[JayCT]

That drive will take you about 30 minutes without traffic. Figure about 45 minutes during rush hour. These are back roads with a number of traffic lights so you should expect delays.

Route 178 goes over the mountain and I find it easier than Route 44. There is still a lot of traffic during rush hour there but not as bad as 44. Route 10 does not cross the mountain (it is a north-south road through the Valley) so I am not sure what you are asking about it. Route 10 is a commercial route with a lot of businesses on it. 178 and 185 are more residential. Jay

[hmarthur]

Thanks. I guess I meant Route 44. Google maps shows 10 as a continuation of 44. Would you consider 178 to be safer? I'm more worried my husband's possible commute than he is!

[JayCT]

Route 10 and 44 share a short section in Avon but 10 does not go over the mountain. I would say that 178 is safer since there is less traffic and has not had the horrible accidents that 44 has. You should note that a lot of people use these roads everyday and have no problems so I really wouldn't worry any more than you should if your husband were traveling on say I-84 or I-91. JMHO, Jay

[Uconn97]

I did this commute for years from the Manchester area, its closer to the 40 minute mark (of course depends on what time you leave home too) during working hours. In bad weather expect it to take longer. In the snow, it sometimes took me 1.5 to 2 hours to get home. I would say it is safer than 44, but in snow, even 185 gets slick quickly because of the slope up to the entrance to talcott mountain. Its not uncommon for 185 (or 44 for that matter) to be shut down during a snowstorm while they get trucks up there to salt and plow. 178 is fine, its Park Ave in Bloomfield and its a regular road with stop lights and normal stop and go.

With all that said, the commute isn't that bad. First, snow storms aren't all that often. Also, I quickly learned to plan ahead and I had several alternate routes home that avoided 185 and 44. They are way out of the way, but when the mountain is closed you don't have much choice. Other things I did was save a few personal days throughout the year - in the event of a bad storm I would just take the day off so I wouldn't have to deal with the traffic. Also, if snow was coming, I would just check with my manager and leave a few hours early.

I'm sure there were more, but in the 5 years I worked in simsbury I think there was only 1 car accident that i can recall on 185.