Workin Decatur.. Need help with commute etc. (Atlanta, Glenwood: apartment complexes, rentals)

[Cking1096]

My husband's job will be in downtown Decatur, and I keep reading about horrible traffic. We are not going to live in Decatur, as we are looking for newer apartments, and like several in the surrounding areas. My question is which area will give him the best/shortest commute. We are not worried about price, or lifestyle, just commute.

Can someone weigh in on the commute? At first we were looking at just miles, but I keep reading how traffic around Emory is really bad, so we thought maybe going west towards Midtown would be better than north. What do you think?

Thanks!

[Lady's Man]

just rent something near a marta station and have him take marta to decatur. problem solved.

[Raze]

Traffic in Decatur is all about timing, if he's going to work at 7am, there won't be a soul in sight, at 9am, everyone and their dogs, bikes, kids, will be running about. Midtown would be pretty easy, VA Highlands, basically any community North of I-20, East of the connector/85 and ITP (Inside the Perimeter I-285) would work fairly well and keep the commute short. Alternative as mentioned is to take MARTA...

[cqholt]

Check out the intown neighborhoods along the east MARTA line, eg: Inman Park, Candler Park, Kirkwood. Several new apartments in Inman Park along the BeltLine.

[red92s]

Honestly if you are doing the reverse commute from an area to the south or west of Decatur, it shouldn't be too bad. The major commuting corridors for Decatur are Ponce De Leon, Dekalb Avenue, College Ave, and Clairemont Ave. The see high volume, but typically it's much higher going towards downtown Atlanta or the Emory area, and back again in the evenings. Virginia Highlands, Candler Park, Inman Park, Glenwood Park, Old 4th Ward, and Midtown to downtown Decatur doing a reverse commute would probably be 20 minutes or under.

If possible, try to avoid needing to cross the east/west railroad (also the MARTA corridor line) to get into Decatur. There are a limited number of crossings and they can create choke points. As mentioned above, the Beltline trail is a great amenity, and links up with the existing bike path system that could allow bike commuting into Decatur (if that is your thing).

[Iconographer]

Going north on Clairmont, you'll start encountering newer complexes just north of N. Decatur Rd. Check out the Toco Hills, Briarvista, Sage Hill and Sheridan Rd. areas. These areas are all pretty convenient to downtown Decatur.

[argecash]

If the commute is your biggest concern you should really try to rent in or near downtown Decatur. There are a couple of newer apartment complexes, plus there are a lot of newer condos that might be for rent.

Otherwise, I would think commuting down Ponce De Leon from closer in to town (Candler Park/Va. Highlands/Midtown) would be the best choice. Travelling Clairmont from the Emory/Toco Hills area is going to be really backed up during the normal rush hour.

The idea of renting near MARTA is also a good one.

[red92s]

Originally Posted by argecash

If the commute is your biggest concern you should really try to rent in or near downtown Decatur. There are a couple of newer apartment complexes.

Can you name one that is walking distance to downtown decatur? I can't.

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by red92s

Can you name one that is walking distance to downtown decatur? I can't.

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=apart...ments&t=m&z=16How far is walking distance?

[rzzz]

There aren't many (any?) new rental buildings within walking distance of downtown Decatur.
Most of the rental buildings are old. There are some condo buildings with units that people rent out. The Artisan is the nicest one, but it's expensive and sort of like living in a hotel. There are others, like the Talley lofts that are sort of like young adult dormitories and are pretty dumpy and loud. For rentals in a safe part of Decatur you are better off looking up towards Emory.

When you say "There are a couple of newer apartment complexes" what complexes are they? I'm actually interested in learning about newer complexes in the area because I didn't find anything suitable (or even available) when I moved here in May.

FWIW, The better (newer, safer) rental complexes are mostly in Buckhead or Midtown.