Commute times? (Eagle River, Far South, Everywhere!) (Anchorage: live, moving)

[bongo]

Originally Posted by Frugal2011

What about commuting by bike? Is that crazy?

My husband commuted by bike for years from university area to south Anch. He had studded tires & used the People Mover system for one stretch, putting his bike on the front rack. He had all the safety light, reflector gear & head lamp stuff & REI layers for warmth.
Yeah- kinda crazy!
I prefer my toyota tank with studded snows, 4X4, & huge metal bumpers for when others run into me LOL.

It's less then 30 minutes to downtown most places in town in winter. Winter driving can be a challenge especially for newcomers.

[roadfamily6now]

last month I left my house off of Muldoon and traveled to Eagle River to enjoy dinner with some friends, I left my house at 5:45pm and arrived in Eagle River at 6:45pm. The traffic entering the highway was backed up for about 10 blocks or all the way to Fred Meyers (Debarr and Muldoon) We went around that by driving through the Military base and out the Ft. Richardson gate.
I don't know if I shortened my drive time, but at least I was not stuck in traffic idling.

[globetraveler]

Originally Posted by AKStafford

I know there's a bike path between Eagle River & Anchorage. I don't know if they keep the snow plowed off in the winter... But it's been 10 below zero that last few days...

It seems to be maintained, however that doesn't mean dry pavement. I saw a couple of riders on the trail between Muldoon and Arctic Valley today. The were riding on what looks like packed snow, though it might have just been a new snowfall from the night before.

[AADAD]

Eagle River to UAA 15-20 min no snow
20- 30 min with snow.

Eagle River is a good choice as few accidents block the road coming and going. It does happen but it's rare.

[Glitch]

Originally Posted by Frugal2011

Would you be kind enough to share your experiences regarding approximate commute times during rush hour and outside of rush hour from Eagle River, Far South and other points in town to downtown?

What about commuting by bike? Is that crazy?

Originally Posted by Wynternight

I'd definitely like some input on the Eagle River to UAA drive, too. If all goes to plan I'll live in Eagle River and work at the VA and go to UAA for my BSN in a few years time.

Originally Posted by cjg5

While we're discussing this, I'd be interested in travel times between Wasilla/Palmer to and from Anchorage. Thanks!

Rush hour traffic varies from adding just a little more time to adding a great deal more time to your commute. There are days when traffic is crawling between 5 mph and 10 mph, and other days when you can breeze through on cruise-control.

The biggest bottleneck is Eagle River. On your way out of Anchorage to Eagle River the highway changes from three lanes to two lanes at the Highland Exit, combined with a short but steep grade just before Eagle River which is commonly referred to as "brake light hill."

On your way into Anchorage, again Eagle River is the bottleneck, even though a third lane appears just after the Eagle River on-ramp. The on-ramp at Eagle River is poorly designed, requiring traffic to make a very tight turn at slow speed, which means they are merging with traffic on the Glenn Highway well below the posted speed limit. This causes traffic to shift from the right-lane to the left-land, slowing down traffic even further. Then add to that a narrow bridge and a short but steep up-hill grade, and you have even slower traffic.

The commute from Eagle River to UAA is not more than 20 minutes on most days. Add another 5 to 10 minutes for rush hour traffic.

The commute from Palmer/Wasilla to downtown Anchorage is 45 minutes on most days.

The commute from Peter's Creek to downtown Anchorage is 30 minutes.

As far as getting around Anchorage, in between rush hours you can get from one end of Anchorage to the other in about 15 to 20 minutes.

Naturally, all these times are conditional upon the weather and traffic. These are not best-case scenerios either, but approximate average times abiding by the speed limit.

Rush hour on the Glenn Highway is between 7:00 AM and 8:00 AM, and between 5:00 PM and 6:00 PM on week days. If you can come or leave before or after those times you will find considerably less traffic.

[Wynternight]

Thank you, Glitch.

[highlife2]

Commute times anywhere along the glenn hwy are a nightmare. I thought eagle river would be a mild commute but the traffic is grid locked during commuting hours even in the summer and trying to get out of town on the merril field segment is a stand still. We decided to go to pizza man for dinner one week day night and were sitting in the merril field corrador for 30 min (and there were no wrecks or break downs) we decided then that we would never move anywhere that required commute on the glenn.

The seward hwy is pretty mild from south anchorage, it backs up a bit but I can get to mid town in like 10-15 min from where I live from 7:30 to 8am. So where ever we move it will be a seward or minnasota commute. If you HAVE to commute down town the segment between 15th and fireweed on the afternoon drive can be a night mare as well, so I guess anything into or out of down town is to be avoided unless you work down town, however my wife works down town and she some how makes it through that segment without much trouble, that stretch of road between 15th and fireweed I have always hated and am glad I no longer work down town.

[Glitch]

Originally Posted by highlife2

Commute times anywhere along the glenn hwy are a nightmare. I thought eagle river would be a mild commute but the traffic is grid locked during commuting hours even in the summer and trying to get out of town on the merril field segment is a stand still. We decided to go to pizza man for dinner one week day night and were sitting in the merril field corrador for 30 min (and there were no wrecks or break downs) we decided then that we would never move anywhere that required commute on the glenn.

First and foremost, avoid 6th Street during rush hour. Commercial to Bragaw or 15th Avenue to Bragaw will get you to the Glenn much faster than 6th Street.

Second, if you think traffic on the Glenn is "grid locked" during rush hour then you need to get out more often. Unless there is an accident or the weather is particularly bad, the typical rush hour speed is between 55 mph and 65 mph all the way into Eagle River from Anchorage. Residents of Los Angeles would kill for rush hour traffic like that.

Originally Posted by highlife2

The seward hwy is pretty mild from south anchorage, it backs up a bit but I can get to mid town in like 10-15 min from where I live from 7:30 to 8am. So where ever we move it will be a seward or minnasota commute. If you HAVE to commute down town the segment between 15th and fireweed on the afternoon drive can be a night mare as well, so I guess anything into or out of down town is to be avoided unless you work down town, however my wife works down town and she some how makes it through that segment without much trouble, that stretch of road between 15th and fireweed I have always hated and am glad I no longer work down town.

It sounds like you seem to frequently encounter the Sullivan Arena traffic. When there is an event at the Sullivan Arena, I agree with you, traffic between 15th and Fireweed can get particularly heavy.

Muldoon would be another road to avoid during rush hour. There are a lot of people trying to enter the Glenn at Muldoon.

[bongo]

Originally Posted by highlife2

So where ever we move it will be a seward or minnasota commute.

I personally have always preferred C/A St. for the commute both when we lived in south Anchorage & university area.

[highlife2]

Originally Posted by Glitch

First and foremost, avoid 6th Street during rush hour. Commercial to Bragaw or 15th Avenue to Bragaw will get you to the Glenn much faster than 6th Street.

Second, if you think traffic on the Glenn is "grid locked" during rush hour then you need to get out more often. Unless there is an accident or the weather is particularly bad, the typical rush hour speed is between 55 mph and 65 mph all the way into Eagle River from Anchorage. Residents of Los Angeles would kill for rush hour traffic like that.



It sounds like you seem to frequently encounter the Sullivan Arena traffic. When there is an event at the Sullivan Arena, I agree with you, traffic between 15th and Fireweed can get particularly heavy.

Muldoon would be another road to avoid during rush hour. There are a lot of people trying to enter the Glenn at Muldoon.

I just recently heard of the commercial to bragaw short cut, now that the overpass is in I would imagine that is a nice short cut, I would also imagine that its just a matter of time before that route is just as congested as 6th ave though. Also when I worked down town and hit the sullavan arrena segment I would be sitting there at the light at fireweed for easily 15-20 min with no event, wreck or break down, if there were any of thoes 3 things I might as well just get dinner down town lol.

I do not get out much other than to hawaii, I hate the lower 48 and no company could pay me enough to move to LA.