Need help regarding downtown commute (Orlando: construction, living, suburban)

[Crane's Rooster]

Yes 1hr is the extreme (that's why I stated it), but extreme doesn't necessarily mean extraordinary. One accident and you could find yourself likely in store for a parking lot on I4. That's why it's good to always know an alternate route.

[chopchop0]

Originally Posted by Crane's Rooster

Yes 1hr is the extreme (that's why I stated it), but extreme doesn't necessarily mean extraordinary. One accident and you could find yourself likely in store for a parking lot on I4. That's why it's good to always know an alternate route.

The side roads to Dr Phillips don't end up really being worth it IMO. Sand Lake Rd from OBT or JYP could be just as bad. If you dislike traffic, the major negative (as well as the big positive, in some ways) is the proximity of I-4, along with the 528 and turnpike to Dr Phillips.

[lcole07]

Here is the current traffic in and around Orlando. Check it yourself any time with your routes..
Route Planner - the best route, maps and traffic info from TomTom

[Dzyner]

Wow! Thanks very much everyone for all your replies and suggestions. I certainly appreciate it. Looks like I have a lot of research ahead of me for all the new neighborhoods mentioned. I do like the Doctor Phillips area but I think more than a 30 minute commute each way, every day which is what it seems I'd be looking at, would grow old very quickly for me. I once had an hour commute here in Pittsburgh. Not only did I feel it was a huge waste of time and was going through tanks of gas quickly, I certainly didn't arrive at work refreshed and ready for the day.

Pete C - That is very helpful for me. Visuals always make things easier.
Thank you.

Icole07 - Thanks for the link to the map. I'll certainly check it daily for a while at peek times and see what to expect from different areas.

chopchop0 - Thanks for the warning about traffic on side roads. I'll check those out too.

[chopchop0]

Originally Posted by Dzyner

Wow! Thanks very much everyone for all your replies and suggestions. I certainly appreciate it. Looks like I have a lot of research ahead of me for all the new neighborhoods mentioned. I do like the Doctor Phillips area but I think more than a 30 minute commute each way, every day which is what it seems I'd be looking at, would grow old very quickly for me. I once had an hour commute here in Pittsburgh. Not only did I feel it was a huge waste of time and was going through tanks of gas quickly, I certainly didn't arrive at work refreshed and ready for the day.

Pete C - That is very helpful for me. Visuals always make things easier.
Thank you.

Icole07 - Thanks for the link to the map. I'll certainly check it daily for a while at peek times and see what to expect from different areas.

chopchop0 - Thanks for the warning about traffic on side roads. I'll check those out too.

a lot of people commute to downtown from Dr Phillips. As I said before, it really shouldn't be more than thirty minutes in general, or twenty without traffic if you leave before 7:30. A bad commute to downtown would be lake Mary, not Dr Phillips.

[Mr Idealism]

Originally Posted by chopchop0

That's probably a bit extreme there. I've driven the Dr Phillips-downtown commute quite a bit before. Expect 20 minutes with no traffic. 30-40 minutes with traffic. Even then, most of the heaviest traffic is from the short stretch of Princeton to the 408 coming back to Dr Phillips.

The one exception is Friday afternoons, which can be painful for anyone, anywhere on I-4 within the Orlando MSA. Quite possibly one of the worst fridays I've ever driven in Orlando made me have a commute of 55 minutes from Altamonte Springs to Dr Phillips, so I don't imagine anywhere close to 60 minutes from downtown Orlando to Dr Phillips.

I agree. I live in Dr. Phillips now and travel to and from downtown at least 2-3 times a week during rush hour. The extra cars on the road right now because of spring break make the commute coming back to DP a bit longer than usual, but I would say 30 minutes would be pushing it. As far as the morning commute, it's usually too early for tourists if you're on the road before 9, and even if the traffic starts at John Young, you can still make it downtown in well under 30 minutes.

[Dzyner]

Mr Idealism - Thanks! I think that I certainly could handle a thirty minute drive in order to enjoy the benefits of living in Doctor Phillips. Just looking on line, the other areas that were suggested seem nice enough but I guess because of my research on Doctor Phillips, I feel more comfortable still targeting that area for my search. I may feel differently when gas hits $5.00 a gallon though but as chopchop0 mentioned, I'll think I'll still be happy that I don't have to commute from Lake Mary (Initially THE place I wanted to live before doing any research.)

[chopchop0]

Originally Posted by Dzyner

Mr Idealism - Thanks! I think that I certainly could handle a thirty minute drive in order to enjoy the benefits of living in Doctor Phillips. Just looking on line, the other areas that were suggested seem nice enough but I guess because of my research on Doctor Phillips, I feel more comfortable still targeting that area for my search. I may feel differently when gas hits $5.00 a gallon though but as chopchop0 mentioned, I'll think I'll still be happy that I don't have to commute from Lake Mary (Initially THE place I wanted to live before doing any research.)

I love the DP area because of it's proximity to the things that put Orlando on the map, along with close access to the airport via the 528. Winter Park is the other area I really like a lot in the Orlando MSA, but it's a pain to get in and out of it with traffic, and it's not close enough to I-4 for my liking.

Lake Mary just comes across as suburbia to me. It's nice and all, but not where the action is.

[Mr Idealism]

Originally Posted by chopchop0

I love the DP area because of it's proximity to the things that put Orlando on the map, along with close access to the airport via the 528. Winter Park is the other area I really like a lot in the Orlando MSA, but it's a pain to get in and out of it with traffic, and it's not close enough to I-4 for my liking.

Lake Mary just comes across as suburbia to me. It's nice and all, but not where the action is.

You and I are on the same page. We lived in (new/535) Windermere for a half a year before deciding to rent in the DP area because ultimately I think it's where we'd like to buy. I LOVE Winter Park, but the distance to I4 and ultimately all the lights and traffic, make it less desirable for us. If you can afford to live on Olde Winter Park's brick streets near the chain of lakes and nearly stroll or bike to Park Ave's restaurants/shopping, you've got it made. However, most the homes start well over $500k, and like you said, the access in and out, leaves a lot to be desired. Right now we like the entertainment/dining options with Disney/Universal/Downtown/etc being so close to us, that I think DP is the right fit. Not to mention, you can get a great home in a beautiful/safe neighborhood for under $300k.

[katestar]

I like DP also. Close proximity to everything. As far as the commute, I agree with those that said it would be around 30 mins. I don't know what it's like where you are, but I'm from suburban NYC and with that in mind in my opinion Orlando doesn't have a traffic.