Waltham to Charlestown commute (Boston, Somerville: neighborhood, moving to, rail)

[ksubramz]

Hello forum,

We are in the process of moving to North Waltham ( Hardy pond area ). My work is in Charlestown. I have researched about the commuting options and it looks like a shorter, more direct commute is to drive to my work.

The route involves
* Waltham St to Route 2
* Route 2 till Alewife station
* Broadway St to Charlestown

Google maps link - http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&sadd...,0.064974&z=15

The good part about my work is it's flexible, so that I can leave after rush hour. My questions are

i) How bad is Route 2 ( from waltham to alewife ) around 10-12 AM ? If it takes long, a better option for me is to use commuter rail from Waltham to North Station.

ii) Is there a better road than broadway to charlestown?

Any insights appreciated.

[goyguy]

It's a more circuitous way, but here's how we locals would go from the Alewife rotary.
Instead of turning off Route 16 at Broadway, make a right turn at Mass. Ave instead, then go left just ahead of the trackless-trolley "barns" onto Cameron. At the end of Cameron, turn right on Holland St into Davis Square, at the far end of which you should go left onto Cutter Ave. That's a blocklong street connecting two one-ways; at the other end of the block you'll want to turn right on Highland Ave. Highland runs parallel to Broadway but with significantly fewer signaled intersections and lighter traffic. It will merge into the 4-6-lane McGrath/O'Brien highway at a Sunoco station. Zip into the left-turn lane, because you'll soon want to turn onto Cross St. Cross St will take you to Broadway just a few blocks northwest of Sullivan Sq, the boundary of Somerville and Boston (Charlestown.)

The MBTA is as popular as it is in part because of these kinds of zigzag routes people who drive are compelled to take! Waltham's commuter rail station isn't close by your neighborhood, and parking is scarce, but if you can get dropped off and picked up there I'd say go for it. If your workplace is in City Square or along Constitution Wharf, that's close enough to walk from North Station once the weather improves.

[miu]

There won't be any traffic at all on Route 2 after rush hour (10am-noon). I'd also be tempted to go from the Alewife area to Storrow Drive to Charlestown because you'd skip a lot of traffic lights. My second choice would be Alewife to Route 16 to I-93 south into Boston/Charlestown. But sometimes I-93 near Boston gets cloggy. For me, it's all about avoiding as many traffic signals as possible and less about the actual shortest mileage.

[ksubramz]

Hi Guys

I am thankful for the responses. Yes, when it's the worst of the days, the traffic lights make the commute around a hour..

I have taken miu's suggestion and doing 2->16->93 .. I haven't had stoppages at 93, just moving heaving traffic which is fine.. Since the drive is only around 2-3 miles, it's not much.