Chicago commutes (Skokie, Park Ridge, Addison: crime, neighborhoods, living)

[Alicia-chicago]

I just moved to Chicago and I am working in Libertyville. I'm young and I'd like to live where I can go out and have fun on weekends. A lot of people who I work with live downtown because they say its boring here in libertyville. I was thinking of having a happy medium without living too far in the downtown area. I was thinking of Skokie but I'm trying to figure out if that commute would kill me. I was also thinking of glenview but I'd like to live where I can commute to work and to fun without too much hassle. Any advice??
I was thinking I could drive to the metra Milwaukee line from skokie and then take it up to libertyville and then take a bus to work from there.

[hsw]

Easy drive from Chic to Libertyville...reverse vs traffic flow; can adjust departure time to avoid worst traffic...no surprise why many live in Chic, rather than in 'burbs if w/o kids...

Risks of being in closer suburbs (as opposed to City itself nr nightlife) incl DUI arrest/greater exposure to drunk drivers on-road leaving City at late hrs/crime risks of mass transit, esp at off-peak-hrs....

Seems like many suburb-based cos. that hope to attract younger, well-educated employees are having to reconsider their location vs interesting cities like Chic....'burbs only appeal to older workers w/families....

[Drover]

Don't let anyone tell you the "reverse commute" is easier. Maybe to the south and southwest suburbs, but not to anywhere else. It will be a bit of a tough slog from Skokie. Other alternatives to consider are the southern edge of Park Ridge and the Chicago neighborhoods of Oriole Park, Norwood Park, and O'Hare -- particularly along the Kennedy corridor. That way you have access to the CTA Blue Line at the Harlem, Cumberland and maybe Rosemont stops which will take you straight to some nightlife areas like Bucktown and Wicker Park or will connect you to bus routes to other nightlife areas; plus it runs 24/7. Also, you can hop right on the Tri-State Tollway from that area and it will take you staight to Libertyville.

[Alicia-chicago]

I was kind of hoping to be able to commute by train, wouldnt it be a super long commute and headache driving all the way to libertyville from there?

[jessiegirl_98]

As others suggested, there is no reverse commute, nor would it be an "easy ride." In Chicago, rush hour goes both ways. I ditto Drover's suggestions if you want to live closer to the city.

[jdiddy]

Originally Posted by Alicia-chicago

I was kind of hoping to be able to commute by train, wouldnt it be a super long commute and headache driving all the way to libertyville from there?

Well if there's a bus that stops near your office which makes a train commute possible, then why live in Skokie? Might as well live in the city itself.

[Drover]

Originally Posted by Alicia-chicago

I was kind of hoping to be able to commute by train, wouldnt it be a super long commute and headache driving all the way to libertyville from there?

Driving it would be a bit of a PITA, sure. But do you know if the office is close enough to the Libertyville train stop to make it practical to take the train?

And if the answer is "yes" then I revise my recommendation for places to live based on my earlier premise of having access to the Blue Line for your nightlife needs. I suggest looking in the city neighborhoods of Forest Glen and especially Mayfair. The closer to Montrose and the Kennedy Expressway, the better, since there is a Metra station on the line going to Libertyville and a CTA Blue Line station within a block of each other right at the intersection of Montrose and the expressway.

Old Irving Park is another possibility, somewhere in the "parallelogram" formed by Addison Avenue, Irving Park road, Milwaukee Avenue and the Kennedy Expressway. This gives you possible access to the Blue Line via the Addison or Irving Park stops and puts you close to the Metra stop at Milwaukee Avenue between Addison and Irving Park.