Where to live in NJ? Dual career couple (one working in Wall St, other at Rutgers New Brunswick) (Newark: apartment, how much)

[dknj30]

Since you're new to the East coast - you're better off renting in the Jersey City/Hoboken area. [Bear in mind both of these places are a mini-NYC]. There are Ferries and Path Trains to NYC. You'll have to drive to Rutgers, but you'll be going opposite traffic, so your commute shouldn't be that bad. And since you're so close to NYC - you can enjoy the city! In a year or two - you can move closer to Rutgers (and suburbia).

[univ0681]

Can people chime in on the expected length of a Hoboken to Rutgers New Brunswick commute by car at, say, 9:00 and 9:30am - and the commute back to Hoboken at, say, 3:30pm and 7pm?

(I am assuming traffic is really bad from 7-9am, and then from 4-6pm; if I am wrong, please let me know)

Google maps gives three routes:

1. US-1 S/US-9 S and US-1 S 32.6 mi 40 mins (1 hour 20 mins in traffic)
2. I-95 S 34.5 mi 42 mins (how much in traffic?)
3. Garden State Pkwy S 46.4 mi 54 mins (1 hour 20 mins in traffic)

Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

[DarkWolf]

Originally Posted by univ0681

Can people chime in on the expected length of a Hoboken to Rutgers New Brunswick commute by car at, say, 9:00 and 9:30am - and the commute back to Hoboken at, say, 3:30pm and 7pm?

(I am assuming traffic is really bad from 7-9am, and then from 4-6pm; if I am wrong, please let me know)

Google maps gives three routes:

1. US-1 S/US-9 S and US-1 S 32.6 mi 40 mins (1 hour 20 mins in traffic)
2. I-95 S 34.5 mi 42 mins (how much in traffic?)
3. Garden State Pkwy S 46.4 mi 54 mins (1 hour 20 mins in traffic)

Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

US 1/9 is New Jersey's biggest and most annoying bottleneck , you be best on the Train. As for people saying you have to switch. There are Morris & Essex Trains that go to Hoboken Terminal and then you take the path to WTC /Wall Street. You can also take the Newark Light Rail form Board Street to Newark Penn and hop a train to new Brunswick. The Roads , Rails , Buses , are packed between the hours of 3-8pm on most lines and roads. And 5-8am.

[Eric S]

Originally Posted by RobRiguez

Anywhere along the NJTransit North East Corridor line (Edison - Rahway) or Raritan Valley line (Somerville - Cranford) would be ideal IMO. Drive to Rutgers train to NYC.

http://www.njtransit.com/pdf/rail/Rail_System_Map.pdf
Raritan Valley = Orange
NE Corridor = Red

I strongly second this opinion. A rental in Metuchen will provide a train station w/in walking distance and a reasonable commute to N. Brunswick by car on Rte. 27 or Rte. 1.

You can rent in a highrise right across from the Rahway train station and both you and your wife can commute by train.

Jersey City isn't a complete disaster either, especially for the one commuting to NYC. The PATH has always been and is persistently the best, most cost effective AND most trouble free way into lower Manhattan. Driving to and from JC to NB will not be fun, though. I recommend getting EZ-Pass and using the turnpike .

Enjoy living in "the city." Spend a few years. Learn the ways of your fellow man. I'll see you in TX by, say, 2020....

-Eric

[piespies]

Originally Posted by univ0681

Can people chime in on the expected length of a Hoboken to Rutgers New Brunswick commute by car at, say, 9:00 and 9:30am - and the commute back to Hoboken at, say, 3:30pm and 7pm?

(I am assuming traffic is really bad from 7-9am, and then from 4-6pm; if I am wrong, please let me know)

Google maps gives three routes:

1. US-1 S/US-9 S and US-1 S 32.6 mi 40 mins (1 hour 20 mins in traffic)
2. I-95 S 34.5 mi 42 mins (how much in traffic?)
3. Garden State Pkwy S 46.4 mi 54 mins (1 hour 20 mins in traffic)

Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

I used to do this commute every day up until June of last year.

You need to take 95. No question. You are going against the traffic coming into the city and there's rarely a backup.

However, I would recommend that you get off 95 1 exit early at Edison and take Rt. 1 for the last couple of miles. The New Brunswick exit from 95 is horribly busy in the morning. (this may have improved as they were doing construction work on the area for the ~2 years I was doing this commute).

Going this way, It would take me anywhere from 35-50 minutes each way. Traffic moves quite quickly on the turnpike.

I'll throw my 2 cents in and suggest Hoboken or Downtown Jersey City. Easy commute via PATH or Ferry to Wall St. and the drive to New Brunswick is a breeze.

There's really no need to be out in the 'burbs for your situation, unless you really want to be there. Hoboken/DJC will be far more interesting to live in.

[piespies]

Originally Posted by Eric S

Jersey City isn't a complete disaster either, especially for the one commuting to NYC. The PATH has always been and is persistently the best, most cost effective AND most trouble free way into lower Manhattan. Driving to and from JC to NB will not be fun, though. I recommend getting EZ-Pass and using the turnpike .

I completely disagree with this. Having done it for two years, I found it very easy.

[G.Costanza]

Originally Posted by univ0681

Can people chime in on the expected length of a Hoboken to Rutgers New Brunswick commute by car at, say, 9:00 and 9:30am - and the commute back to Hoboken at, say, 3:30pm and 7pm?

(I am assuming traffic is really bad from 7-9am, and then from 4-6pm; if I am wrong, please let me know)

Traffic is bad at rush hour, but in your opposite direction (towards NYC bridges & tunnels in the am and away in the pm). My wife also does a "reverse commute" and it takes her google time in the am and an extra 20 mins after 5pm. If you have some flexibility in your pm schedule, you'll be golden.

Google maps gives three routes:

1. US-1 S/US-9 S and US-1 S 32.6 mi 40 mins (1 hour 20 mins in traffic)
2. I-95 S 34.5 mi 42 mins (how much in traffic?)
3. Garden State Pkwy S 46.4 mi 54 mins (1 hour 20 mins in traffic)

Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

As others have said, I95. Get an EZ-Pass when you move here (readily available) and you can breeze through toll plazas without stopping or getting in a long, slow line. It amazes me that people still live in NY/NJ without EZ-Pass, although people living off the Mass Pike really take the prize for that.

[Eric S]

Originally Posted by piespies

I completely disagree with this. Having done it for two years, I found it very easy.

Then I will respectfully withraw my negative opinion of that commute and will offer up that the OP may not find it to be as bad as I did (once upon a time).

-OMS

[lov403]

Originally Posted by univ0681

and the commute back to Hoboken at, say, 3:30pm and 7pm?

(I am assuming traffic is really bad from 7-9am, and then from 4-6pm; if I am wrong, please let me know)

Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

isn't the parking situation in hoboken a bit of a nighmare, esp in the evening when everyone returns from work? i remember friends complaining about not finding parking to be easy, most streets are now by permit only for residents to 'ease' the congestion.

[univ0681]

With a 2-3k budget for rent (for a 2 bed apt/condo), will we get a place with one car space/garage in Hoboken? I'm hoping the answer is yes, but I'd like to see if this is, indeed, so.