McLean hospital to Newton Wellesley hospital using the I 95 (Boston: affordable houses, school)

[Roma FE]

Hi all!
I am moving from Canada to Newton soon and I would like to ask about commuting from McLean hospital to Newton Wellesley hospital (and vice versa) during rush hour. The fastest way to do that on google is using the I 95 and the 117/20.
Are these highways bad during rush hour?
Which is better: taking the highway or doing it through the city?
Many thanks

[vwlizard]

There are plenty of backroads to get from one to the other. Off the top of my head I'd say Waverly Oaks, cut down to Pleasant St in Watertown, a few back roads (California?) to 30 and over to Newton Wellesley.

The highway gets a little bottlenecked at rush hour because that's were people are getting on the pike.

Back roads shouldn't take more than 20 minutes at rush hour.

[Roma FE]

Thanks a million!

[vwlizard]

Forgot to add. I do it often and can give you specific streets in you need them. PM me if interested.

What you will find about this area, are there are plenty of backroads. I get around any traffic jam from Worcester to Boston using secondary roads. Way different from areas such as DC were nothing connects.

[holden125]

128 and Route 20 in Waltham are notorious for traffic. I'd take the streets, but I wouldn't go all the way back to California St.

You can take Waverley Oaks/Linden St (Route 60)
Turn right on Main St (Route 20 West)
Turn left at the first light on Newton St
Turn right on Robbins St
Turn left on Moody St (becomes Lexington St).
Turn left on Commonwealth Av (Route 30)
Turn right on Washington St (Route 16 West)

[Roma FE]

Many many thanks I will keep u posted as soon as I move

[brightdoglover]

NWH is about 1/4 mile away from Rt.128. 128 is about four miles west of McLean on Trapelo Rd.
I have driven to Watertown Square on the back roads. But to go from Mclean to NWH, the only sensible way in my view (and I went to school at one and worked at the other) is to go west on Trapelo Rd. for four miles, south on 128, and 1/4 mile east on Rt. 16 and there is NWH.
Rush hour is rush hour(s), but going south on 128 at rush hour (afternoon/eve) is a bit better than the mob going north to their more affordable houses in southern New Hampshire.
Best wishes.

[Roma FE]

Many thanks

[holden125]

Originally Posted by brightdoglover

NWH is about 1/4 mile away from Rt.128. 128 is about four miles west of McLean on Trapelo Rd.
I have driven to Watertown Square on the back roads. But to go from Mclean to NWH, the only sensible way in my view (and I went to school at one and worked at the other) is to go west on Trapelo Rd. for four miles, south on 128, and 1/4 mile east on Rt. 16 and there is NWH.
Rush hour is rush hour(s), but going south on 128 at rush hour (afternoon/eve) is a bit better than the mob going north to their more affordable houses in southern New Hampshire.
Best wishes.

Newton Wellesley is right next to 128, but McLean isn't. Maybe it's half a lifetime of taking Newton back roads, but it seems to me that going through the streets (via Auburndale, not Watertown Square) is much more direct (fewer miles), and is likely to be faster when 128 is slow. It should take about the same time as going on 128 even when conditions are perfect. It's like taking the hypotenuse instead of the two other sides of the triangle.

[brightdoglover]

I still vote for 128 from McLean. Four miles west on Trapelo.
I've taken the back roads at early rush hour (mechanic was in Watertown). Everything is clogged up at traffic points in the morning.