Santa Ana to Lake Elsinore commute? (San Diego, Anaheim: roughest, house, high school)

[twisted_angel]

Hey everyone -

I posted about a month ago about moving to San Diego. Unfortunately, the job my husband was offered didn't work out (the company decided not to add his new position as originally promised ). This week he accepted a job in Santa Ana.

Until our house in WI sells, I'm staying behind (could be a LONG wait since the housing market is in the toilet). But eventually we're set on moving to the Temecula/Lake Elsinore area. We've visited over 15 communities during our trips to Cali and feel this area would be the best fit for us financially and personally.

Since he'll be on second shift, we're wondering how bad his commute will be? Currently we both drive 45 minutes to and from work each day but in a much smaller city without alot of traffic. Are the roads just as bad on off hours? Is the hour long commute each way going to turn into several hours even at 2 in the afternoon and 11 at night?

Thanks for everyone's input!

[EscapeCalifornia]

You've got two choices: The 91 which is one of the most congested freeways in the country or Highway 74 which is long, slow, and dangerous, especially at night. Either route takes you the long way around the mountains since there's no direct route between Santa Ana and Lake Elsinore. That's a hellish commute.

[OC Investor2]

Originally Posted by twisted_angel

Hey everyone -

I posted about a month ago about moving to San Diego. Unfortunately, the job my husband was offered didn't work out (the company decided not to add his new position as originally promised ). This week he accepted a job in Santa Ana.

Until our house in WI sells, I'm staying behind (could be a LONG wait since the housing market is in the toilet). But eventually we're set on moving to the Temecula/Lake Elsinore area. We've visited over 15 communities during our trips to Cali and feel this area would be the best fit for us financially and personally.

Since he'll be on second shift, we're wondering how bad his commute will be? Currently we both drive 45 minutes to and from work each day but in a much smaller city without alot of traffic. Are the roads just as bad on off hours? Is the hour long commute each way going to turn into several hours even at 2 in the afternoon and 11 at night?

Thanks for everyone's input!

I've driven back to OC several times from Temecula around 2-3 PM (against traffic) and found the drive to be bearable by CA commuting standards. It takes me 40-50 minutes from Temecula to get to Irvine. Caveat is I cut out at the 241 toll road so I don't go all the way to the 55 and deal with that stretch of the 91/55 drive into Santa Ana, which has a bad rep for being a traffic nightmare.

Another watch out is if there is an accident or disruption if any kind you are absolutely screwed, It would be a 2+ hour grind. Also you hubby would be "stuck" on 2nd or 3rd shift. Taking a shift that would involve driving to SA from Temecula/Murrietta/Lake Elsinore during "normal" rush hour (6-9am, 3:30-7pm) would mean signing up for a 2+ hour commute each way (Elsinore might shave off 20-30 minutes). And it is a hard commute - teeth grinding, stop & go traffic with frequent accidents and other delays that could send that drive to 3+ hours easy. EACH WAY.

The drive from the I-15 corridor on the 91 into OC/LA/Santa Ana is one of the roughest commutes in CA, if not the whole USA. The 2nd shift may spare your hubby some of the pain, but it is still a nasty drive, even when everything goes right. The 5-10% of the time when there is an issue - look out! I have found that quality of life in So Cal is inversely related to distance to work. If the job is going to be in Santa Ana, I would try to find something you can swing in OC, or begin looking closer in the Inland Empire.

Good Luck!

[twisted_angel]

Thanks for the advice. Wow, I had no clue the drive would be so rough. So a 45 minute commute on a WI highway isn't similar to the same one on a CA highway. Bummer. :-(

What about the drive from Corona to Santa Ana? Although I don't know much about Corona so I'm not sure if we'd want to live there....

[ucbedge]

HAHA - no, unfortunately LA commutes arent like WI commutes.

Here's what I would do. Get out a map of the area youre looking at. See the stretch of 91 between the 15 and the 55? It's an extremeley congested freeway, esp during rush hour. If you have to take that whole route, add an additional 40 minutes to your commute time. I'd say Corona to Santa Ana during rush hour would probably be around an hour.....maybe a little longer depending on where in SA.

Edit: OP - go to www.sigalert.com and see the traffic for yourself. Any time a dot is red....it's stop-and-go.

[Coldjensens]

If you are looking for a hemet like atmosphere (i.e. horse country), you might try the eastern side of Orange (near or past Orange Park Acres - you cannot afford orange park acres, but there are some surrounding areas that are simlar and less expensive) or try Anaheim Hills or Silverado Canyon. Come to think of it, you might like Silverado better. That is a bit of a commute, but not quite as nasty. It would be a short commute, but it is almost all on surface streets.

The Commute from Corona is horrible. If you have to go on the 91 is its the worst commute that I can think of.

There is a hemet like area off the 57 freeway too. Diamond bar maybe? I am not sure. I only drove through it once, not counting trips up and down the 57. Just go north on the 57 until all you see is hills and no buildings, then get off and look around. It seems like that may be a bit less onerous of a commute.

[BRinSM]

if your husband won't start work until 2 and won't get off until 11, you should be absolutely fine. the 91 is a terrible freeway from about 6am-10am, but since he won't need to be there until after lunch, it will be much easier. in fact, if you do end up choosing south corona, your commute would probably closer to 30 minutes each way, save an accident or some other issue on the freeway. as a reference, i used to commute from corona to disneyland in high school and it was about 20-25 minutes without traffic at 4 in the afternoon. i would get off around 10 and it was the same on the way home.

[bhcompy]

if you're looking for the affordability of temecula, maybe try oceanside or fallbrook? situated off the 5 makes it an easier commute to santa ana

[David Aguilar]

Originally Posted by twisted_angel

Thanks for the advice. Wow, I had no clue the drive would be so rough. So a 45 minute commute on a WI highway isn't similar to the same one on a CA highway. Bummer. :-(

What about the drive from Corona to Santa Ana? Although I don't know much about Corona so I'm not sure if we'd want to live there....

I'm a Corona booster (I was raised there), so don't knock it until you try it. But, in your situation, I would consider anything but Orange County to be off-limits.

I would imagine a 45 minute commute on a WI highway would at least involve some sort of constant movement (sans ice/snow), whereas on a CA freeway, you could theoretically catch up on reading or personal grooming, as it can be very slow moving.

Even if your husband works second shift, all you be guaranteeing him is some unnecessary driving.

Save the hassle and live in OC.

[Raelyn28]

I can't remember but depending on their budget couldn't they live somewhere southeast of Irvine? Isn't there a back way to Lake Forest, Rancho Santa Margarita, Aliso Viejo, Mission Viejo? Those were nice areas when I lived there and if their budget permits why not direct them towards those places? Maybe even parts of Anaheim Hills would be affordable...