Matawan, Somerville, or New Brunswick (Somerset, Red Bank: apartment, safe area, to live)

[rangerfan27]

I'm moving from Brooklyn with my girl friend, we are mid twenties professionals and are looking at either Somerville, New Brunswick, or Matawan. I need to be walking distance to a train and her commute must be less than 30 miles to S. Brunswick. What do you think is a better place for us to live. We are looking for a safe area but want to be able to have some sort of downtown where we can go out to meet new people and be close to some bars and restaurants. Is Matawan completely dead ? I know that New Brunswick has a lot of what we're looking for but its much more expensive than the place we are looking at in Matawan. And I know Somerville has a nice downtown area with restaurants, bars, shops, etc. What is the town of Matawan like?

Also, anyone heard anything about Riverwatch Commons in New Brunswick?

[MPBsr]

While there are some restaurants and bars in the area Matawan has no night life. The Downtown is very quiet, but it is trying to make a comeback and is very safe.

Unfort 30 minutes drive to South Brunswick might be a tough during normal commute times.

[rangerfan27]

thanks

[solibs]

Yeah, Matawan is a little boring. I would go with New Brunswick.

[Jerseyt719]

I wouldn't go with New Brunswick by the train station. Not a great area and overpriced if you ask me. Nor would I go with Somerville by the train station. That area is pretty bad as well. There are other parts of Somerville that are pretty good, but again, more expensive. Somerville always has something going on in town, so you can find things to do pretty regularly. I know nothing about Matawan. In Somerset County, you can find many areas that are within 30 minutes of South Brunswick.

[soon2bNJresi]

[quote=Jerseyt719;5135627]I wouldn't go with New Brunswick by the train station. Not a great area and overpriced if you ask me. Nor would I go with Somerville by the train station. That area is pretty bad as well. There are other parts of Somerville that are pretty good, but again, more expensive. Somerville always has something going on in town, so you can find things to do pretty regularly. I know nothing about Matawan. In Somerset County, you can find many areas that are within 30 minutes of South Brunswick.[/quote]


I agree

[glpfan]

Having worked in Somerville and commuted from Monmouth county's Red Bank and Middletown, I would avoid 287 and the GSP at all costs. just a nightmare!!!!! Except outside commuting hours. Then it's usually OK. Often drove through or attended meetings in New Brunswick and I would avoid there too. Looked chaotic and unsafe and congested. You will be able to drive on back roads to South Brunswick from Matawan and miss the crush. Matawan is safe, it does have some nice more local flavor bars and you can easily head down to Red Bank, Highlands and Atlantic Highlands for great food and and fun people. The train station is a very active one. The problem with New Brunswick is that there is continuous road work and a dead crawl through it. So even though you are closer mileage-wise...it takes just as long. And there is no direct route from Somerville so you have to go through New Brunswick. Somerville's train station is not so nice either with parking hard to find. So my suggestion would be to locate a place close to the Matawan train station and with easy access to one of the roads that heads to South Brunswick. Use google map to figure it out. Good Luck!

[rangerfan27]

Anyone that is familiar with the New Brunswick train station; is there a bike rack there, and if so is it safe to leave it there? Has anyone seen bikes w/o tires, cut bike locks, etc.? I'm looking in to an apartment on Landing Lane by Buccleuch Park and it seems like its too far of a walk to the train station. Are there any buses that stop close to the park that will take me to the train station?