Rolla to St louis daily commute? (St. Louis, Columbia: motel, unemployed, closing) - City-Data Forum

worldcitizen.abc · 03-09-2010, 05:28 PM

Is it completely crazy if one partner had a job in Rolla and the other had to drive daily to St louis ?
Do people travel that far for jobs in/around Rolla?

MoNative34 · 03-09-2010, 05:38 PM

Yes they do. A friend of mine in St. Louis has several coworkers that live in the area.

worldcitizen.abc · 03-09-2010, 06:16 PM

Thanks MoNative...Thats reassuring ...

Curmudgeon · 03-10-2010, 08:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by worldcitizen.abc

Is it completely crazy if one partner had a job in Rolla and the other had to drive daily to St louis ?
Do people travel that far for jobs in/around Rolla?

Even as a former Californian used to long commute times, that would be a stretch. You're talking over 100 miles and almost two hours one way. Coming and going would use up a lot of time and that's a lot of expense and wear-and-tear on the car.

I had a similar commute for 18 months when I was 30 years younger and it takes its toll on you.

More power to you. I wouldn't do it. Isn't there someplace in the middle you can agree on?

imperialmog · 03-10-2010, 10:36 AM

If I remember commute distances have been of those type of distances for some time. I think its origins are tied to the closing of the mines in the Old Lead Belt area where the now unemployed miners then drove to the St. Louis Metro for work and there is still a large percentage of residents who do that commute decades later. It is one of the reasons for example they added counties there in the St. Louis CSA in the last decade since daily commutes are used in data to determine census-designated metro areas.

One reason I see it happening in the St. Louis area is that relative to most metros traffic is much lighter so you can spend the same amount of time commuting but living much further away.

northbayeric · 03-10-2010, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Curmudgeon

Even as a former Californian used to long commute times, that would be a stretch. You're talking over 100 miles and almost two hours one way. Coming and going would use up a lot of time and that's a lot of expense and wear-and-tear on the car.

I had a similar commute for 18 months when I was 30 years younger and it takes its toll on you.

More power to you. I wouldn't do it. Isn't there someplace in the middle you can agree on?

I agree with you! What will gas prices look like in 5 years, or next year, or even this summer? If one job is in St. Louis and the other is all the way in Rolla, maybe living in a place near Gray Summit, St. Clair or Washington might be better.

I-44 is much more hilly and winding than, say, I-55 in Illinois between St. Louis and Chicago, or I-5 in California's Kern County near Bakersfield, or between Sacramento and Red Bluff. I love driving on 44 any time I can get back there from here in NorCal, but it's also notorious for getting snow and sleet during the winter. In those kinds of conditions, you'd want to stay overnight in a motel.

1greatcity · 03-10-2010, 09:11 PM

I calculate that commuting between Rolla and St Louis, you'd be out on the road about 18 hours a week. That's the equivalent of 39 full 24-hour days out of every year-- spent behind the wheel! I bet you can think of far more satisfying ways that those 39 days a year could be spent.
At least one poster suggested the idea of you moving somewhere between the two cities. While that would cut down your commuting time, it doesn't really solve the whole problem. Let's say you and your partner choose a town halfway. Obviously, that would cut your drive in half; but your partner's extended commute would make up for your shorter drive. So, between the two of you, there'd still be an equal amount of gas used, and significant wear and tear on two vehicles.
The only smart solution is for both of you to be working in (or near) the same city where you live.

jlawrence01 · 03-10-2010, 09:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by worldcitizen.abc

Is it completely crazy if one partner had a job in Rolla and the other had to drive daily to St louis ?
Do people travel that far for jobs in/around Rolla?

I commuted between St. Louis to Columbia (also about 110 miles) three times a week for two years. Even though the drive is all freeway, all that driving really gets to your for a while. There were days where I would pull off the road for an hour nap. During the winter, the drive was very difficult as the Missouri road crews are not all that great,

What I ended up doing was to negotiate a rate with the "mom and pop" motel and stay overnight 2-3 times per week.. It was not all that great but it worked.

Personally, I would NOT do it. Life is too short.

ozarksboy · 03-11-2010, 06:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by worldcitizen.abc

Is it completely crazy if one partner had a job in Rolla and the other had to drive daily to St louis ?
Do people travel that far for jobs in/around Rolla?

Some people do it, but they don't like it and it makes them cranky. I drive about 30 miles from Roilla every day, and I don't mind it, but I sure as heck would not drive 100. I would say it is completely crazy.