Commute to Woburn from Marblehead vs. Rockport (Lowell, Lynn: neighborhood, private school)

[NorthShoreLover]

We are in love with Rockport and Marblehead, but my husband will need to commute to Woburn. I know it's a challenge to get from Marblehead to 128, but the distance is so much shorter than the distance from Rockport that I'm unsure which would be more manageable.

Would really love your insights!

I have learned a lot of this forum, and finally got up the nerve to post! Thanks in advance for sharing your knowledge!

[holden125]

I would say Marblehead would be more manageable than Rockport. Don't forget that you'd have to get to 128 from Rockport too, which would add some time (though perhaps less than you'd spend getting to 128 from Marblehead), and you get on 128 much farther from Woburn if you enter it at the very beginning instead of getting on near Salem/Peabody. The time to 128 from Marblehead can be shortened if you (1) live closer to the NW corner of the town and (2) learn some back ways through Salem. At a minimum, I'd recommend getting to 1A/Jefferson Av and cutting through to get on 128 at Lowell St (Exit 26) instead of taking 114 through downtown Salem.

Either way, it is going to take a while to get to Woburn due to the 128 situation, but I'd go with Marblehead. Beverly and Manchester are other possibilities. Right on 128 and not as far as Rockport. You'd be able to get to Marblehead or Rockport pretty easy on a weekend if you wanted.

[NorthShoreLover]

Thanks, holden125- Do you have any guess how long it takes in minutes to get from say Mhead center to 128? Also, we considered Manchester, but hear it was snooty from 2 different people and were a little scared off. Do you have any insights?

[holden125]

Marblehead Center (which I define as near State St.) can get a little congested due to the narrow streets but not too bad. I'd stick more toward West Shore Dr. to avoid losing more time each and every day. Without any traffic it's about 20 mins to 128. If you learn the best ways to avoid major backup points (again, AVOID downtown Salem and 114 between downtown Salem and 128), you can make it in pretty close to that time. But only by learning the back way, which is a little complicated until you get it down.

I could see how Manchester might strike some people as snooty but I don't think it's oppressively so. Maybe I just tune people out if they act that way. Of course, snooty is in the eye of the beholder. I know people who think our neighborhood in Belmont (which is by far the least snooty part of Belmont and to me indistinguishable from Watertown a block away) is snooty because it's in Belmont and they have a strong preference is for solidly blue collar townie places. The same people find Marblehead very snooty. But I don't, and I would say Manchester may be a bit more stuck up than Marblehead. Others might differ on that.

So you might want to ask around and also try to get a sense of the basis for the comments you've heard. Sometimes an impression is formed based on an anecdote from 20 years ago. I've heard people badmouth Manchester because "we drove all the way to Singing Beach and the only parking is for town residents." Well, you could have looked that up first or asked me. I had a very positive experience with the staff at the Manchester public library once, for what it's worth.

[DreamworksSKG]

both are doable but marblehead would be quicker

I'd suggest marblehead

Rockport is way out on cape ann, and you could always drive 30 min and visit rockport being out in Marblehead

A good shortcut marblehead -woburn is :

Tedesco st. - becomes Vinnin st. --becomes Loring Ave, --becomes Essex St.

follow essex st

R on Eastern Ave -129W

straight through on standwod--to Fernwood
to Euclid,

L onto Broadway

across 129 W to Parkland

just past breed's pond

R onto Walnut St
follow walnut st. 129W

which becomes water st. (129W)

Follow Water St

to wakefield center

R onto North Ave

L onto Chestnut St

Chesnut to Prospect St.

L on Prospect St

Prospect to route 28

cross route 28 onto North

North St. around to

Salem St

R On Salem St

to Washington St -Woburn

Thats the back way

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if you use the highway

take 128 to Wakefield
get off at exit
42 salem st.

off ramp
L then R on Salem st

follow salem

along lake Quanapowitt

around rotary 129 W

129 W-Lowell St.

L on Willow St

L on West St into Woburn - Washington St area

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Hope this helps

follow along on Google Maps

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---Jeff--
Winchester, MA

[littlemjs]

I live in Rockport and can tell you that it would take about 45 minutes to commute to Woburn with no traffic and as much as 60 minutes in traffic. Rockport is a great little town! The public schools are great...and are able to provide individualized attention similar to what kids would get in a private school. It's a nice little community and worth the commute! Not as pricey as Manchester and Marblehead as far as housing goes.

It takes about 15 minutes to get to Rt. 128 from Rockport. You have to travel through Gloucester to do so. From there it is a straight shot to Woburn. To get to Rt. 128 from Marblehead, you have to go through Salem and Beverly, or Swampscott, Lynn and Peabody.