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I drive from the north central area to UT which is almost downtown, right? I take the inner arterials - Burnet Rd, 45th and Red River. Takes me about 20 minutes mostly because of red lights. Without any lights, it would probably take around 10. It used to be a breeze but ever since "the great influx" traffic conditions are a little more crazy, ie speeders, abrupt lane changers, etc.
Where do you live and how long does it take you in rush hour traffic? Do you always go the same way?
Any additional insight on your particular drive?...specific roads or highways (including the good, bad and ugly), morning vs. evening rush, etc? TIA.
I love these threads. This is the fun part where everyone comes in here and lies to you and says it takes "15 minutes" to get downtown from X. It's amazing how we have warp-speed, traffic penetrating car/jets here in Austin. It takes 15 minutes from Circle C, 15 minutes from Cedar Park, 15 minutes from Steiner Ranch, etc.
I live right downtown a few blocks from Barton Springs, and it takes me 15 minutes to actually get from my door to downtown even though I'm exactly 1 mile away. From Cedar Park it will take you over an hour regardless of what people are about to tell you, unless you leave at 5:30am. It also takes an hour from Circle C.
I live right downtown a few blocks from Barton Springs, and it takes me 15 minutes to actually get from my door to downtown even though I'm exactly 1 mile away. From Cedar Park it will take you over an hour regardless of what people are about to tell you, unless you leave at 5:30am. It also takes an hour from Circle C.
The above is not entirely accurate and I've been commuting from NW Round Rock/Cedar Park for the last 5 years. If I leave before 6:40am then it really could only take me about 30 to 35 minutes in the morning. If I leave between 6:45am and 7:15am, it will take between 45 minutes to an hour and 15 minutes depending on traffic that day.
When heading back home, if I leave the dowtown area between 4:30 and 5:30, it will normally take just under an hour. There are some days where it takes 40 minutes and others when it takes an hour and 15 minutes. It really depends on the day. It has become almost impossible to predict if you commute during actual rush hour. I think it all depends on where exactly you live and your proximity to whatever freeway/roads you have to take. For example, my address is in Round Rock, but it takes me 20 to 25 minutes to get to the Dell Diamond in Round Rock due to traffic and the fact that it's on the complete opposite side of town.
Normally the traffic gets lighter during the summer when the schools and Universities aren't in session, but for whatever reason, traffic has remained pretty heavy this summer in comparison to previous summers. And as far as my route goes, I either take I-35 the whole way or Parmer to MoPac. Both routes seem to end up taking about the same amount of time.
The above is not entirely accurate and I've been commuting from NW Round Rock/Cedar Park for the last 5 years. If I leave before 6:40am then it really could only take me about 30 to 35 minutes in the morning. If I leave between 6:45am and 7:15am, it will take between 45 minutes to an hour and 15 minutes depending on traffic that day.
When heading back home, if I leave the dowtown area between 4:30 and 5:30, it will normally take just under an hour. There are some days where it takes 40 minutes and others when it takes an hour and 15 minutes. It really depends on the day. It has become almost impossible to predict if you commute during actual rush hour. I think it all depends on where exactly you live and your proximity to whatever freeway/roads you have to take. For example, my address is in Round Rock, but it takes me 20 to 25 minutes to get to the Dell Diamond in Round Rock due to traffic and the fact that it's on the complete opposite side of town.
Normally the traffic gets lighter during the summer when the schools and Universities aren't in session, but for whatever reason, traffic has remained pretty heavy this summer in comparison to previous summers. And as far as my route goes, I either take I-35 the whole way or Parmer to MoPac. Both routes seem to end up taking about the same amount of time.
Wow, kudos, that is a brave drive! Interesting to me that it is longer in the monring vs. evening as I'm used to the opposite coming from Denver. This is good insight though.
Quote:
Originally Posted by buffettjr
I love these threads. This is the fun part where everyone comes in here and lies to you and says it takes "15 minutes" to get downtown from X. It's amazing how we have warp-speed, traffic penetrating car/jets here in Austin. It takes 15 minutes from Circle C, 15 minutes from Cedar Park, 15 minutes from Steiner Ranch, etc.
I live right downtown a few blocks from Barton Springs, and it takes me 15 minutes to actually get from my door to downtown even though I'm exactly 1 mile away. From Cedar Park it will take you over an hour regardless of what people are about to tell you, unless you leave at 5:30am. It also takes an hour from Circle C.
YES, I agree, how long it takes you should represent the entirety of your commute, door to door. I'm envious of your situation though living so close and in such a great area.
People tend to forget the door to highway and highway to door portion of their commute and just think of the highway portion. Truthfully, though, exactly how far you live from the highway (time-wise) will be a big portion of your commute to downtown (at least, much of the time).
From my driveway in SW Austin to my parking area at my office near Barton Creek Mall, it takes me 15-20 minutes typically (7:30 or earlier), although it can be as short as 10 minutes and as long as 30+ during bad rush hour times. This distance is just under 6 miles. I exit MoPac north at 360 and there is A LOT of volume, even early, heading into the downtown area, so all I can tell you is that it will take quite a bit more than 20 minutes to get from SW Austin (from near the Slaughter HEB) to downtown, especially if you consider the time it takes you to get to parking.
I'm in the Pemberton neighborhood so I'm pretty close already, but it takes me about 10 minutes from my driveway to 6th & Congress. I almost always take Lamar and that's not too bad before 8am, although it can get crowded in the afternoon going back north.
Until her retirement in 2004, my wife commuted from Brushy Creek to the Exchange Building on Crosspark (just north of the main US Post Office in NE Austin above 290). Leaving about 6:25 AM, she would travel via 620, I-35, Rundberg, Cameron Road, and walk in to the office by 7 AM.
The return trip at 4:30 PM always took 45 minutes.
YES, I agree, how long it takes you should represent the entirety of your commute, door to door. I'm envious of your situation though living so close and in such a great area.
Thanks, but it is certainly not without its sacrifices too! I live in a small 2-1 that is just over 1,000 square feet and was bought as a fixer upper. I could have a much bigger and newer house further out for the same price.
Anyway, sometimes I play basketball somewhere close to I-35 and 45th street, and it takes me almost one hour to go from I-35 and 290/71/BenWhite (the south 290) up to that location.
And I certainly agree with the prior person that traffic is very different in the summer when most of the schools and universities are mostly closed down.
I drive all over Austin at different times daily and have a pretty good barometer as to how long it takes to get from one place to another.
I don't think it's a question of "how long will it take?" so much as a question of "how much time should I budget if I never want to be late?" The latter number is much larger if you care about promptness.
I hate being late. I can't stand it. So I generally tack on about 10-20 minutes flex time for appointments, depending on the time of day. Often I'm too early and kill time checking email on my phone and returning calls.
But Austin travel times have become extremely unpredictable over the past 10 years. If I need to meet someone in Avery Ranch at 5PM coming from downtown, I'm allowing an hour+. I might make it in 30 minutes or it might take 1:15. It only takes one fender bender on Mopac or 183 to gum up traffic real bad.
If you check Google Maps from Steiner to downtown, it says 34 minutes. No way I'd leave for work every day allowing only 34 minutes. I'd budget an hour, get there 15-20 minutes early almost every day, and just make sure I have a productive way to use up that slack time.
That said, I still here from a lot of people who move here from bigger cities who think our traffic is mild in comparison.
Steve
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