Commuting from Youngstown to Pittsburgh and Youngstown to Canton (Lima: school, place to live)

[Leps3434]

Hi everyone. Long time reader, first time poster. I just accepted a job at the Dicks Sporting Goods corporate office right off 376 by the PGH airport. My fiancé has an awesome job at Mercy Medical Center in Canton. I am desperately in search of a place to live in between the two, with an easily driveable commute. I know the drive time will be about an hour for both of us, but with two fantastic jobs, it's hard for either of us to pass them up. I have a hard time looking at Google Maps drive times because I know we both travel over the speed limit. I THINK it would be easiest for her to take 76 to 77 and for me to take 376 all the way, but I wonder how the ACTUAL drive time will be. Any advice would be great, I just ask that we can avoid the two lane country highways. RT 30 is a tough haul, especially if you get stuck behind people overing at or below the speed limit, which is a common occurrence. Thanks in advance!

[TheYO]

I've done both of these drives plenty of times. From where I'm at in Youngstown (Boardman, just to the south of the city), the fastest way to Canton is actually 224 to 225 to 62. I know you said you don't want any two-lane highways, and 225 and most of 224 go against that, but I still always make it to Canton in an hour or less. If you really want to avoid county roads, I'd look for someplace in Austintown, where your fiancé could just jump on 76. Or maybe Poland (or the eastern part of Boardman) where she could take 680 to 76.

The fastest way to that part of Pittsburgh is to take the turnpike. I get on it from 7 in North Lima, just south of Boardman, but you could take 680 from somewhere like Austintown or Poland and get on 76 from there. Since, you'd be taking the first exit in PA, you'd have to decide if it is worth it to pay $4.75 in PA for a 20 mile roundtrip on the turnpike (plus $1 roundtrip in Ohio). From Boardman to that part of Pittsburgh will definitely be under an hour (probably closer to 45 minutes).

You also have to think about what you want in your town. Boardman is the most developed suburb of Youngstown and has the most restaurants and stores, plus a mall. Austintown is the second largest, and has similar amenities, minus the mall. Other towns like Canfield and Poland are a little more affluent, but they are also smaller, so you would probably find yourself driving across 224 Boardman for various things.

[CortlandGirl79]

I was gonna suggest Poland, good highway access, minutes away from shopping and restaurants, but not as over-developed and crazy congested as Boardman and Austintown. The school systems in Bman and Atown are huge too. I'm a small town girl, so I guess it depends on what you like.

[South Range Family]

I drive from just North of Salem to the airport every night. It's 60 miles for me. It's an hour door to door with security.

Dick's has it's own exit, and is closer than where I go. I would suggest Anywhere around Salem, up to Ellsworth and Canfield. I wouldn't go any farther North than that, and I wouldn't go as far East as Boardman. 224, 62, and 14 are the best bets to head West towards Canton.