but you will find a few homes in your price range....great communities with great schools as well...all of the shopping/restaurants you need.