Commuting from Blue Ridge to ATL, crazy idea? (Atlanta, Roswell: real estate, mover)
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Take it from someone who commuted 70+ miles a day, each way, for 12 years (and I don't even have kids), all that time spent in a car is something that you will never be able to recover. And it will take its toll.
There's also the matter of putting an enormous amount of miles on your car, to the point that it may or may not survive the life of the loan. Plus the frequency of maintenance. Plus the amount of gas.
I really couldn't recommend against that commute enough.
OP is looking at 10-12 hours a week commuting alone, on top of any other driving. Would not recommend. OP should look at seeing if they can use the GA-400. You can MARTA it and that would help a lot. At least you can read, work, watch TV on the MARTA.
So closer in and also heavily look into the MARTA. It really is a useful tool for supercommuters in both time and savings.
OP is looking at 10-12 hours a week commuting alone, on top of any other driving. Would not recommend. OP should look at seeing if they can use the GA-400. You can MARTA it and that would help a lot. At least you can read, work, watch TV on the MARTA.
So closer in and also heavily look into the MARTA. It really is a useful tool for supercommuters in both time and savings.
Does the GA-400 offer any kind of express / paid fast lanes?
I don't mind public transportation and agree with the benefits you're calling out. The biggest downside is that I can't comfortably engage in work business calls while in public (due to confidentiality, etc.) but I can easily do that while driving my own vehicle.
When I commute to work now, I take an average of 2 meetings each day while driving, which is time I don't have to make up for when I arrive to the office.
Does the GA-400 offer any kind of express / paid fast lanes?
I don't mind public transportation and agree with the benefits you're calling out. The biggest downside is that I can't comfortably engage in work business calls while in public (due to confidentiality, etc.) but I can easily do that while driving my own vehicle.
When I commute to work now, I take an average of 2 meetings each day while driving, which is time I don't have to make up for when I arrive to the office.
If you take 400, there is a MARTA train station at the north end of Sandy Springs. That will then take you right into Buckhead.
So hypothetically, you could live in the mountains on the north end of Dahlonega, drive 60 - 90 mins down 400 to North Springs Station, then take the MARTA right into Buckhead.
You would end up commuting in very heavily forested areas in the dark a lot which I would not be comfortable with. Lots of potential to hit a deer or something else. Any freeway commute in Atlanta runs the risk of a major incident causing huge delays. Even outside of rush hour. An incident with an 18-wheeler or 285 or 75 can cause a huge detour.
If you're dead set on one home in GA to commute from, I'd look into the 400 corridor anywhere north of Cumming up through Dawsonville and into Dahlonega. You'd be more in the foothills but with a bit of luck, you might be able to find a house with at least a north facing view into the mountains. 400 will also take you right into Buckhead as a straight shot. I think Forsyth County schools will also be the better bet for you.
Since you say you could see yourself in the N GA mountains, I'm assuming you've been here, correct? Spend some time in some of the closer towns that are on the edge of the mountains and see if they fit your needs without giving too much up
Is the 400 corridor better than 75 during rush hour?
We've been to Blue Ridge before and liked it a lot. We're planning to check out Dahlonega next week and also drive around the Atlanta Metro neighborhoods. Who knows, we may end up choosing to stay closer to the city, but we're skeptical just based on our research so far.
Is the 400 corridor better than 75 during rush hour?
We've been to Blue Ridge before and liked it a lot. We're planning to check out Dahlonega next week and also drive around the Atlanta Metro neighborhoods. Who knows, we may end up choosing to stay closer to the city, but we're skeptical just based on our research so far.
I've generally known 75 to be better in light of the express lanes. 75 does get more semi traffic. What I'm certain of is both 75 and 400 are better than 85.
Dahlonega is very nice. It has a college, so of the mountain towns, parts of it felt a little more suburban to me? Not in a bad way, just perhaps a bit more planned. Best of luck on your house hunting trip, let me know if I can give you any guidance!
Does the GA-400 offer any kind of express / paid fast lanes?
I don't mind public transportation and agree with the benefits you're calling out. The biggest downside is that I can't comfortably engage in work business calls while in public (due to confidentiality, etc.) but I can easily do that while driving my own vehicle.
When I commute to work now, I take an average of 2 meetings each day while driving, which is time I don't have to make up for when I arrive to the office.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Serabit
Is the 400 corridor better than 75 during rush hour?
We've been to Blue Ridge before and liked it a lot. We're planning to check out Dahlonega next week and also drive around the Atlanta Metro neighborhoods. Who knows, we may end up choosing to stay closer to the city, but we're skeptical just based on our research so far.
I think you need a better perspective on how much you are looking at driving here.
Rhode Island is 47 miles wide. Blue Ridge to Buckhead is 70 miles. These are all straight shot distances, you can fact check me on Google Maps Measure Distance tool. It'll round close to these two figures. Driving will actually be longer, because straight roads don't exist in Georgia.
For three days a week, you are looking at driving about 3 Rhode Islands a day.
Your kids social life will suffer living in the rural Georgia. I know this because I'm young and active on social media, and I see a lot of minors (young teens and young college aged adults) struggling to meet people and make friends because there is literally no one their age in these towns in far north Georgia, southern, and central GA. Most people are older in these towns. Ask yourself if you are doing your kids favors uprooting them to an area where there will be so few children, let alone children they get along with while they are still developing. You probably already have an established social life built from decades of being alive, your kids don't have this. Most modern parents these days won't let their kids bike for a couple miles or so to meet with friends like I did growing up in the 00s, they will insist on driving their kids. Tell me if you are at work all day, then drive 4 hours, will you drive your kids to their friends house so they can have a social life? Or will it be dark already and you don't want your kids out of the house after dark? Will your partner be able to do that, or are they also commuting? Will you give them extended screen time so they can actually talk to their friends to make up for this?
Whatever hiking and outdoor opportunities you think being in the mountains will provide you with will go away after spending 12 hours a week in the car and then any yard maintenance, grocery shopping, cleaning and all other chores on top of child-rearing.
When I was driving Marietta to Union City, which is 40 miles (so half) each way in ATL, my afternoon commute was sometimes TWO HOURS ONE WAY in the car. That would be double the normal (45 minutes) because of one single car accident or semi-truck breakdown. I did this for a year so I know. My friend who drives McDonough to Buckhead (30 miles) spends close to two hours in the car on the way back, and that includes express lanes...
Atlanta is not a traditional Sunbelt city, and driving here is a lot more similar to a NE City. Unless you regularly commute in the SF Bay or LA, I wouldn't expect you to get this. Atlanta is quite a bit bigger than Seattle in population (Atlanta is bigger than Philadelphia and Miami now), and has just as many options to get around despite Seattle having valid (lakes and what not) reasons to restrict options. Atlanta has notoriously blocked nearly every freeway expansion to prevent it from looking like Dallas or Houston. And since Atlanta also chose not to expand it's subway at the same time, pays a significant price for this.
I would not live further than Canton or Cumming. Honestly. The other poster even said it's an hour and a half from Dahlonega to the MARTA (which I'm assuming is the North Springs terminus station), and then Marta the rest of the way.
The 400 corridor will be easier than I-75 or I-85 because there's no semis on it though.
I agree with the above post. You really need to come stay a week in Blue Ridge and do the drive at the same days/times you would be doing it if you move there. You also need to do it a couple of times in order to experience variations in traffic due to accidents and weather. You might find it eye-opening.
If you choose to do this, you absolutely MUST buy a Peach Pass, which you can use on the I-75 Express Lanes. The suggestion for Marta is great, but Marta only extends a few miles north of I-285 and then you are back in the car.
Thinking about the children's social lives is important. Do your research. Visit the schools they would attend. Check out the extracurricular offerings. What about AP classes in the high school? Visit neighborhoods that interest you and see how many kids are around. Blue Ridge to me has a hipster vibe (at least the downtown restaurant area does) and a retirement vibe. Not so much a thriving social center for kids and teens.
I think you need a better perspective on how much you are looking at driving here.
Rhode Island is 47 miles wide. Blue Ridge to Buckhead is 70 miles. These are all straight shot distances, you can fact check me on Google Maps Measure Distance tool. It'll round close to these two figures. Driving will actually be longer, because straight roads don't exist in Georgia.
For three days a week, you are looking at driving about 3 Rhode Islands a day.
Your kids social life will suffer living in the rural Georgia. I know this because I'm young and active on social media, and I see a lot of minors (young teens and young college aged adults) struggling to meet people and make friends because there is literally no one their age in these towns in far north Georgia, southern, and central GA. Most people are older in these towns. Ask yourself if you are doing your kids favors uprooting them to an area where there will be so few children, let alone children they get along with while they are still developing. You probably already have an established social life built from decades of being alive, your kids don't have this. Most modern parents these days won't let their kids bike for a couple miles or so to meet with friends like I did growing up in the 00s, they will insist on driving their kids. Tell me if you are at work all day, then drive 4 hours, will you drive your kids to their friends house so they can have a social life? Or will it be dark already and you don't want your kids out of the house after dark? Will your partner be able to do that, or are they also commuting? Will you give them extended screen time so they can actually talk to their friends to make up for this?
Whatever hiking and outdoor opportunities you think being in the mountains will provide you with will go away after spending 12 hours a week in the car and then any yard maintenance, grocery shopping, cleaning and all other chores on top of child-rearing.
When I was driving Marietta to Union City, which is 40 miles (so half) each way in ATL, my afternoon commute was sometimes TWO HOURS ONE WAY in the car. That would be double the normal (45 minutes) because of one single car accident or semi-truck breakdown. I did this for a year so I know. My friend who drives McDonough to Buckhead (30 miles) spends close to two hours in the car on the way back, and that includes express lanes...
Atlanta is not a traditional Sunbelt city, and driving here is a lot more similar to a NE City. Unless you regularly commute in the SF Bay or LA, I wouldn't expect you to get this. Atlanta is quite a bit bigger than Seattle in population (Atlanta is bigger than Philadelphia and Miami now), and has just as many options to get around despite Seattle having valid (lakes and what not) reasons to restrict options. Atlanta has notoriously blocked nearly every freeway expansion to prevent it from looking like Dallas or Houston. And since Atlanta also chose not to expand it's subway at the same time, pays a significant price for this.
I would not live further than Canton or Cumming. Honestly. The other poster even said it's an hour and a half from Dahlonega to the MARTA (which I'm assuming is the North Springs terminus station), and then Marta the rest of the way.
The 400 corridor will be easier than I-75 or I-85 because there's no semis on it though.
Thanks. My current commute is 30 miles, and it is well worth it. Sometimes it takes me 1 hour, sometimes it is 2 hours. I do realize that Buckhead to Blue Ridge would be double that amount, and that's exactly why I'm posting here and asking for other suggestions.
I'll be attempting that drive a couple of times next week, and I'd say there is a 60% chance right now that I'll immediately change my mind after it.
Seeing all the comments here definitely provides an interesting perspective and has been enlightening to an extent. If anything, it has helped me realize we're a very antisocial/introvert family by GA's definition. Haha.
We really keep to ourselves a lot, so it is very hard to relate to all the points about having a social life and/or weekday activities.
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