[sactown024]

Hey everyone, first time poster here. My wife and I have decided to move to CT/NY as she accepted a great job opportunity in Westchester County (Somers, NY). We have spent the last 3 days searching for places to stay, mainly in CT since Westchester seemed to be way to expensive especially since we are moving from NH. After a long and disappointing hunt we finally found a wonderful place in Danbury, CT.

2 questions -

how is Danbury as a city? safe? traffic? close to shopping malls, groceries? etc...RT 7 seemed very congested!

How is the traffic when commuting from Danbury to Westchester and Westchester to Danbury during busy hours?

We were driving home from Danbury last night and the traffic going back into CT was horrible around 430, I am wondering if this is mainly due to the holiday or because this is how it always is. Also google maps shows it only being 38 min to somers if you take 202 and avoid 84 and 684 completely, I never been on 202 before, is it congested?

Our apartment budget is $1300/mo max and it has to be a 2 bdrm, the place we found in Danbury is amazing, huge, clean, hardwood floors, modern etc. I am wondering if there is a reason its this cheap, is it a bad area? The apartment is on South st.

[NewHavensFinest]

Danbury is an ok place. Not the worst, not the best. Its a college town and is a bit on the urban side.

Hate to tell you, but theres always traffic on 84 and the merritt parkway.

A job I had recently required me to drive all over CT during the day, and its unbearable pretty much all times of the day until its dark.

There are parts of 84 where it does move quick, same thing with the merritt.

the merritt is GOD awful nowadays with traffic from pretty much trumbull all the way west.

the merritt is a scenic route that is very nice to drive on, but theres just too many people driving and its not enjoyable at all......

Expect an accident and a ten+ mile traffic jam everyday because someone flipped and rolled their SUV while they were on their phone

[sactown024]

What is the Merritt? Is that the same thing as 202?

[NewHavensFinest]

the merritt parkway, Rt.15., also wilbur cross highway.

[sportsfan2]

684 and 95 arent awful based on what ive seen but the merritt and84 are a mess

[7express]

84 is better then 95. The only part of 84 that sucks is outside from Waterbury when it merges into 2 lanes and during rush hour from the 684/84 merge to about exit 6 in Danbury. otherwise, its a fine highway, rather take that then 95 or the Merritt (CT route 15).
202 is your regular US road. Back road not a lot of lights, 40 to 45 mph speed limit, a better version of route 1.

Danbury sort of a college town. The college is in 2 campus. The midtown campus is right in downtown where the main governmental buildings are (train station/bus station court house a couple diners a CVS, etc). The westside campus is on the westside which is the more urban area of the city. Pretty close to the airport (pretty much due north) and also the mall. Plenty of restaurants near the Mall: Red Lobster, Buffalo Wild Wings, Chuck E Cheese's for kids.

Not exactly sure where South street is, however. If I THINK I know where it is, it's down in the Southeast of town pretty close to the Bethel border. Not the best area, but certainly not the worse, there's much worse places to live in Danbury then that area. About 10 minutes from the court house and bus station on White Street, 5 from the train station. About 15-20 from the mall.

[sportsfan2]

[quote=7express;27540902]84 is better then 95. The only part of 84 that sucks is outside from Waterbury when it merges into 2 lanes and during rush hour from the 684/84 merge to about exit 6 in Danbury. otherwise, its a fine highway, rather take that then 95 or the Merritt (CT route 15).
202 is your regular US road. Back road not a lot of lights, 40 to 45 mph speed limit, a better version of route 1.

95 north from milford (exit 35) to new haven (i-91 junction) has been just fine. since i moved to ct about a week ago, will it be this way during rush hour all the time or has this been light traffic due to the holidays

[sactown024]

Okay well I wasn't even considering 95 or the merrit since 202 will take us right into somers, NY. does 202 get backed up or is it pretty smooth sailing?

[sportsfan2]

Originally Posted by sactown024

Okay well I wasn't even considering 95 or the merrit since 202 will take us right into somers, NY. does 202 get backed up or is it pretty smooth sailing?

that should be pretty smooth based on what ive seen

[7express]

Originally Posted by sportsfan2

95 north from milford (exit 35) to new haven (i-91 junction) has been just fine. since i moved to ct about a week ago, will it be this way during rush hour all the time or has this been light traffic due to the holidays

I think a lot of people took the week off. I wouldn't base this week on what the rest of your commute will be. That 95/91 interchange is always a PITA and it seems like theirs always construction up there too. Which way are you going in the morning?? 95 usually gets backed up starting about 3:45 or 4 at exit 42 and it works its way down. If your coming from 91 and going the opposite way, 91 starts to get backed up around the Foxon area exit, think exit 8. 95 going south in the PM rush is hit or miss, 95 going north in the AM rush is usually ok with a minor bottleneck here and there through New Haven but nothing major. The key advice is: know the backroads!!!!!!!!!!!! You can get off exit 43 and work your way through New Haven to 91 if traffic on 95 is really bad.