Parmer Traffic Question (Brushy Creek area) (San Antonio, Austin: 2013, home, neighborhood)

[philapple2000]

We are closing on a home in the Ranch at Brushy Creek in a couple of weeks. I work from home so commute is not a big concern for me however we are looking at enrolling our children in a new charter school close to Shoreline and Mopac. Question is, how long does it take to get from the Ranch Trails/ Parmer intersection (close to 1431) to 45/620 in the morning around 7:30? We used to live in Canyon Creek off of 620 for comparison purposes.

Thanks for your feedback!

[10scoachrick]

Originally Posted by philapple2000

We are closing on a home in the Ranch at Brushy Creek in a couple of weeks. I work from home so commute is not a big concern for me however we are looking at enrolling our children in a new charter school close to Shoreline and Mopac. Question is, how long does it take to get from the Ranch Trails/ Parmer intersection (close to 1431) to 45/620 in the morning around 7:30? We used to live in Canyon Creek off of 620 for comparison purposes.

Thanks for your feedback!

Not a 'commute' that I would choose, but maybe you can get a carpool set up or something. The line south(east)bound on Parmer in the mornings can stretch easily from Avery Ranch Blvd across the BC bridge. It moves fairly well on green, but I don't know how often you will be able to just cruise through without a light or two. And that's just ONE of the intersections. Spectrum and the rail crossing(s) won't help any and I would imagine just getting out of R@BC will be a pain some mornings(dealing with BC RD @ Parmer). I've seen the traffic for the 620/45 intersection backed up across the rail line a couple of times, also.

Could be that earlier would be better...not sure. I'm usually walking the pup and noticing the traffic a little closer to 745-800. (Along Parmer, just north of the Avery Ranch Blvd.)

A few CDers live around R@BC...I'm sure they can give info from the perspective of a daily driver.

[EzPeterson]

7:30 is the peak. It's a solid 20 minutes from the heart of R@BC to 620/Parmer. As soon as O'Connor opens to 45 though, it should ease (at least until the builders catch up again).

[RooCeleste]

It's awful. You'll be right smack in the middle of it at 7:20-7:50 and it can take several cycles to get through any light in that area in the mornings (Brushy Creek, Avery Ranch, Spectrum). For my morning commute, I've actually chosen to drive I-35 via a totally different route to my office to avoid Parmer. Sounds crazy, but it's true!

[woodinvilleguy]

It really depends on the time. You'll find that 10 minutes either way will make the difference.

[philapple2000]

Thank you all for your responses. We certainly appreciate it!

[cricketsndaisies]

If I could ask you a completely unrelated question: why are you choosing the Ranch at Brushy Creek over Canyon Creek? Is it purely location or are there other reasons concerning the community? We're planning on making a move soon, and Canyon Creek is an area we are considering.

[sloppymeg]

FWIW, I don't think Parmer is as bad as 620 traffic EVER. Getting from Foundation Rd to HEB on 620 sometimes takes 15 minutes, and that's for 1/2 mile?!?!?! Crazy nuts.

[philapple2000]

Cricketsndaisies,
We really enjoyed our time in Canyon Creek. Lived there twice (2005-2008 and 2010-2013). We sold our home there earlier this year and relocated to San Antonio for a short term job opportunity. The fact that we sold our home at full asking price the first day on the market should be a good sign that that neighborhood is one of the hottest in NW Austin and it is primarily for the schools (elementary; Canyon Creek - very low student population and high school; Westwood - on of the best in the US). We personally saw the traffic situation up in that area become nightmarish over the years with no plans to alleviate it anytime soon. This is primarily because of all the growth in Steiner and Lakeway and 620 being the main artery to the NE. IMO, you can't really go wrong with it, particularly from an investment standpoint. The schools were great but aren't for everyone as one of my kids thrived while the other did not. It is a very diverse neighborhood particularly because of the great schools. Most people move to the neighborhood because of the schools and some actually move because of the competitiveness of the schools. We knew several that did. At the end of the day, we just wanted to try something different. The Brushy Creek area seems to us at least to have more options; parks, playgrounds, retail, access, etc. If you would like to PM me, please feel free to do so and I'll be happy to answer any other questions about Canyon Creek