Warren, NJ vs WTC (Newark, Jersey City: new home, live in, bus)

[Novabeml]

Hi, I'll be moving to NJ soon. My new home will be in Jersey City close to Exchange Place Path Train Station ( about 0.7 miles away from the station). I have two work location that I can pick

1) Warren, NJ - It will be 28 miles. I like driving, but I'm not sure about how the traffic would be like. I will head west bound 78 in the morning and east bound in the evening. Anyone familiar with the traffic condition on I-78? Is my commute against traffic? How long it takes me to drive from Jersey City to Warren?

2) WTC - then I have to take shuttle bus to PATH station first, then PATH to WTC, then walk about 8-10 minutes to work.

Which option is better, in terms of convenience, total travel time, etc. Each has pro and cons. BTW, I have a 16month old toddler.

Please share your thoughts, your opinion will be greatly appreciated.

[BobKovacs]

You will be going against traffic on 78, but you're still looking at probably a 45-minute commute door to door. You've got to navigate your way to 78 from home, spend 20 minutes or so on 78, and then navigate the local roads to the office.

For the NYC trip, you'll probably spend about the same total time in transit unless you time your bus and PATH trips perfectly.

Bob

[Older&Wiser]

It's really a toss up. If you go to NYC I think you'll have a shorter commute and not have to drive, but you will have NYC and NY state tax. If you decide to go to Warren (nice area) you should be driving against rush traffic. If it were my choice - I'd try both trips and see which went smoother.

[Novabeml]

Thanks Bob and Older&Wiser for your response.

Nova

[lammius]

78 west isn't as free-flow "against the traffic" as it might seem by these comments. My boss and other co-workers who live in JC complain endlessly about delays getting ONTO 78 and across the Newark Bay Extension. If you choose that commute, many thousands of people will be joining you heading out to jobs in the suburbs (where most of the region's jobs are these days).

But as Older&Wiser said, I'd try both out and see what feels more comfortable to you.

[Novabeml]

Lammius,
Thanks for your information. 30+ miles is not a short distance, I'm currently commuting 17 miles (with a lot of traffic), I think one hours is the max. time I can bear.

Nova

[downtownjc]

Posted to the other thread but figured I would post here too. I do the commute to Somerset County and it's definitely manageable although not stress-free. It's about 45 min. in the morning and a little longer at night (when you get caught up in a bit more traffic heading toward the Holland Tunnel). The part getting between 78 and Jersey City is a bit frustrating, but the main part of I-78 isn't too bad aside from some occasional backup in Newark.

I actually like much of the drive--once you get past Newark it is actually quite a beautiful stretch of road. And worry about the commute time more than the distance--on a weekend with little traffic I can get all the way out to Bridgewater (a fair bit past Warren) in just 40 minutes, and even with traffic, going 30 miles out to Warren should rarely be more than an hour.

Remember, though, it's the variability that matters with a commute more than the average commute time. Even if Warren and NYC are the same total commute time, transit tends to be less variable then driving (i.e., you will be closer to the average most of the time taking the PATH vs the highly variable traffic on the roads). As much as I don't really mind my drive, I'd probably take the WTC location if I were you for that reason.