How is the commute FROM Santa Monica TO Long Beach? (Los Angeles: apartments, lease)

[uvakate]

Hi All!
I've just graduated from the University of Virginia and I've accepted a job in Long Beach. I'd really like to live in Santa Monica and commute to work but I've heard horror stories about the traffic.

It does seem that most of the traffic is coming INTO Santa Monica in the morning and leaving after work. If that's the case, I'd be doing the opposite commute and hopefully missing the hellish drive, right??!! Any advice would be really helpful.

Thanks a bunch!

[Charles]

Originally Posted by uvakate

Hi All!
I've just graduated from the University of Virginia and I've accepted a job in Long Beach. I'd really like to live in Santa Monica and commute to work but I've heard horror stories about the traffic.

It does seem that most of the traffic is coming INTO Santa Monica in the morning and leaving after work. If that's the case, I'd be doing the opposite commute and hopefully missing the hellish drive, right??!! Any advice would be really helpful.

Thanks a bunch!

A lot of folks on this forum will recommend living in or near Long Beach. I've heard there are good places and questionable places. Try searching for Long Beach, Belmont Shore, and Seal Beach.

[Chowhound]

Originally Posted by Charles

A lot of folks on this forum will recommend living in or near Long Beach. I've heard there are good places and questionable places. Try searching for Long Beach, Belmont Shore, and Seal Beach.

There are some really pretty decent areas in LB. Belmont Shores, Naples area, 2nd street area is reallly nice. Santa Monica is nice but way too expensive not to mention crowded. Parking in Santa Monica is a b*tch too.

[xcalgal]

For a young person, Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach, Seal Beach are all great locations. You will hate LA if you commute hours upon hours each day. It wears on you.

[NaplesRes]

Don't even think about doing that drive. Move to Belmont Shore. You'll love it.

[Madonna Inn]

I absolutely agree with the rest of the posters on here.
We lived in Long Beach several times, husband was stationed of Willow Blvd, then off Katella (Willow), we've lived in Signal Hill, and also off of PCH. The worst was when we lived in San Pedro (which is a stone's throw from Long Beach) and my husband commuted to the Federal Bldg in Los Angeles. 2+ hours of a commute. It got so bad, he bought a motorcycle and within 3 months of owning it, someone clipped him by (them) not yielding the right of way to him- totaled the bike. With the motorcycle, at least he could use the carpool lane which helped cut down an hour to an hour and a half of him commute time.

Traffic should be one of the top priorities you consider when deciding on where to live, imo.

[Paula Lynn]

Once again, my advise is ------ live where you work.

[fairweathergolfer]

Regarding your reverse commute question. Even if it was true that your traffic was lighter going south in the AM from Santa Monica and in the PM north from Long Beach, it is not that simple around LA, especially in core areas.

For instance if you go south on 405 for work you are not just reverse commuting on the 405, you also will pass those getting on and off the 10 freeway, on and off the 91, the 710, or up and down PCH (if you choose this commute as an alternative). You are now in the mix with the traffic on the 10, the 91, and the 710 or any other intersecting major thoroughfare that you may choose as an alternative. Also there are plenty of people from the valley, the west side, and other places that work south of Santa Monica. These additional hinderances do not include any construction or possible wrecks on any of these roadways.

It can be a nightmare N/S/E/W here and many times--and in specific places--all directions intersect adding up to the commute from hell. Included in this mix are many side and main streets that have access to the 10, the 405, the 105, the 710, or PCH that will also have their own special back up nightmare. Coming home at times will be a guaranteed horror even if your morning commute is reasonable or barely tolerable. The 405 n or s can be a nightmare at any time day or night.

I am not usually one to discourage anyone as some people can bear different levels of stress for a reward elsewhere (usually not for long around here though when it comes to long distance, 5 days a week commuting). Sometimes people who are not from around here need to experience things for themselves to understand why us locals are so very adamant about advising newcomers to live if at all possible as close to work as they can. You may find that the commute is worth it for you. Santa Monica is a great place to live.

Make sure you have loads of entertainment in your vehicle (satellite radio, audio CDs, etc) though as you will get used to living in it for long hours much of the time (if not unexpectedly at others).

One lesson I hope you take away with you from this thread is to never assume any commute in Los Angeles will be any less stressful or less backed up than any other. That may be true in other cities or towns, but not the Los Angeles area.

Give it a try, but keep your lease short just in case.

Originally Posted by uvakate

Hi All!
I've just graduated from the University of Virginia and I've accepted a job in Long Beach. I'd really like to live in Santa Monica and commute to work but I've heard horror stories about the traffic.

It does seem that most of the traffic is coming INTO Santa Monica in the morning and leaving after work. If that's the case, I'd be doing the opposite commute and hopefully missing the hellish drive, right??!! Any advice would be really helpful.

Thanks a bunch!

[s0nginmyheart]

Up until recently I commuted from Santa Monica (worked by the Promenade) down to Long Beach (CSULB) during evening rush hour and it would take at the very least 1.5 hours to get there. There have been some nights where it took me 2 hrs, and 2.5 hrs was the worst commute ever.

In the morning I usually commute northbound on the 405 from Torrance to Santa Monica and it takes me 1 hr to get to my destination. Southbound seems to have easier flow and I've only noticed it to be bad on days that there are accidents. But I still would not recommend living that far.

There are some nice areas in Long Beach, especially adjacent to CSULB. You can also find some nice apartments by the "beach" and "The Pike" that have a Santa Monica feel (at least for me). Otherwise you can look into other areas already mentioned such as Belmont Shore, and I probably would not look further than Huntington Beach.

[uvakate]

Thank you, everyone! I really appreciate you taking the time to give me some inside tips. I look forward to making the move (and likely to LB)!