Commute Time Help - FTW / Uptown to West Southlake (Dallas: home, neighborhoods)

[JSmith799]

Hi,

I have a potential job opportunity in West Southlake, but am afraid of the long commute that may be entailed.

I LOVE uptown dallas, walkable neighborhoods, young urban professionals, yuppies, etc., but the job is on the west side of Southlake. It looks like this would be an hour each way, is that correct?

People have recommended downtown Fort Worth (which I've never been), but even that looks like a 30 minute commute.

I'm from Southern California and my 5 mile commute can often take 35 minutes so I may be use to it (stop / go) bumper to bumper traffic. If it's an hour is it stop and go, or just a long shot?

Any other areas to check out? I've heard Addison, Las Colinas, Etc. but those would still have a long commute. I just want to be near singles, young professionals, trendy bars, yuppies, the gay community, and walkable areas - I do not want to live in a cookie cutter suburb.

[HornedFrog]

I live slightly south of Downtown Fort Worth. There are two ways to get to Southlake. I am not sure of your exact location in Southlake, so perhaps the I-35W N to Southlake Blvd might be faster. One time I took this way home from Southlake and it took me 30 minutes. Usually, there is bumper to bumper traffic on 35 so it takes more like 45. The way I go is take 121 N to Davis Blvd. The will land you in west Southlake and consistently takes 35-40 minutes, unless there is an accident or something. Davis is stoplights, so that can get annoying. It would cut about 5 minutes off the times if you loved in actual downtown.

[JSmith799]

The job is in Roanoke if that makes a difference. Ideally, I want to live in uptown, but am thinking that the commute may be way to far. Then again, I live in LA and am use to commutes like 1.5 hours to go 6 miles.

[ChristieP]

Yes, Uptown Dallas to Roanoke would be an awful commute. You'd be spending all of your free time in the car so you'd never have time to enjoy where you live! Traffic is unpredictable, but if there is a wreck, you will just SIT... Honestly, I wouldn't do that commute unless I had a helicopter!

Downtown FW is quickly becoming like Uptown Dallas. Look at the Montgomery Plaza and So 7 areas. There are lots of young, single professionals there, and it is a lot closer to your work. Las Colinas (the area right along the canal) is another good alternative. Not sure what the LGBT scene is there; Oak Lawn in Dallas is generally regarded as the best "gayborhood" in North Texas.

[HornedFrog]

The problem with twin cities is that there is rush hour in both directions -_-

Uptown to Roanoke would possibly take up to twice as long as from Fort Worth. It shouldn't, distance wise so it would depend on what times you would be making the drive and the traffic situation that fluctuates.

[loves2read]

are you living in Uptown now--or just thinking about moving there is you take the job in Southlake/Roanoke?

there is going to be hugh construction/reworking of what is called the Grapevine Mixmaster
the convergence of Hwy 121 and Hwy 114 in Grapevine soon
this will definitely affect commute from Uptown to Southlake

from downtown FTW north on I35 is what most people would use --that also is congested although going North in the morning is probably not as heavily traveled but it is older, congested freeway with lots of traffic any time...
check out some of the posts regarding Heritage--that is subdivision south of Roanoak--plenty of people live there and work in downtown or area south--they have bad commute

you might consider finding place close in Grapevine and driving to Roanoak-Grapevine is up and coming
has restaurants/bars/some music/walkable downtown
with what seems to me to be lots of young professionals coming in to eat/drink

[JSmith799]

The job is in Roanoke/SouthLake. I just want to live in a very urban dense area with lots of young, single, professionals and close to the action. I can NOT do cookie cutter subdivisions. I'm coming from LA, so a move to a boring suburb even if it has a small downtown would be major culture shock.

I think I can handle an hour 4 days per week, but am curious if it's stop and go traffic or just a long haul.

[ChristieP]

Traffic will be stop and go most of the way, and if there is a wreck, it will be mostly stop. WHY would you want to sit in your car an hour EACH WAY for 4 days a week? That is 8 wasted hours a week, plus the cost of gas, wear and tear and mileage run up on your car, etc. Sure, in LA people have to make that kind of commute, but in DFW, there are many alternatives!

As an employer, if I was considering you as a potential hire, I would not hire you with that length of commute because you would often be late to work due to traffic, and it would also likely cause you to start looking for another position with a shorter commute.

[$DFW8$]

Originally Posted by ChristieP

Traffic will be stop and go most of the way, and if there is a wreck, it will be mostly stop. WHY would you want to sit in your car an hour EACH WAY for 4 days a week? That is 8 wasted hours a week, plus the cost of gas, wear and tear and mileage run up on your car, etc. Sure, in LA people have to make that kind of commute, but in DFW, there are many alternatives!

As an employer, if I was considering you as a potential hire, I would not hire you with that length of commute because you would often be late to work due to traffic, and it would also likely cause you to start looking for another position with a shorter commute.

No it wouldn't. His commute would be a reverse commute as all the traffic is mainly heading into Dallas. He would be going out. The only reason it would be stop and go is if there is a wreck.

[JSmith799]

So can someone give me a rough estimate of this 'reverse commute?' I also have the flexibility of working off hours 7am-3pm to help fight some traffic.

Thanks