Suburb drivetimes to Midway: Actual vs. Mapquest (Chicago, Naperville: apartment, mortgage)

[Bob Loblaw]

Mapquest says:

Shorewood is 46 minutes to Midway

Plainfield is 41 minutes from Midway

Mokena is 42 mijnutes from Midway

Frankfort is 42 minutes away from Midway

Bourbonnais is 70 minutes from Midway

Steger is 49 minutes from Midway

Manhattan is 56 minutes from Midway


Assuming the inbound drive is made in the early morning starting around 5:00 from each location, how accurate are these figures? The return trip (outbound) would begin at about 6 PM.

I'm looking at moving to the Chicago area from Alabama and I would be working very near Midway. I am looking to live in one of the areas mentioned above but want to keep my commute in at an hour or less.

All information is appreciated. Thank you!

[jessiegirl_98]

Originally Posted by Bob Loblaw

Mapquest says:

Shorewood is 46 minutes to Midway

Plainfield is 41 minutes from Midway

Mokena is 42 mijnutes from Midway

Frankfort is 42 minutes away from Midway

Bourbonnais is 70 minutes from Midway

Steger is 49 minutes from Midway

Manhattan is 56 minutes from Midway


Assuming the inbound drive is made in the early morning starting around 5:00 from each location, how accurate are these figures? The return trip (outbound) would begin at about 6 PM.

I'm looking at moving to the Chicago area from Alabama and I would be working very near Midway. I am looking to live in one of the areas mentioned above but want to keep my commute in at an hour or less.

All information is appreciated. Thank you!

I can tell you that your inbound times (at 5am) are probably accurate. I don't live in the burbs, so I can't comment to the other times. However, I would tell you that you would save time living off of 55, and also, you can consider somewhere on the orange line, which goes straight into Midway.

[Bob Loblaw]

Originally Posted by jessiegirl_98

I can tell you that your inbound times (at 5am) are probably accurate. I don't live in the burbs, so I can't comment to the other times. However, I would tell you that you would save time living off of 55, and also, you can consider somewhere on the orange line, which goes straight into Midway.

Good info. Thank you. I'd really like to stay along the I-55 corridor. I have 3 children and the schools are a big deal to me. Plainfield schools look great until you get to high school then they look awful. Maybe Shorewood... I dunno. Still looking around

Anyone else have any input on the accuracy of these drive times at 5 AM inbound and 6 PM outbound? As many different views as possible would be great.

Thank you!

[Bob Loblaw]

I'd also like to add New Lenox to my above list for advice on drive times.

Mapquest says New Lenox is 48 minutes from Midway. How about at 5 AM (in) and 6 PM (out)?

[sbd78]

Originally Posted by Bob Loblaw

Good info. Thank you. I'd really like to stay along the I-55 corridor. I have 3 children and the schools are a big deal to me. Plainfield schools look great until you get to high school then they look awful. Maybe Shorewood... I dunno. Still looking around

Anyone else have any input on the accuracy of these drive times at 5 AM inbound and 6 PM outbound? As many different views as possible would be great.

Thank you!

I live in the Shorewood area and like it a lot, its a great area for raising kids. If you move here, make sure you are in the Minooka High School district and not Joliet West. (Parts of Shorewood are Minooka High, parts are Joliet West.) Minooka has a good rep, but Joliet West is not so good.

I would say the drive times sound pretty accurate. Currently they are adding another lane to I55 between Weber Road and I80 so traffic on I55 should improve significantly once this is done.

[Bob Loblaw]

Originally Posted by sbd78

Minooka has a good rep, but Joliet West is not so good.

Good advice. Thanks.

Originally Posted by sbd78

I would say the drive times sound pretty accurate. Currently they are adding another lane to I55 between Weber Road and I80 so traffic on I55 should improve significantly once this is done.

Any idea when the widening will be finished?

Thank you for the post.


Anyone else have info or advice?

[Bob Loblaw]

I aologize for continually adding to this thread with new locations but I hope that this information can help other people also.

One more:

Mapquest says Peotone to Midway is 54 minutes. Is this about right at 5 AM inbound and 6 PM outbound?

[Windy City John]

You need to understand we have 2 seasons in Chicago: Winter & Construction
Your numbers are good for averages, but keep in mind times can double on bad days.
If you are working around Midway--checkout Downers Grove, Westmont, or Clarendon Hills instead of Plainfield and Naperville.

[Bob Loblaw]

Originally Posted by Windy City John

You need to understand we have 2 seasons in Chicago: Winter & Construction
Your numbers are good for averages, but keep in mind times can double on bad days.
If you are working around Midway--checkout Downers Grove, Westmont, or Clarendon Hills instead of Plainfield and Naperville.

I'd love to live closer in, actually. The housing prices in a good school district are scary, though.

A little info: If I make this move I'll be making a base salary of around $72,000. Bonus potential is there but never a sure thing so it can't be depended upon. We have 3 school aged children so schools are a big priority. We do not want to go over $1500/mo for a total mortgage payment. This figure is based on a good budget & personal experience. You can afford a good bit of house for a P&I of $1500/mo but the property taxes are a killer at $3000 - $5000 per year. That's just not something we are used to and it drastically reduces the amount of house and the location we can afford.

If a 45" drive can be turned into a 1'30" drive by weather or an accident then maybe I can't really live "out". Also, I have no idea if the rural roads are cleared in the early morning during winter and it this is taken into account in the Mapquest drive times.

This is so overwhelming. I really appreciate the advice I get on this forum since I know only one person in Chicago and he lives in an apartment downtown and never gets out of the city so he's no help. You good folks (plus my internet research) are my only decent source of info.

[NYrules]

If you are going to be working around Midway, then scrap moving along the I-55 corridor all together why you ask???. You can find some really nice areas where homes are on large lots in Palos Heights, Palos Park, Palos Hills, and Orland Park. All those towns I named are within a 30 minute drive to Midway and about 45 minutes in/out on a bad day.

There is a great grid system of surface roads that all lead to the Midway airport area, but my advice is to live off Route 45 (La Grange Road). Rte 45 was improved a couple of years ago and tends to move along more like a freeway than a traditional surface road through the forest preserves north or Orland Park (131st Street through I-55). You take Rte 45 to IL-171 and then shoot east on IL-171 over to the Midway airport area. Don't worry about snow, all the roads in the area are cleared regularly and are VERY busy so its difficult for much snow to even get a chance to accumulate on them. Usually the roads are just wet or a little slushy, unless there is a blizzard going on. In that case just use a personal day and stay home, its not worth getting into an accident or getting killed if the weather is really that harsh. Overall though I think you will be ok. Our winters around here have been rather whimpy over the past 5 years with little snow.

Anyways check out the Palos burbs I think you will be impressed. Lots of trees, greenery, large homes, big lots, tons of shopping (esp. in Orland Park) great restaurants, schools are top notch, need I go on? OH!!! AND... Taxes are surprisingly low!!!

Here is a link as to what to expect in the area. http://www.palos-real-estate.com/palosmain.jpg Like I said, lots of trees. http://www.swchicago.com/palosheights.jpg (broken link)

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