Need local input on commute times (Downers Grove-Naperville) (Chicago, Bolingbrook: travel, job)

[dbaMommy]

Hi everyone. My husband's job is transferring from Southern California to Downers Grove. We have been reading and searching through all of the many posts in the Chicago Suburbs forum. All of the information (and lovely photos) have been so helpful and informative.

Currently my husband's commute is 60-90 minutes depending on traffic covering 35 miles. We're hoping to reduce his commute in half when we move.

In doing preliminary research (before our first trip out to house hunt next month) we've narrowed down our interest in housing/schools to the Naperville area we believe.

We have calculated commute times to neighborhoods using mapquest/google maps etc. For example one home is located near the intersections of 111 St. and the 59 in Naperville with a calculated commute of 35 minutes to his new office in Downers Grove near Highland Pkwy. Does that sounds like an accurate calculation?

In our area the time calculations with the online map service providers often do not reflect accurate travel time. The delays are often double the time calculated online. We're trying to determine if certain areas would provide for the commute time we'd ideally prefer.

We would appreciate any of your local expertise you can share.

[ahava]

In my experience, the times given by Google Maps are surprisingly accurate. PM rush hours are always worse than AM ones so if Google said 35 mins, it will probably be close to an hour at that time.

[acdevane]

Downers Grove to Naperville is all good. There are numerous routes to take to avoid major traffic depending on the hours you are traveling. Certainly doable!!

[dbaMommy]

Thanks so much for taking the time to reply and for the info. It will be so refreshing to not have to deal with Los Angeles and Orange County traffic anymore.

[Incognito Mosquito]

Dba, I live off 111th in Bolingbrook just east of where you're looking. I'd say 35 minutes is a good estimate for the commute you describe. His best bet would probably be to take 111th to Weber to 55 to 355 to 88 both coming and going. Route 59 to 88 may look like the simple route but trust me, you want no part of Route 59 in rush hour, especially PM.

Like ahava, my experience with Google Maps is that the travel times in the Chicago area have been fairly accurate, but add at least 10-15 minutes to anything they say for Route 59 in rush hour.