Providence to Storrs commute? (Hartford, Windham: trip , jobs, campus)

[chunga21]

I recently applied to a PhD program at UConn, Storrs, and my wife and I are considering our living possibilities. We have family in Providence, and in this program, after the first 2 years I won't need to be on campus except periodically. Also, it will likely be 3 days, 4 max, per week that I am on campus. My wife is a teacher so we want to go somewhere and stay so there isn't a need to switch jobs again, thus eliminating the idea of just doing Hartford for 2 years then moving.

Any thoughts? Would this be a pain in the rear? I previously did a 45-minute commute each way in the Phoenix area for 2 years and while long and often annoying it was worth it for our reasons.

Thanks for any input!!

[skytrekker]

The commute from UCONN in Storrs via US route 44, to CT/RI 101 and US 6 into Providence will take about 55 minutes. It is mostly on 2 lane roads- except just outside Providence, route 6 becomes a freeway.

The drive is not too bad, traffic is never heavy. At night it is perhaps a bit more daunting, especially in rain or winter weather.

[chunga21]

Good point about winter weather, I hadn't considered that aspect.

Are there significant stoplights on the route you mention; are there many small towns to pass through?

[skytrekker]

Originally Posted by chunga21

Good point about winter weather, I hadn't considered that aspect.

Are there significant stoplights on the route you mention; are there many small towns to pass through?

The roads from UCONN into Rhode Island are not limited access- but 2 lane roads with lights, hills, curves and they traverse many small towns. Traffic is relatively light- but can become troubled by slow drivers, construction, accidents, fog, rain, or ice and snow- not to mention the occasional Deer.

[mels]

There aren't many lights on 6 in RI heading towards the CT border (Scituate, Foster area). There isn't much out there but for some reason there are always a ton of RI cops running radar, so consider yourself warned. I would say it is an easy drive, though long, with exception to the winter time. I would imagine as sky mentioned that winter driving would be obnoxious to deal with on a daily basis.

[HeadedWest]

Isn't that the part of Route 6 called "Suicide 6"?

[ontheroad]

In bad weather, your trip can double just from Providence to Foster; I've done it and with snow like we've been having here (NYS/PA) and like we had back in the early 90s in RI, it could be treacherous on Rte 6.

Originally Posted by mels

There aren't many lights on 6 in RI heading towards the CT border (Scituate, Foster area). There isn't much out there but for some reason there are always a ton of RI cops running radar, so consider yourself warned. I would say it is an easy drive, though long, with exception to the winter time. I would imagine as sky mentioned that winter driving would be obnoxious to deal with on a daily basis.

[uconn99]

Isn't that the part of Route 6 called "Suicide 6"?

No, that part of route 6 referred to as Suicide 6 is from Bolton to Windham. The section connecting Windham/UConn to Providence is not the best road but nowhere near the amount of accidents on the Hartford leg simply because it is not as busy.

[JayCT]

I would like to note that "Suicide six" has seen a dramtic drop in accidents in recent years. Improvements made by the state to the highway and strict enforcement of the speed limits have help. The road still can not handlethe traffic it has but it is safer than it was. Jay

[chunga21]

Well glad to hear that the part of 6 that I am talking isn't the worst part of "suicide 6"!! It's surprising to me, although what do I know, that there isn't a (more) major link between Hartford and Providence, most of the other major cities have at least 1 freeway as a link.