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Honestly am I going to lose my mind with this commute? I have the option coming in earlier and leaving earlier but what have people found their commute was like.
If you can do the early hours, you'll be at ~45 minutes each way. I currently do Exit 9 on the Pike (Sturbridge) to Bedford now. When I take 290/495, if I hit the exit (edit - exit 9 on the pike) at 6:00, I am usually in Bedford at my desk by 7:10. Shrewsbury is a good 20-25 minutes closer than that exit, plus you'd never have to deal with driving through Worcester or transferring from 495 onto the pike - both locations see traffic snarls pretty regularly and you'll be happy to avoid them.
In my experience the ride up 495 isn't too bad, the top of rt. 3 is usually pretty slow (when I get there at ~6:45am), but once you get about halfway down (exit 29 or 28, I can't remember) it clears up (again - at that time of the day). The 3/495 merge is pretty crappy in both directions.
If you can work ~7a-3p I'd say to expect a ~45 minute commute both directions with Rt 3 being your biggest pain point and most of the 495 ride almost being on cruise control. You'll be stuck in traffic all morning on days that have rain, snow, or precede a holiday (e.g., The Tues/Weds before Thanksgiving - work from home those days if you can.) You'll also need to remember that 495/Rt 3 (and 93, but you won't be going there) is a major interchange for summer travelers going to NH and gets pretty bad 4-6pm on most summer Fridays.
All in all, I think you can do it but it won't be the dream commute. And you'll be much better off than if you were any further west.
I would do 290-495 Exit 31- 225 through Westford and Carlisle.
Avoids the pike, 95, and rt. 2 (Concord Rotary), and rt. 3
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