Commuting From Anthem To Phoenix (Peoria, Carefree: home, buy, living in)

[mizzlong]

Ok, I'm considering moving up north to anthem...what's the real deal if you're commuting in/out of Phoenix?

[eddiek]

Depending upon the hours you will be traveling, you may want to have a good book with you in the car, and something to drink.

At least you won't be thirsty and bored while sitting and waiting for the traffic jams to clear.

[Greatday]

Originally Posted by mizzlong

Ok, I'm considering moving up north to anthem...what's the real deal if you're commuting in/out of Phoenix?

I-17 was not originally designed and built for the volume of traffic that Anthem, and the other residential developments have put on it.

Although the enlargement process is on going, it will be several years before any kind of relief will realistically be felt

As a result, and it does depend upon the time of day, commute times can be very lengthy - Southbound or Northbound. Then, if by chance there is an accident, it serves only to make it much worse.

Depending on where in Phoenix you would be commuting too, I would allow over an hour (or sometimes more) to be on the safe side (assuming "rush hours")

[micrguy]

They had something in the paper last year and if I remember correctly ADOT has no plans to widen or expand the freeway up to Anthem until at least 2020. Their first priority is addressing all of the growth in the east valley before they can get around to fixing the freeways that head north or west. When I lived in Phoenix our family has had friends that live in Anthem. On almost any day it would take just about an hour to get from the Peoria exit on I-17 to Anthem during rush hour. Plus you can't forget the Sunday afternoon rush hour during the summer when everyone is heading back to Phoenix from the mountains. It would be bumper to bumper going 10 miles an hour from Anthem to the Loop 101 every Sunday.

[Greatday]

Originally Posted by micrguy

They had something in the paper last year and if I remember correctly ADOT has no plans to widen or expand the freeway up to Anthem until at least 2020. Their first priority is addressing all of the growth in the east valley before they can get around to fixing the freeways that head north or west. When I lived in Phoenix our family has had friends that live in Anthem. On almost any day it would take just about an hour to get from the Peoria exit on I-17 to Anthem during rush hour. Plus you can't forget the Sunday afternoon rush hour during the summer when everyone is heading back to Phoenix from the mountains. It would be bumper to bumper going 10 miles an hour from Anthem to the Loop 101 every Sunday.

That is true - the widening is up to Carefree Highway - and the Carefree highway is getting a new interchange -

ADOT is studying the possiblity of a by-pass from Anthem to I-17

[sablebaby]

I live near the 17 off of Happy Valley (12 miles south of Anthem) and see the traffic mess daily. Weekends, at just about anytime is bad. I avoid it then. Rush hour times of course are bad. Also, our traffic reports on the news rarely shows us up here. The only time I will take the 17 is on Fridays and during the summer when it's a lot calmer. I feel like I live pretty far north and couldn't imagine living another 12 miles north.

The only way I would live in Anthem is if I worked from home.

[Sco]

It depends on what part of Phoenix you are referring to, but plan on 1 hour+ commutes each way. IMO, the worst thing about living in Anthem is not only the grueling weekday commute, but the fact that traffic is just as bad if not worse on the weekends. Unless you work from home or very close to home, Anthem is not a good choice. What is it about Anthem that attracts your interest? I have never seen the logic of moving entirely out of the city and dealing with a long commute just so you can buy the same tract home placed a few feet apart with a tiny lot that you can find all over the metro area.

[yakijy]

That's one of the worst commutes I can think of.