Commute from Downtown Chicago to Bensenville?

[nana053]

Originally Posted by jimitkr

I've grown up in urban areas my whole life (big buildings, lots of people, hundreds of restaurants, car horns and the like).

After two decades living like that, you instantly notice the lack of activity when you land in the suburbs. You have to drive 1.5 miles just to pick up a gallon of milk. Everything is so quiet, there's no people around and the silence after dusk is unbearable for me. Spent my last 6 years all in the suburbs (Albuquerque, Virginia, Ohio)

This is the first time i'm gonna make enough money to afford a 1 BR in ANY downtown area. Most probably we'll do it. Wife is on board too

One thing to realize is that Chicago suburbs (at least the close in ones) are not as quiet as what you experienced elsewhere.

Evanston is quite bustling and depending on where you live you can walk to everything including grocery stores and libraries and bars and the beach.

I never actually had to drive though I usually did for groceries because carrying a large load of groceries on my bike was not so easy especially when I had young children. We walked or biked to the library, the beach, downtown stores though.

[CCrest182]

Originally Posted by nana053

One thing to realize is that Chicago suburbs (at least the close in ones) are not as quiet as what you experienced elsewhere.

Evanston is quite bustling and depending on where you live you can walk to everything including grocery stores and libraries and bars and the beach.

I never actually had to drive though I usually did for groceries because carrying a large load of groceries on my bike was not so easy especially when I had young children. We walked or biked to the library, the beach, downtown stores though.

Very true... La Grange and Western Springs are both the same way... you can walk everywhere if you wanted to, there's sidewalk everywhere, and you will see people walking about as well. Especially suburbs with good downtown areas, you can walk to restaurants, bars, shops, the train station, grocery store... you name it. Not to mention, there is noise, due to how dense the suburb is. You can hear train horns, traffic from the busy roads off in the distance, kids playing.... you name it. Chicago definitely has suburbs (primarily inner ring suburbs) that almost feel like residential neighborhoods in the city sometimes; slower than the city yes, but there's still great walkability, it's dense, and there is still a lot going on.

[aga412]

Originally Posted by damba

I would argue that area is significantly less desirable than Lincoln Park (parts closer to the lake), hence not worth it since it’s an even crappier commute (too many possible intermediate steps in the journey to work).

Okay. Ukrainian Village area is an up-and-coming 'hood with a lot of cool stuff to do and is really close to downtown.

[CCrest182]

Originally Posted by aga412

Okay. Ukrainian Village area is an up-and-coming 'hood with a lot of cool stuff to do and is really close to downtown.

Yup. The west side is the gentrification target for hipsters. Specifically, they want Humboldt Park, Garfield Park, and eventually Douglass Park too. They want these parks and the areas around them to become the new Lincoln Park. Lincoln Park is awesome but the development and growth is happening on the inner west side, slowly moving outward. Wouldn't be surprised if gentrification reaches all the way from downtown to Oak Park in 15-30 years.

[pureistheword]

My job is near Rosemont but go to Bensonville for gas from time to time before work (as it can sometimes be 50 cents cheaper per gallon than northside, I paid 2.97 a few days back).
If the Kennedy is clogged, taking Irving Park Road straight west might be a viable alternative

[pvande55]

I once did part of my commute on the Milwaukee West, from River Grove. I can assure you that many make the rail commute westbound to Bensenville. Yes, the weakest link of rail commuting is the "last miles." Some got rides from the station, a few stationed bicycles there, one even used a scooter. Still beats driving. The Kennedy express lanes go the wrong way, and the Ike is no better. If you aren't insane when you started driving that way, you will be in a year.

[DMChicago]

I did the Lincoln Park(Wrightwood/Sheffield) to BVille commute for 8 years ended in 2012.

I mostly went Fullerton-Grand-Mannheim-Franklin/Green St where my job was.

IIRC, I would leave between 6:45 - 7 AM and make it by 8 most days.

If I was wanting to be in early, I could take the Kennedy if I left at 6 or 6:15. Pretty quick.

Coming home, I mostly reversed my morning route. If I checked traffic before leaving and the Kennedy was fast-ish, I'd take it. Sometimes I won, sometimes I lost.

Probably avg. was 1 - 1:15 home. Sometimes 2 hours....

Now I live in Austin and work from home. Bliss.