So what's the real skinny on commuting to El Segundo? (Los Angeles: apartment, homes)

[atwalker]

We're a family of four (2 very young kids) contemplating a move to SoCal from out of state to work in El Segundo. It looks like Torrence, Culver City, etc., are all workable commutes. But what's the real deal with commuting from Long Beach? Is this a case of "well, you can do it, but it's an hour in your car each way?"

Also- does Southern California have a metro system similar to the Washington DC Metro or BART?

Thanks.

[JohnG72]

Depends what time you leave your home at. My dad commuted from Huntington Beach to Northrop Gruman in Manhatten Beach for about 6 years until he retired. He left home at 545 am and left work at 330 pm each day. He said the drive took about 45 minutes. Huntington Beach where he lives is about a 15 minute drive south of PCH/2nd Street in Long Beach.

A drive at 8am and 5pm will be much less manageable.

Make sure you know where you are living in LB. Some areas are nice. Some are garbage.

[Charles]

Look at Sigalert.com Los Angeles Traffic Map during the times you expect to commute.

If you are working a 630-3 shift (if the man will let you I mean), the the PM traffic heading south will be a little rough but doable. AM traffic won't be bad at all.

Yes, there is a train that goes to El Segundo, but I don't know the exact path. I saw it near the Northrop Grumman facility in El Segundo. Check metrolink on the internet.

You could even live in Irvine and do the commute too. It is a little farther but you might find a lot more choices with good schools. Also, Los Alamitos - pretty good schools.

www.schoolperformancemaps.com

I do know for a fact that heading north to the San Fernando Valley will suck in the PM no matter what schedule you work (even 6-230).

[Beth56]

El Segundo is a nice town to live in also.

[NaplesRes]

Originally Posted by atwalker

We're a family of four (2 very young kids) contemplating a move to SoCal from out of state to work in El Segundo. It looks like Torrence, Culver City, etc., are all workable commutes. But what's the real deal with commuting from Long Beach? Is this a case of "well, you can do it, but it's an hour in your car each way?"

Also- does Southern California have a metro system similar to the Washington DC Metro or BART?

Thanks.

Most of the middle and upper middle class neighborhoods in LB are in East LB. commuting to El Segundo in rush hour is about 45 minutes from there. You could also do Bixby Knolls (a very nice neighborhood in LB) and that would cut about 10 minutes off the commute time.

[atwalker]

thanks to everyone who replied. Very considerate with your advice and even mentioning schools...

[NaplesRes]

Irvine is too far. It would add another 30 minutes. Besides East Long Beach is nicer. Irvine does have good schools but the schools in East Long Beach are good too. With the shorter drive and not being totally sterile/cookie cutter, I would pick East Long Beach over Irvine. That is unless you like the manufactured, tract homes and shopping centers which is totally Irvine.

[bhcompy]

Metrolink doesn't go to El Segundo, but the LA Metro rail does. Green line from Norwalk to El Segundo, which would allow you to live in Lakewood, Cerritos, etc and use the train if you pleased, but you could also just take the 91 fwy if you left early, like my grandmother did for 30 years at TRW

[BRinSM]

i wouldn't live in long beach and commute to el segundo, but that is just me. I used to stay at my girlfriend's apartment and drive up to playa del rey (next to el segundo) in the mornings before work. I had to leave at 5:30 in the morning to avoid traffic. a few times i left later during rush hour and it took about an hour. the 405 is a horrible freeway.

[ucbedge]

Interesting advice in this thread. I thought it would be different.

The 405 North begins to back up around 7AM until about 9AM. From the Long Beach Airport to El Segundo during the morning commute is probably about 45 minutes. The afternoon commute starts early - around 3PM - and lasts until about 6. It would probably take 50-60 minutes to drive from ES to Long Beach Airport in the afternoon. Thursday afternoons are the worst - even with no accidents, it can take longer than an hour.

Good luck!

Edit: If you arent used to traffic, I would warn your husband to be prepared to be very frustrated until he gets used to it. It's not an easy transition.