Rosedale? (Gonzales, Donaldsonville, Plaquemine: real estate, apartments, to rent)

[Bama1]

How close is this to Elayn Hunt Prison? My husband is going to be working there, and he has decided that he wants to rent a house, after he looked at the apartments we had been planning on. I found a nice house on some land there.

[BRMan]

Originally Posted by Bama1

How close is this to Elayn Hunt Prison? My husband is going to be working there, and he has decided that he wants to rent a house, after he looked at the apartments we had been planning on. I found a nice house on some land there.

Not very close. And you'd have to fight traffic on the "new bridge" of I-10. Then make a long commute down Nicholson/LA 30 through LSU and points beyond. Instead, you may want to look at housing in St Gabriel, Gonzales, or Prairieville. I think Gonzales/Prairieville would be better because they're more suburban and not next door to chemical plants like you'd be in St Gabriel.

[Bama1]

Thanks. That's what I was afraid of. Prairieville is EXPENSIVE! And I'm just not fond of the subdivisions. That's why I was originally looking to live downtown when we decide to buy. What is the commute like from downtown? I assume he would be going against traffic?

[MetroBTR]

You could try renting in Port Allen/Brusly/Addis areas if you need to find an affordable rent house. Rosedale is great if you can afford to build your own nice house or if you inherited a plantation house, but other than that, the housing inventory sucks.

[BRMan]

Originally Posted by Bama1

Thanks. That's what I was afraid of. Prairieville is EXPENSIVE! And I'm just not fond of the subdivisions. That's why I was originally looking to live downtown when we decide to buy. What is the commute like from downtown? I assume he would be going against traffic?

He would, although I-10 has wrecks/traffic snarls from time to time. And for some reason, every Friday afternoon starting about 3, I-10 going into town (which is how your husband would likely have to go) backs up from Bluebonnet/Siegen.

Brusly/Addis has been mentioned as an option. Real estate is affordable, but, again, the "new bridge" can have traffic tie ups from time to time. Keep in mind when I referred you to Gonzales/Prairieville, Prairieville is more expensive suburbia, but Gonzales is more affordable. And to the east/south of Gonzales are St Amant and Sorreno, which would be more affordable.

[darylwi]

Depending on your work hours, there's always the Plaquemine Ferry. It'll take a while getting used to the running schedule and also timing your departure to coincide with the ferry. Not to mention there are days where the ferry is running slow or not at all because of fog, mechanical service, etc. From Rosedale, I wouldn't depend on the ferry. At least in Plaquemine, you can check it out, and then if it's running late or not at all, you can opt for either the I-10 or Sunshine Bridge (in Donaldsonville) worst case. If I was looking for house for the sake of land, the westside of the river is a good place to look. On the east side, maybe look south of Gonzales, Sorrento, St. Amant areas. The commute really shouldn't be bad from there to Hunt. I do agree, Prairieville has gotten way to suburban for my taste.
But if you are willing to commute, be assured that there are many people living on the westbank that commute to BTR and chem plants in East Ascension. I just wouldn't if I could avoid it.

[southland]

traffic on I-10 bridge isn't nearly as bad as the drive from Prarieville. A lot of people are afraid of the bridge....it's really not quite as bad as everyone thinks...but that can remain a secret for all I care.

Still, you are looking at at least an hour commute just because it's a long distance.

[BRMan]

Originally Posted by southland

traffic on I-10 bridge isn't nearly as bad as the drive from Prarieville. A lot of people are afraid of the bridge....it's really not quite as bad as everyone thinks...but that can remain a secret for all I care.

Still, you are looking at at least an hour commute just because it's a long distance.

You ever seen those afternoon traffic cams that show crawling traffic on the new bridge ?

Anyway, you're right about the Prairieville traffic being awful (actually, I-12 to Denham is worse, but anyway...), but in the case of the OP, the employment is in St Gabriel. Meaning you deal with Nicholson/LA 30 and LA 74. And NOT I-10 unless you choose to live at the edge of the Atchafalaya.

[darylwi]

But traffic is historically worse coming into BTR on the new bridge in the afternoons. Of course, it's been pretty bad westbound through the city the last several weeks, but if you're downtown, or get on the bridge from downtown, traffic is usually moving pretty well westbound by that point, unless there's an accident or the basin is closed.
I lived in Plaquemine for years until about 5 years ago, and I'd much rather take my chances crossing the river than commuting to Ascension or Livingston every day. But that's just my opinion.
Get ready for school to start back up. Traffic is always bad the first few weeks of schools and universities starting back up.

[BRMan]

Originally Posted by darylwi

But traffic is historically worse coming into BTR on the new bridge in the afternoons. Of course, it's been pretty bad westbound through the city the last several weeks, but if you're downtown, or get on the bridge from downtown, traffic is usually moving pretty well westbound by that point, unless there's an accident or the basin is closed.
I lived in Plaquemine for years until about 5 years ago, and I'd much rather take my chances crossing the river than commuting to Ascension or Livingston every day. But that's just my opinion.
Get ready for school to start back up. Traffic is always bad the first few weeks of schools and universities starting back up.

I still think, though that if your work is in St Gabriel, you're better off finding something in Iberville or Ascension. The other day I was riding my bike in River Road around the Plaq ferry, and I was impressed not only with the isolation, but also the concentration of housing along that stretch of River Road. That to me is a way better deal than dealing with I-10 west, I-10 to the split, the new bridge, Nicholson, I-10 between the 110 and 12 split, and so forth.