Commute from Peoria to Sky Harbor (Carefree: rental car, rental, how much)

[kodokan]

Hello

We're almost there - we have our visas, and flights are booked for 13 October.

We'll be in temporary accommodation for some weeks at first, waiting for our furniture to ship from Europe, but once we arrive we need to swing into immediate action on choosing a rental house for the first year or so.

One area I really like the look of on paper is Peoria - approximately the blocks between W Peoria Ave and Thunderbird, and 75th and 51st Ave. The area looks pleasant on Streetview, the houses are affordable for us, there are shops/libraries/etc in easy biking distance, and the schools are well-rated and K-8, which gets me around my currently 6th grade son having to change schools again next year for middle school (and possibly the year after, if we then move areas in order to buy a house, and then the year after that for high school - you see my dilemma...).

Hubby likes the area too, but has reservations about the commute to work, next to Sky Harbor. He's heard people say that coming in along the I10 is just a disaster, because of the tunnel, and that the diagonal route down the 60 isn't any better.

Does anyone have experience of approximately that commute, and could let me know how bad it's likely to be? He'd mostly be starting work around 7.30-8am, and leaving the office about 5pm, although he could flex times if it made a huge difference.

Thanks for any advice.

[observer53]

Actually, from there you could also come down I-17, which is somewhat better than the I-10 in terms of traffic. The hours you describe are peak time, adjusting them earlier would help some.

[kodokan]

Originally Posted by observer53

Actually, from there you could also come down I-17, which is somewhat better than the I-10 in terms of traffic. The hours you describe are peak time, adjusting them earlier would help some.

Thanks, observer *fires up Google maps*... yes, I see what you mean - surface streets to the I-17, then all the way down over the I-10, and come in the west end of the airport (which is roughly where his office is).

Would that be a completely horrible commute, do you think? And earlier than 7.30am? How much earlier do you reckon would be necessary? It's certainly a possibility - a lot of his job will be keeping in touch with the European team, so working something like 7am-4pm could work with the time zones. He's an early morning person by nature.

[observer53]

An hour earlier might make a lot of difference, in my opinion. I've driven the 17 during the morning and evening quite a bit over the last few years. It's not an ideal commute, but going all the way south to the 10 on surface streets, and then creeping in on that, doesn't sound good either.

[Finger Laker]

it's going to be a tough commute regardless of route

60/grand avenue is better than it used to be - but you still come across the 3 direction lights that take for ever, as well as typical congestion .... not to mention you'll still connect to I-17 or I-10 at a point of congestion

17 south and the part of the loop 101 going west until it will back up

that portion of I-10 would also be pretty tough ... i think surface down to I-10 would be the worst bit

leaving at 5pm is also pretty much peak ... you'll crawl the moment you leave the airport

since you'll have some time out here I would definitely recommend mocking up the commute a couple of times

I like the area to live in - but I think you're probably looking at least a 40 minute commute and probably an hour even from the more convenient areas in that larger block

[kodokan]

Hmmm... a test commute would be best, by the sounds of it, and in the meantime I shan't get too attached to the area virtually!

Thanks for the insights, guys.

[Stokes172]

It can't be that bad . I left my place off the I17 and the Carefree Highway at 7:30 in the morning and was standing at the check in counter at Sky Harbor at 835 .. that was after returning a rental car and taking the shuttle to terminal 4.

[Finger Laker]

another thing to note - commutes get worse when schools are in session and the winter residents start filling up

last winter actually wasn't as bad as some past ones .... but I've definitely noticed the action picking up the past couple of weeks on my drive in (maybe a good "soft" economic indicator?!!?.....)

[mjd2k]

Originally Posted by Stokes172

It can't be that bad . I left my place off the I17 and the Carefree Highway at 7:30 in the morning and was standing at the check in counter at Sky Harbor at 835 .. that was after returning a rental car and taking the shuttle to terminal 4.

For what its worth.

Saturday we left the house in Vistancia at 11:15 am,
- hit construction on 101s that routed us on surface streets to I17. That took at least 1/2 hour of inching traffic
- Took rental back and went to wrong terminal.
- Went to correct terminal
- Checked in at united
- Through security at gate by 1 pm.

WE figured a 45 minute drive and that was about right without all the stupidity.

We did not have rush hour traffic but we were starting about 15 miles north of the OPs address.

Trust me I was watching my clock all the way. I figured there was no hope once we it that construction.

[hts]

Please. I love how people comment on things they know nothing about.

I live in Anthem and fly out of PHX weekly. I typically choose morning flights (6-8a departures) so that I can cruise down the I-17 with less traffic. I leave my house (we're in the very back of the country club, so it takes me a good 10 mins to get to I-17) 90 mins before my departure time and I have yet to be hurried. I always fly United/Continental.