Wester Chester to Wilmington (West Chester, Blue Bell: apartment complex, home, schools)

[smjordan]

So, I have a potiental job in Wilmington, DE. More specifically, 4500 New Linden Hill Rd which seems to be in a town called Mermaid.

I've been looking around for apartments in West Chester. I've found a few places 5 miles southwest or so from the middle of town and according to mapquest the commute is 42 minutes. This route would avoid 202, and instead take me to Kennet Square via PA-52 and then down to Mermaid, DE. Anyway! I've heard 202 traffic is horrible and that any rain or snow closes the road completely down. So I was wondering what type of realistic traffic times I could expect.

I've lived in Blue Bell (Montgomery County) for the past 12 years and would like to move to a similar place. That kinda of developed suburbs feel. I'd prefer to stay somewhat close to the city since I have a girlfriend in University City. I figured West Chester would be the best place.

Any help?

[toobusytoday]

Traffic is horrible on route 202 but it's not the rain and snow that shuts it down, it's the volume of traffic and the potential for accidents. It's just a four lane (for the most part) highway between WC and Wilmington with lots of lights so it gets clogged quickly and with snow, it's just hard to plow because of that and there is not much of shoulder to push the snow off the road. Never heard of rain closing it though.

West Chester is a nice town and the backroads throught Chester County and the Brandywine River valley will make a not bad commute.

[Wanna Leave Penciltucky]

The roads get closed down from flooding off the Brandywine Creek. Traffic on Route 1 and 52 are heavy. It is a trip I make daily. You will haev to take into account the lagging traffic for your arrival time. Cops frequent that route you chose and give tickets with glee. There is an apartment complex which looks really nice on 202 in Chadds Ford near the Wawa. Called Camden something. Looks very nice and upscale. This would also cut a lot of time off your comute. If you are working in Wilmington consider an apartment in Chadds Ford or right near 52 it wil lsave you time and money and tickets.

[toobusytoday]

Wanna leave,
It sounds like you are very familiar with the routes 1 and 52, but I can't picture any flooding on 202 between WC and Wilmington. Where would that be? Or perhaps you're referring to flooding on 1 and 52?

[smjordan]

Originally Posted by Wanna Leave Penciltucky

The roads get closed down from flooding off the Brandywine Creek. Traffic on Route 1 and 52 are heavy. It is a trip I make daily. You will haev to take into account the lagging traffic for your arrival time. Cops frequent that route you chose and give tickets with glee.

What type of traffic are we talking here? an extra 30 minutes or an hour+?

Originally Posted by Wanna Leave Penciltucky

There is an apartment complex which looks really nice on 202 in Chadds Ford near the Wawa. Called Camden something. Looks very nice and upscale. This would also cut a lot of time off your comute. If you are working in Wilmington consider an apartment in Chadds Ford or right near 52 it wil lsave you time and money and tickets.

Maybe I put too much stock in apartmentratings.com, but that Camden apartment complex got a horrible rating. I'm not familiar with that area, but it seems very small townish. Not what I'm looking for.

[toobusytoday]

smjordan,
If you don't have kids and schools to worry about, why not think about moving to Newark? It's similar to West Chester and your commute would be an easy one. It will probably be hard to get an apartment right now since school (University of Delaware) will be back in session very soon. But, the same thing is true of West Chester.

[Wanna Leave Penciltucky]

The Camden ---- apts on 202 got a bad rating? Wow its a nice looking maintained place. Full of nice upscale cars and professionals. The area its sits on is not small townish at all. You are right on 202 in the thick of all of it shopping, restaurants, doctors all of it.
Recently a friend of mine used apartmentratings.com to find an apartment and I can only say that she decided against the rating system and her apartment is just perfect. The complex only rated a 51% but she loves it and it is nice and safe. I think it may be a bit spammed by some people.

I was referring to rt 1 when I mentioned flooding since many times I have had to re-do my route to accommodate for it.
As for traffic estimates when I go to Media I buffer in 25 extra mins in my time estimate. Usually I only arrive with 5 mins if at all to spare.
Do yourself a favor and drive the route during the week, not Monday or Friday but Tues-Thurs and time it out for yourself.

[pearl2007]

We appreciate any suggestions or leads to
buy a home in the West Chester, PA area.
We need to be close to Widener U. in DE.
Thanks for your help.