Native Austinite – Is the future of traffic really this bleak? (Georgetown: apartments, rent)

[Danbo1957]

Originally Posted by centralaustinite

85% of all I35 traffic is local. getting rid of through traffic won't help much.

At 2pm to 6:30pm on a weekday, sitting at a coffee shop on the access road of IH35 at 35th, I watched a thousand 18-wheelers go by. Getting them off of IH35 through the city during daylight hours would alone make a huge difference...

[Aquitaine]

For those of you that live here and are planning on staying, how do you envision coping with the future mess of Austin's traffic?

Moving closer in. The mid- and outer burbs are great if you don't work centrally. The traffic never bothered us coming into Austin socially. Get your commute in order, either by living close to your job or to the train or somewhere with decent bike access, and don't worry about the rest.

I drove from far SW Austin (almost to Hays county) up to Lamar north of Rundberg today and back again. It was in between rush hour (about 11AM to 1 PM) and traffic was just fine. Just get yourself out of a rush hour commute and it's manageable.

[CptnRn]

Originally Posted by centralaustinite

25 years here, we live central and do most everything within a 5 mile radius. I know many different ways to get where ever I need to go. The only time traffic really stresses me out is when I have to go somewhere far away and unfamiliar during peak traffic time.

85% of all I35 traffic is local. getting rid of through traffic won't help much.

Originally Posted by Danbo1957

At 2pm to 6:30pm on a weekday, sitting at a coffee shop on the access road of IH35 at 35th, I watched a thousand 18-wheelers go by. Getting them off of IH35 through the city during daylight hours would alone make a huge difference...

I seriously doubt that you actually counted a thousand, wouldn't that be amazing, such a large round number.

But the fact is, centralaustinite is correct, most of the 18-wheelers you did see are making deliveries inside the city limits. So they would not be using the bypass regardless. Around 85% of the traffic you see at IH35 &35th is generated inside the metroplex, with origins and destinations inside the metroplex.

[LiveUrban]

I live within biking distance of most places I need to go and am close to some good bus routes. I only drive my car if going outside of Central Austin (which doesn't happen too often)

[riaelise]

I'm not an Austin native, live in the outer burbs. I've stopped dealing with traffic for almost five years. I take Metrorail. It can be a PITA sometimes and as I've said before, people turn douchey when riding public transportation, but it is worth it knowing that my commute is the same 5 days a week, rain or shine. No bumper to bumper traffic, no fretting about getting home during a rainstorm. I don't mind walking the half mile to work since it is mitigated by not having to pay for parking either.

And I don't even need to live close to the train either (thereby paying inflated prices)... a quick ten minutes and I'm at the train station every day. I work downtown, that can't change. Living close to downtown just doesn't work for our needs as a family, plus my husband works north. I'm the odd person out working downtown. I don't mind commuting by train..I'm a New YOrker, I took my first steps on a subway. Commuting is in my blood, so I don't get all bent out of shape about having to ride for a half hour. Work is the only time I'd be affected by commuting, since all of my other needs are easily met in the north side of town or in the suburbs.

If the train gets to be too crowded for my liking, I'll just drive to Tech Ridge and get the Metrorapid. I don't care how long it takes, as long as I'm not driving.

[Tams here]

Originally Posted by riaelise

I'm not an Austin native, live in the outer burbs. I've stopped dealing with traffic for almost five years. I take Metrorail. It can be a PITA sometimes and as I've said before, people turn douchey when riding public transportation, but it is worth it knowing that my commute is the same 5 days a week, rain or shine. No bumper to bumper traffic, no fretting about getting home during a rainstorm. I don't mind walking the half mile to work since it is mitigated by not having to pay for parking either.

And I don't even need to live close to the train either (thereby paying inflated prices)... a quick ten minutes and I'm at the train station every day. I work downtown, that can't change. Living close to downtown just doesn't work for our needs as a family, plus my husband works north. I'm the odd person out working downtown. I don't mind commuting by train..I'm a New YOrker, I took my first steps on a subway. Commuting is in my blood, so I don't get all bent out of shape about having to ride for a half hour. Work is the only time I'd be affected by commuting, since all of my other needs are easily met in the north side of town or in the suburbs.

If the train gets to be too crowded for my liking, I'll just drive to Tech Ridge and get the Metrorapid. I don't care how long it takes, as long as I'm not driving.

My son was lamenting tonight how awful it was to have to drive to/from downtown for work this week. Lives off Lakeline and rides metrorail regularly. Absolutely loves the no traffic grind, the reliability, a relaxing ride and 50% off monthly pass perk. No griping about the mile walk to work, either. I, on the other hand, am at my wits end with my commute home aound 7p up Mopac two or three nights a week. It never used to be so bad.....

[Tams here]

no fretting about getting home during a rainstorm. >>>>

Oh and this made me chuckle as I know the feeling all too well. The gloom and doom of a drive home after work in the rain. I always dread it!

[sojourner77]

Originally Posted by CptnRn

I seriously doubt that you actually counted a thousand, wouldn't that be amazing, such a large round number.

But the fact is, centralaustinite is correct, most of the 18-wheelers you did see are making deliveries inside the city limits. So they would not be using the bypass regardless. Around 85% of the traffic you see at IH35 &35th is generated inside the metroplex, with origins and destinations inside the metroplex.

With the proper incentives, you can change any negative behavior. When I sit in traffic on 35, the vast majority of commuters I see next to me are sitting in the car by themselves. Tolling I-35 will change that bad habit very quickly. The 18-wheelers cause traffic because of the rolling hills in along the 35 corridor in Austin. They stop at the "troughs" along 35 during rush hour, then put it low gear and climb the hills going 15 mph, and it's causing the backups at places like Walnut Creek, Cannon and the Slaughter Creek Overpass. Any I-35 fix needs to include cutting into the hillsides and leveling of the freeway like they have done along 360, and 71 near the airport.

[AuburnAL]

Originally Posted by Tams here

no fretting about getting home during a rainstorm. >>>>

Oh and this made me chuckle as I know the feeling all too well. The gloom and doom of a drive home after work in the rain. I always dread it!

Why do people here become even worse drivers after it rains anyways?

[sojourner77]

Originally Posted by AuburnAL

Why do people here become even worse drivers after it rains anyways?

Because it only rains like 4 days out of the year in Austin, so when it does, it's biblical. So people are out of their element here, unlike the PNW where drizzly rain is par for the course.