New to DFW... LOTS of questions! Including how much time I should allow for traffic during rush hour? (Dallas: house)

[Lucky7less]

My husband and I just moved to the southwest area of Fort Worth (off of River Park near Bryant Irvin) so he can go to school at UNT Health Science Center, and I will be starting my new job on Monday. I will be working as a nurse at Children's Medical Center. I have lived in small towns my entire life and am not yet used to cities of this size, so I have absolutely no idea how much time to allow for traffic during my commute. I have driven to the hospital for pre-employment appointments and such, and it has only taken me 35-40 minutes when I take I30 to 121 to 183... My shift will be starting at around 7am (Orientation probably at 8am) So I guess my biggest questions are:

When does rush hour typically start/end?
How much extra time should I allow?
How long has the construction on 121 been going on and when is it projected to be completed?
Would taking the TRE be a better option than driving?

I would like to thank everyone in advance for their help! I really appreciate it!

[hypocore]

Rush hour generally goes from 6 AM - 9 AM and again from 3 PM-7 PM, with of course the lightest being in the earliest and latest parts of rush hour.

My husband's commute from northern Tarrant county to North Dallas - of about 35 miles, would take him 40-45 minutes leaving at 6:00 for him to be at work at 7:00. If he had to be there at 8:00, then he would have to leave at 6:30, so it took him about an hour and a half.

Coming home, he got off work at 4 and it would take at the very least an hour, but if he ran into problems then 1 1/2 hours. Leaving at 4:30 was worse than leaving at 5.

I think most people find the same type situation no matter where they are traveling, so you commute could be at the very least 45 minutes, but more likely closer to an hour and a half.

[Eric S]

Take a drive out to the hospital tomorrow morning and time it .

Then you'll know for sure!

-Eric

[loves2read]

you may have made it easy for your husband to do his thing but you are going to be in world of hurt--
the 121/183 passage from FTW through Irving into Dallas is going to get much worse because the 121 through the Mid-Cities will start its "widening/toll road" construction pretty soon
it will last for probably two years--

plan on an hours commute each way--more if there is bad weather or serious wreck--
frankly I think he should bear part of the burden of the commute (if he has a car) and you should have moved to Bedford or maybe north Euless so you could have used 114 to get into Dallas--that mess is almost cleaned up

the TRE is not much help--you would have to drive into downtown FTW to get to that station or come out to Richland hills off 121--and going into Dallas--there is not a TRE stop at Children's--you would have to go into the station at the AA center and then take bus to your job--
you can check DART website and see if you can figure out something better

[hypocore]

There's no real reason to go up to 121/183 at all. You could take 30 into Dallas then up 35 just a short bit to get to CMC. It still will take at the very minimum 45 minutes (that's if you are off rush hour) but more like 1 1/2 hours since you are coming from south FW.

[Lucky7less]

Originally Posted by hypocore

There's no real reason to go up to 121/183 at all. You could take 30 into Dallas then up 35 just a short bit to get to CMC. It still will take at the very minimum 45 minutes (that's if you are off rush hour) but more like 1 1/2 hours since you are coming from south FW.

Wow I never thought of that haha My GPS just took me up 121... this route seems much easier! Thanks!

Originally Posted by loves2read

the TRE is not much help--you would have to drive into downtown FTW to get to that station or come out to Richland hills off 121--and going into Dallas--there is not a TRE stop at Children's--you would have to go into the station at the AA center and then take bus to your job--
you can check DART website and see if you can figure out something better

Actually I have reviewed the train schedules and stops and there is a stop about 500 feet from Childrens (Medical Market Center)... I was just wondering if it is safe and reliable?

[Squirl]

You should take I-30 east directly to 1-35 North and just take the Medical District Drive exit.

There's a short cut (kind of a seedy area) Take 30 east straight thru to the Hampton Road exit and go North (left) on Hampton, go straight across the Trinity River and you will see I-35 in a few miles, stay on the right side of the road and make a right turn into the service road but don't get on 35. At the next traffic light is Medical District Dr. and take a left.

You will save all kinds of time over going 121/183, did this for years and years to get to my office at the corner of Medical District (used to be called Motor) and Stemmons (local name for 35) driving in from Fort Worth. I'd certainly leave the house at 6am to be sure to get myself parked and arriving without feeling in a panic.

Or take 20 east to the 408 exit (this is east of Grand Prairie, near Cedar Hill) which flows into Loop 12. Then you can catch I-30 east from Loop 12 and continue on .

[Texan#1]

Originally Posted by Squirl

You should take I-30 east directly to 1-35 North and just take the Medical District Drive exit.

There's a short cut (kind of a seedy area) Take 30 east straight thru to the Hampton Road exit and go North (left) on Hampton, go straight across the Trinity River and you will see I-35 in a few miles, stay on the right side of the road and make a right turn into the service road but don't get on 35. At the next traffic light is Medical District Dr. and take a left.
You will save all kinds of time over going 121/183, did this for years and years to get to my office at the corner of Medical District (used to be called Motor) and Stemmons (local name for 35) driving in from Fort Worth. I'd certainly leave the house at 6am to be sure to get myself parked and arriving without feeling in a panic.

Or take 20 east to the 408 exit (this is east of Grand Prairie, near Cedar Hill) which flows into Loop 12. Then you can catch I-30 east from Loop 12 and continue on .

This is it! I save plenty of time when I'm out driving and get caught in traffic by taking this route. Just make sure your doors are locked because this area is rough!!

[loves2read]

get AAA and carry a cell phone then...
and note that on the TRE route you go to the TRE dropsite and then have to take another train/bus
so you have to check the schedule to see how much wait time there is
I don't anyone responded to the area around the Medical center station--and I don't know

there are many people who have started to use the TRE over the past couple of years going into FTW downtown area and from the MidCities into downtown Dallas for daily commuters--several article in the FTW paper about the increase in riders--
but for many people getting to the stations involved probably half the time it would take to make their commute anyway--so they don't see that as a positive reason to use the TRE