Is living in the city worth the long commute?

[jessiegirl_98]

I have friends who commuted from lakeview to schaumburg and while they were allowed to set hours (left around 5am and came back around 2), they were pretty miserable (But did it for a year!)
It's up to you... I couldn't do it!

[Fishtacos]

Depends on lifestyle you seek. It is not the same living in the burbs or the city, they are two very different things. It's stressful etc...and not something to do for a very long time. It's certainly possible and doable.

If it were me, I'd see if I could live somewhere with a better route to work but still urban if that is what you wanted. Otherwise you would have to ask yourself is this job in this area most important, or where you live etc...etc...and prioritize your list of importances. And change one...i.e. job in or near the city, or live in or near a burb.

Everyone is different, I do believe the quality of life from a commute like that would wear you down over time, regardless of your stamina and desire. I do believe long term you would need to adjust your living situation or work situation.

[Manigault]

I did Chicago to Schaumburg for 10 years. It definitely takes someone who likes to drive.

[DonkeyTeeth]

If you like to drive and your social life revolves around the city, its easy to rationalize. If neither of those things are true, the 'worth' to you might be hard to find.

[NYrules]

Absolutley NO WAY would I want that life style of commuting for hours on end everyday. Chicago is famous for shutting down every major aterial road/freeway to get around on every spring. I work for a trucking Co and have to constantly figure out ways for our trucks to get around all the construction, which isn't easy. I swear, if all the roads were open and operating at their designed capacity I don't think the travel times would be that bad anywhere around here, but I swear every April IDOT sits down and figures out how they can grind all traffic around the city to a hault.

I always said if they would just tear up one road at a time and put all their men on that one project and then move to the next, things would move much better, but not in IL. Here they set up barrels for 10 miles on every interstate and on major surface road blocking one or in some cases two lanes of traffic to work in an area 10 feet wide and 20 feet long where 10 guys are standing around with picks and shovels in their hands watching one guy do all the work! AHHHH, IL construction crews gotta love em. At least that is the way it seems. None the less, it is very frustrating to get around in this area. Too much construction, too many signals none of which are timed with eachother, and too many idiot drivers out there.