Confused need to make a decision :( (Naperville: move to, location, career)

[chet everett]

Originally Posted by Maggie_

I commuted from Naperville to Highland Park for 6 1/2 months (November to June)...would never do it again. And I worked at a school, so my commute time was at least a little abnormal. The only way I survived was knowing there was a definite end in sight. The expenses of time, gas, tolls, car maintenance, audible account, dog walker etc. really added up.

It would typically take me 1 hr 20 to get there (leaving my house at 6:15am), and around 1 hr 30 - 2 hours to get home (leaving work around 3:15pm). On a rainy Friday before Memorial Day weekend, it took me 3 hours to get home despite leaving at 3pm. Luckily this winter was mild, and there weren't any bad storms. If that had happened, I had planned to stay with a co-worker overnight.

I would recommend driving the commute during real time (when you would actually be driving it) at least once.

I would also recommend calculating the commute time and expense when you decide if the bump in pay would be worth it. E.g. instead of working 9-5, you might be working 7-7.

DesPlaines is in Cook Co, mostly very near to O'Hare. For spots on the southern / western edge the trip up 355 to approximately the Elgin-O'Hare junction and surface streets should be fairly easy. For places further north / east 294 basically means the whole trip on the tollways.

Highland Park is in Lake Co. with a very large portion of actual Lake Michigan shoreline -- that is much further! The most distant points between DesPlaines and Highland Park are nearly 30 miles apart.

[whakru]

Originally Posted by chet everett

DesPlaines is in Cook Co, mostly very near to O'Hare. For spots on the southern / western edge the trip up 355 to approximately the Elgin-O'Hare junction and surface streets should be fairly easy. For places further north / east 294 basically means the whole trip on the tollways.

Highland Park is in Lake Co. with a very large portion of actual Lake Michigan shoreline -- that is much further! The most distant points between DesPlaines and Highland Park are nearly 30 miles apart.

The fact is that the worst part of the trip is from Naperville to about Touhy/Dempster on 294 North. The amount of time from there to Highland Park would likely only be about 15 minutes depending how far off the Tollway she had to go. I know this because prior to working in Mount Prospect I commuted to Waukegan area (rt137 exit) and once I got past Dempster the ride was clear and easy and was only about 10% of my overall drive time.


Going home 294 is routinely packed anywhere from Willow to Touhy toll and then again on the Bensonville Bridge to 88.


I think her point is the same as mine....going that direction from Naperville during rush hour is not worth the tolls, gas, agony, time, etc unless there is some massive payoff in return.

[RamenAddict]

Originally Posted by Maggie_

I commuted from Naperville to Highland Park for 6 1/2 months (November to June)...would never do it again. And I worked at a school, so my commute time was at least a little abnormal. The only way I survived was knowing there was a definite end in sight. The expenses of time, gas, tolls, car maintenance, audible account, dog walker etc. really added up.

It would typically take me 1 hr 20 to get there (leaving my house at 6:15am), and around 1 hr 30 - 2 hours to get home (leaving work around 3:15pm). On a rainy Friday before Memorial Day weekend, it took me 3 hours to get home despite leaving at 3pm. Luckily this winter was mild, and there weren't any bad storms. If that had happened, I had planned to stay with a co-worker overnight.

I would recommend driving the commute during real time (when you would actually be driving it) at least once.

I would also recommend calculating the commute time and expense when you decide if the bump in pay would be worth it. E.g. instead of working 9-5, you might be working 7-7.

I always recommend that people calculate out their hourly pay by including the commute time. If you make $30 a hour and work 8 hours a day with an hour commute, that is about $26.66 an hour. If you get a raise to $36 an hour but now have a 3-hour commute, you will be down to $26.18 or so an hour. That also doesn't take into account gas, tolls, and wear and tear on your car. In essence, that's a pay cut and not a pay raise because you're getting less per hour you're spending on work. You're also going to be less likely to take advantage of overtime/extra pay opportunities if you have to drive that much farther to work because you can't just pop in for a project if you have to drive 80 minutes to get into the office.

[CGab]

Originally Posted by rajbhatia79

Thanks Chad and Whakru.

I did the drive this AM. My plan is if I take this position it will be from 6;30 AM and leave by 4 PM.

Last days it took me a solid 1 hr and I will try to leaving at 4 PM to see how long it takes.

so it will be leaving at 4 getting to naperville at 5:15 (hopefully) and picking up kids to go home around 30 mins.

So in total 2 hrs v/s 30 mins going back home now.

Is this worth the extra money~ 20%? not sure if I know the answer ((

I used to live in North Plainfield and my husband would work near Des Plaines on occasion. I'm not sure if it's possible, but can you get a 6am to 3pm shift? This is the hours my husband worked. This would allow you to miss most of the traffic going there and back! It would probably take you 45 minutes each way. Of course the winter will be much longer with snow!

[pvande55]

Originally Posted by MillennialUrbanist

Allow me to be the first one to pitch in. I once did a very similar commute for a job. It consisted of the following:
HOME --> 15 min on surface streets --> 30 min on I-294 --> 30 min on I-88 --> 5 min on surface streets --> WORK

Going home was the same route in reverse. The evening traffic was much worse, so it took 20 to 30 minutes longer. I tolerated the drive pretty well. Plus, I could do my shopping in DuPage County on the way home, and take advantage of its lower taxes.

Of course, there's a catch: I was 23. And it was a 6-month contract. Today, I wouldn't have the patience for that much driving, and probably wouldn't have taken a job that far out, unless I was desperate for work. But that's just me.

80 minutes between Naperville and Des Plaines? At certain times you can make that trip in the same time on Metra! That's despite having to transfer in downtown Chicago. Not that I recommend such a commute, but it shows how tied up traffic is, even under normal conditions. Add snow, construction, or an accident; it's even worse.

[rajbhatia79]

Any idea how the traffic might be if i left everyday at 3:30-3:4o PM how will the traffic be?

I am thinking working from home one day/week and leaving the office at 3:30 from desplaines. if it is still brutal I will decline it. ( essentially I already did but having slight regrets). If it is still not worth the long divr tgh'

[4122]

Originally Posted by rajbhatia79

Any idea how the traffic might be if i left everyday at 3:30-3:4o PM how will the traffic be?

I am thinking working from home one day/week and leaving the office at 3:30 from desplaines. if it is still brutal I will decline it. ( essentially I already did but having slight regrets). If it is still not worth the long divr tgh'

It'll still be bad, but not as Bad as leaving at 4. You can also take alternate routes if the 294 is backed up. You can take 355, if that's backed up, Take 83. 355 has less traffic than the 294 typically.

[CGab]

Originally Posted by rajbhatia79

Any idea how the traffic might be if i left everyday at 3:30-3:4o PM how will the traffic be?

I am thinking working from home one day/week and leaving the office at 3:30 from desplaines. if it is still brutal I will decline it. ( essentially I already did but having slight regrets). If it is still not worth the long divr tgh'

I think if you could work 6-3 as I stated earlier you would be good. Is this an option?

[rajbhatia79]

not an option at this point. The only option I have as there are kids in situation here) 7:3o to 3:30 with one day work from home. Thanks

[3goodmonths]

if you live in the north west part of naperville near I 88 do it. If you live in plainfield add on another half hour at least to commute might not be a good idea.

In naperville you can hop on 88 shoot over. If you use google maps on your PC you can see whay traffic is like at certian times give that a try.

I personally would not communte more than an hour to work sitting in a parking lot for two hours everyday can drive you insane. Unless you like talk radio.