Reverse Commute to Downers Grove (Homewood, Warrenville: rentals, university, utilities)

[diskmaster23]

I am about to get a new job that is near the Illinois Tollway office in Downers Grove. I don't know much about the area so I was wondering if it was possible to do Metra Reverse Commute from Union Station to Belmont Station, Downers Grove?

In addition, I am figuring I might want to move within an mile of Union Station. Are there less expensive areas within a mile of Union Station that aren't more dangerous than Edgewater? Does someone have a suggestion for finding a reasonable place to rent (I currently pay 700 a month for all utilities except electric up in Edgewater)?

[chicagobear]

You could live in Pilsen and get the Metra at 16th and Halsted.

[diskmaster23]

But wouldn't that exclude me from that awesome 20-30 minute express to Downers Grove in the morning and afternoon?

[chicagobear]

I'd look west of Union Station in the West Loop within walking distance. Rents are pretty reasonable around there.

[diskmaster23]

Originally Posted by chicagobear

I'd look west of Union Station in the West Loop within walking distance. Rents are pretty reasonable around there.

What kind of rents?

[chet everett]

The problem with trying to do a reverse commute is not just the train schedule but the dearth of options to get from the station to offices.

If you took the BNSF to the Belmont / Downer Grove stop you still be several miles from your destination. You would not want to walk / ride a bike as the stretch of Ogden near 355 is not setup for other than cars.

The Pace bus might be an option but that times you to a very limited set of times for arrival departure.

I would try to drive or carpool. The drive times to / from DG are generally under 40 minutes from the Loop in rush hour, that is not bad at all.

[Golden Camel]

The nearest station to the Tollway Headquarters is the Belmont station.
There are no buses to that area from Belmont or any other Metra station.
It's about a 1.5 mile walk. No matter which route you take, there will be a long section without sidewalks, which may be fine in the summer, but will be a bear when the snow falls. In fact, even of the sections that have sidewalks, given the areas they go through, I wouldn't be surprised if they don't get shoveled (but I really don't know).

The only westbound train that makes a stop at Halsted in the morning is at 5:59 am. Great if you start work really early, but otherwise not so convenient.

The only bus that comes near there is Route 888 which runs express from Homewood to Oakbrook.

[diskmaster23]

Originally Posted by Golden Camel

The nearest station to the Tollway Headquarters is the Belmont station.
There are no buses to that area from Belmont or any other Metra station.
It's about a 1.5 mile walk. No matter which route you take, there will be a long section without sidewalks, which may be fine in the summer, but will be a bear when the snow falls. In fact, even of the sections that have sidewalks, given the areas they go through, I wouldn't be surprised if they don't get shoveled (but I really don't know).

The only westbound train that makes a stop at Halsted in the morning is at 5:59 am. Great if you start work really early, but otherwise not so convenient.

The only bus that comes near there is Route 888 which runs express from Homewood to Oakbrook.

I've made the correction that I wanted to go to the Belmont Station. But I was figuring I could just bring my bike on and bike to work from the Main Street location, no? Only three miles by bike. That'd go pretty quick.

If it isn't feasible, then it isn't, but I'd like to be sure.

[Golden Camel]

Originally Posted by diskmaster23

I've made the correction that I wanted to go to the Belmont Station. But I was figuring I could just bring my bike on and bike to work from the Main Street location, no? Only three miles by bike. That'd go pretty quick.

If it isn't feasible, then it isn't, but I'd like to be sure.

Here, look at this map. Drag the little stick figure that is over the plus "+" sign to one of the streets on the map and you can actually see what the street looks like. Belmont Avenue isn't that busy and it does have sidewalks. But in the winter time, when Belmont gets plowed, all of that snow is going to be pushed to the side of the road and there isn't going to be a place to ride out of traffic, not mention cars splashing on you both in rain and snow. A large part is wooded lots and setbacks and I doubt anyone is going to be shoveling the sidewalks there.

If instead of Belmont, you go up Cross Street or Walnut, those are quiet residential streets, but they are barely paved and have no shoulders, curbs, or sidewalks. Would you be able to ride up those streets after a snow like yesterday? And it would be pretty slow going over the potholes on any other day.

Then you get to Ogden which is a really busy street with no shoulders and fast traffic. When snowplows come by, all that snow is just going to be shoved to the side of the street, narrowing the road and leaving no margin of safety. And when it rains, the splashing from the cars passing you is going to make a mess.

Surprisingly, there is a sidewalk west of the tollway headquarters on Ogden. But it goes past a lot of industrial/commercial lots. I doubt it gets shoveled. But if you went north on Walnut, you could use that sidewalk. There is no sidewalk past all the car dealers to the east.

I'm not a biker. I know that bikers in the city do peddle through deep snow. I'm just giving you my impressions which may seem silly to a serious biker. Just remember that this is not the city. You don't have parking lanes where the snow can be pushed or where you can bike out of the way of traffic. Some streets don't have sidewalks and may not be fully paved. And shoveling walks is not a high priority because no one uses them out there.

I presume you know where to find the train schedules. If the schedules work for you and you are comfortable riding your bike out there in rain and snow, then go for it. I'm sorry I'm not familiar with rentals near Union Station. Did you consider University Village?

[chet everett]

Belmont has a new underpass that has increased speeds / made traffic faster... The route to the office park is not the worst but neither is it a roll through a park...
I have bicycled that area for casual rides and I would rate the potential for unpleasant interaction with motorist very high -- lights, reflector vest, and other protective gear are musts.

The road configuration is not good, as the lanes on Belmot do not give you an out. The generally potholed nature of the side streets is probably something the residents like to reduce cut through traffic, and the light at Cross St really serves traffic going to west bound Warrenville Rd so extremely high chance that won't be any safer....