South to North Traffic - Really how bad? (Round Rock, Georgetown: mortgage, houses)

[Jennibc]

Despite this crummy economy, we finally have our opportunity to move back (relocation included! See, it does happen - only took us eight LONG months) So spouse will be working on Research BLVD (North of where it crosses Mopac). We'd lived south before and would love to move back in that area. So if we were to move to the Village of Western Oaks/Circle C area, how long of a commute should one expect to travel north? During rush hour? Off-peak? Mapquest says just about 20 miles.

[Jaipur]

I'd say any where from 15-45 minutes. It really depends on traffic. I'm sure others can help you with about how long it would take if you left from such and such time but on average it should take you 20-35 minutes I would say. Somedays it may even take you 1 hour +, it really all depends.

[centralaustinite]

I think that 20-35 minutes is wildly optimistic! (Maybe at 4 am). I would estimate more like 45 minutes as a "regular" time with an hour plus as a real possibility, particularly for the evening commute. MoPac can back up worse than I-35 these days. (And 360 wow, I rarely drive it but was on it at 8 am over the summer north to south and I was stunned at the traffic, when an accident happens you are just flat stuck).

Is traveling off-peak or tele-commute a possibility?

[Trainwreck20]

I travel from the VOWO neighborhood area, and it is right around 10 mintues to get out of the neighborhood and up to the MoPac/360 overpass during non-peak hours. Traffic gets worse from there, sometimes in off hours, even. In completely off-hours, you can probably average righ near the speed limit still, and once you get past ~35th street, northbound MoPac will clear out. I would guess it is around 30 minutes in off-hours, and more like 45 to an hour in peak traffic. Heading back home in the evening is probably worse, if anything.

Have you looked at the Balcones Woods area? Angus Valley? There are some neighborhoods up there that will remind you of VOWO . Not sure what your budget is, but there are some nice houses within walking distance of Davis Elementary (not sure if schools are in the math or not). I moved from north to south (and much closer to work) and I really like it down here, but even more liberating is the slashing of the commute.....

[Moonlady]

I travel south to north on 360. I leave the house at 7 and the morning commute is fine. It's the afternoon commute going home that is extremely frustrating. You can avoid the rush in the morning by leaving early, but unless you wait until 7PM or so to go home, there's nothing you can do about the afternoon traffic. I seriously considered moving north to the area Trainwreck mentions to avoid the congestion.

[Jennibc]

Unfortunately our budget isn't going to allow the Balcones Woods area. We've spent the last eight years being mortgage poor in a fixer upper and we won't do it again. If we move north we are going to have to live in Cedar park or Round rock.

[TexasHorseLady]

What is it exactly that you loved about living south? It might be possible to replicate that in some areas of Cedar Park or Round Rock, and if we know what it was, we might be able to point you to options.

[Jennibc]

I loved being 15 minutes from downtown. We loved being so close to the Salt Lick out in Driftwood, we loved the natural beauty. Loved the Veloway and the Lady Bird Johnson wildflower center.

[TexasHorseLady]

Okay, there's now a Salt Lick in Round Rock! That's one taken care of. (I haven't been, but I understand the food is as good. It's not the same from a location point of view, though. It is right next to Old Settlers Park, though.)

There are some places in Cedar Park that might offer the same kind ofnatural beauty. Veloway is one of a kind, I grant you. Georgetown also offers access to Lake Georgetown and the Goodwater Trail and has some back ways to 183A that involve little to no traffic.


What's your price range and what kind of house do you want?

[aaauger]

I traveled south to north on Mopac for years until recently. I agree with the poster who says leave at 7. It's almost like off-peak - about 25 min. There's almost no way to avoid congestion on the return trip. I used to leave at 4:30 and still hit a crowd on Mopac, usually around 2222, sometimes sooner. I tried 360 several times which was worse than Mopac. The return trip was usually 45-60 min; worse if there was an accident. The good news is that you don't have to use a lot of gas - just keep letting your foot off the brake....