[eagles89]

Hi everyone. New to the forums, and Connecticut, and would really value your advice. If my wife and I have jobs in Ridgefield and New Haven (not guaranteed yet, but possible), where would you live? Is there anywhere between those two towns that would let both of us have a reasonable (meaning: less than 45 minutes each way) commute? Or are they too far apart? I can't figure out where we could live. Forget budget for now--I haven't figured out if it's feasible regardless of budget.

Would really appreciate any advice you could offer.

[kidyankee764]

I'd suggest you focus on the Trumbull/Fairfield/Shelton/Stratford area.

[eagles89]

How would you get to Ridgefield? The Merritt or I-84? New Haven feels like the easy part. Ridgefield just seems to be in the middle of nowhere. Is there a good way of getting to it?

[Stylo]

If you live between NH and Ridgefield you'd be using the Merritt to get to Exit 42 in Westport likely, then shooting up 57 to 7. Which isn't terrible and there are backroads you can take to skip the traffic. I do that stretch of the Merritt every day. If there's traffic, it usually starts around Exit 46 in Fairfield (there's no Exits 44 or 43, it's one of those Merritt quirks).

You say forget budget, but budget matters a lot. Generally, the closer to Ridgefield in that scenario the more expensive. Buying, renting? The towns directly southeast of Ridgefield have very few rentals.

Closer to New Haven, you could do Milford, Stratford, Shelton. Closer to Ridgefield perhaps Monroe, Fairfield, Trumbull, Easton.

[kidyankee764]

Originally Posted by eagles89

How would you get to Ridgefield? The Merritt or I-84? New Haven feels like the easy part. Ridgefield just seems to be in the middle of nowhere. Is there a good way of getting to it?

If you live in Trumbull, then the Merritt to exit 41 I believe to get to Ridgefield. To get to New Haven, Merritt north to the Milford Parkway (connector to 95) to 95N.

[Stylo]

Exit 42 is best to get to Ridgefield. 57>7.

[kidyankee764]

Originally Posted by Stylo

Exit 42 is best to get to Ridgefield. 57>7.

Yes, thank you - that was the exit I meant.

[bruuklin]

So it sounds like this is more doable than I've been thinking it would be, especially if we were coming from Trumbull which I think we could afford. What is 57 like? And I think she would be in the northern side of ridgefield, near danbury, so I wonder how much of a difference that would make.

[kidyankee764]

Originally Posted by bruuklin

So it sounds like this is more doable than I've been thinking it would be, especially if we were coming from Trumbull which I think we could afford. What is 57 like? And I think she would be in the northern side of ridgefield, near danbury, so I wonder how much of a difference that would make.

That would make a big difference actually.

In that case, I would suggest looking into a town like Monroe. From Monroe, the Ridgefield-bound can take 84 to exit 3 (or 2, depending on where in Ridgefield) and the New Haven bound can take either RT34 or RT15 to 95.

Oxford is another suggestion.

[Stylo]

Boehringer, perchance?