REAL commute times to downtown (Dallas, Arlington: how much, house, buying)

[walty_14]

I will be working in the Trammel Crow building downtown and want to get some very specific information about what the commute is like from various places. Information abounds, accurate information not so much. I read on a Realtor's site that you can get from Allen to downtown in 27 minutes... I'm not so sure about that...

Anyway, I am interested in knowing how long it really takes. If you commute to somewhere close, please let me know the following:

1. how long it takes?
2. what methods do you use? (car or DART, etc.)
3. what time of day do you commute?
4. how much variance is there in the commute time? (20 min every day or 10 min some and 30 min others for no particular reason)

Being as specific as possible about the origin is VERY important. Please don't tell me you commute from Plano and leave it at that. Plano is huge and could have quite a bit of variation. If you can give the street you live on (not the address) that would be great. Otherwise the next major cross street would be appreciated.

[loves2read]

Perhaps you should indicate WHAT various places you are interested in--Just in Plano city limits--or are there other locations...and any other information that you require such as temprament of driver--aggressive, laid back, granny-style--type of vehicle such as 4-6-8 cyl engine--Xbox, Dodge Ram, Civic--if any speeding tickets have been received or earned and not received....
this is Q/A board for voluntary exchange of information--don't you think your tone is little strident...

[FarNorthDallas]

I commute to downtown Dallas from Coit and Campbell. I leave anywhere from 7:20-8:20am and it's 15 miles downtown. I take Coit to Central or Belt Line to Central and the drive on great days is 30 minutes and I have at least once a week where it's 90 minutes. Average is 45-55 minutes.

Coming home is better. I go Woodall Rogers to Central to Coit. I leave anywhere from 5:00-5:45 and it takes 35-50 minutes. There seems to be more accidents in the morning.

I was talking to a guy who is moving from Independence and Legacy in Plano into Dallas proper, Marsh and Arapaho, because his good day commute time is 75 minutes on the tollway from Plano into downtown Dallas and he can't take it anymore. I think he should have moved further in, because I think he will find the improvement will be only 20 minutes.

My co-workers coming from other directions can travel more miles in shorter times. My commute is the same or longer as those coming from Midlothian, Waxahachie, Mansfield, Forney, Terrell, south Arlington, Ennis, even Greenville!! Commuting from the north is the worst.

[walty_14]

Originally Posted by loves2read

Perhaps you should indicate WHAT various places you are interested in--Just in Plano city limits--or are there other locations...and any other information that you require such as temprament of driver--aggressive, laid back, granny-style--type of vehicle such as 4-6-8 cyl engine--Xbox, Dodge Ram, Civic--if any speeding tickets have been received or earned and not received....
this is Q/A board for voluntary exchange of information--don't you think your tone is little strident...

I am interested in anything within commutable distance to downtown, Trammel Crow building specifically.

In terms of driving style, I think I am pretty average.

I will probably be driving a 4 cylinder car-though I would love to hear someone honestly say they get there faster in an 8 cylinder in traffic...Do you run smaller cars over? Traffic congestion seems to be more an issue than distance. Distance is easily enough discovered on Google Maps, I want real people's traffic experiences.

In terms of being "strident", I am a first time poster and was unaware that I would come off that way. I am looking for specific information that will be helpful. As I said before, general info is easy enough to find, I want to find practical experiences.

[walty_14]

Originally Posted by FarNorthDallas

I commute to downtown Dallas from Coit and Campbell. I leave anywhere from 7:20-8:20am and it's 15 miles downtown. I take Coit to Central or Belt Line to Central and the drive on great days is 30 minutes and I have at least once a week where it's 90 minutes. Average is 45-55 minutes.

Coming home is better. I go Woodall Rogers to Central to Coit. I leave anywhere from 5:00-5:45 and it takes 35-50 minutes. There seems to be more accidents in the morning.

I was talking to a guy who is moving from Independence and Legacy in Plano into Dallas proper, Marsh and Arapaho, because his good day commute time is 75 minutes on the tollway from Plano into downtown Dallas and he can't take it anymore. I think he should have moved further in, because I think he will find the improvement will be only 20 minutes.

My co-workers coming from other directions can travel more miles in shorter times. My commute is the same or longer as those coming from Midlothian, Waxahachie, Mansfield, Forney, Terrell, south Arlington, Ennis, even Greenville!! Commuting from the north is the worst.

Awesome! thanks for the specific information.

[FarNorthDallas]

Oh, I tried the train and it was a beating. While the train ride itself was 35 minutes from Arapaho station to Akard station you had to add in parking, walking to the train, buying a ticket, waiting for the train and then once on the train it's standing room only and crowded, so it's like standing in a crowded elevator for 35 minutes which was sheer torture. In the rain was worse as the trains are delayed and stand still on the tracks, you're wet and you're standing up.

Trammel Crow building is 3 or 4 blocks from the train. I think you would get off at Pearl which means for the return ride home you would have to stand because that's the last stop before it leaves downtown.

[nativeDallasite]

Originally Posted by walty_14

I will be working in the Trammel Crow building downtown and want to get some very specific information about what the commute is like from various places. Information abounds, accurate information not so much. I read on a Realtor's site that you can get from Allen to downtown in 27 minutes... I'm not so sure about that...

Anyway, I am interested in knowing how long it really takes. If you commute to somewhere close, please let me know the following:

1. how long it takes?
2. what methods do you use? (car or DART, etc.)
3. what time of day do you commute?
4. how much variance is there in the commute time? (20 min every day or 10 min some and 30 min others for no particular reason)

Being as specific as possible about the origin is VERY important. Please don't tell me you commute from Plano and leave it at that. Plano is huge and could have quite a bit of variation. If you can give the street you live on (not the address) that would be great. Otherwise the next major cross street would be appreciated.

It might take 27 minutes if you speed on empty roads.

Allen from downtown is a nightmare commute. If you can, live closer to downtown or choose a suburb that isn't north of Dallas. Those suburbs are very popular and the main highways (75 and DNT) can't keep up.

Every time I've had to drive TO Allen from 75 and Walnut Hill (closer to 635 than downtown) it has taken me at least 45 minutes, usually over an hour in rush hour traffic in my V6. I am not an aggressive driver, but it doesn't make any difference how aggressive you are when the highway is basically a slow-moving parking lot.

Good luck!

[FarNorthDallas]

Originally Posted by nativeDallasite

I am not an aggressive driver, but it doesn't make any difference how aggressive you are when the highway is basically a slow-moving parking lot.

Good luck!

Yea, I once drove almost the entire way on Central without ever touching my steering wheel. I never went over 8 miles an hour the entire time. It doesn't even require steering.

[momof2dfw]

From the Firewheel area of Garland (190/Brand/N. Garland Ave) I can leave at 8:30 am and take 190 to 75 to Woodall Rogers and be in the area around the Aquariam in 30-35 minutes. I can do that in either my 4x4 Suburban or my lil BMW 325i. I drive the same way in either car and do change lanes if need be and that is usually 5-10 over the speed limit in most cases. Sometimes if the traffic is heavy I may not even be going the posted speed but below it - as long as it is moving . I know how the traffic flows in certain areas and pay attention to trends to know to be in x lane during this stretch or whatever. However there are times I just stay put as it is all the same. Going to the AAC for hockey games we can be there in 25-30 minutes from the house (Firewheel area). However there have been times it took a good hour and a lil over to get there. From Allen you could easily add another 30 minutes. Getting downtown from Allen in 27 minutes I guess I could make it.......... oh heck, I KNOW I can make it as long as the roads are clear and no one in the way and hammer down. My stretch of 190 is wide open and a piece of cake all the way to 75. I can not say that for 75 from Allen till it meets 190.

[hamiltonpl]

You could make it from Allen to downtown in 27 minutes, if Dallas was completely deserted. It will take you a minimum of an hour, even on the weekend. Commuting to downtown from Collin County is no way to live. I had to drive up to Collin County for court once. It was stopped all the way up Central. Poor suckers.

Conversely, it takes 10-15 minutes for me to make it downtown from Lakewood, in East Dallas. You can actually catch Ross Avenue, which is the street that the Trammel Crow Tower is on. You can get there with no problem by avoiding highways.