New to AZ, commute time? (Phoenix, Scottsdale: vacation home, construction, zip code)

[Skibbs]

Scottsdale 85259
Phoenix 85044
mapquest estimated time of 38 minutes

the jist of it is:
6 miles on Shea blvd to 101S
13miles on 101S to US-60W
4 miles on US-60W to I-10E
4 miles on I-10E

I guess my question is how bad is traffic on the freeways in the morning? What am I looking at for a REAL commute time during morning and afternoon rush hour? I know this is a long commute but I am at this address because it is a vacation home that I was allowed to stay at while looking for work.

Thanks for any help, I am a Californian who moved out here to look for work and it looks like I may have found something!

[observer53]

The freeway portions will be congested in rush hour. Shea Blvd westbound will be, too. You could take the 101 all the way to Warner Rd and go west, avoiding US 60, etc. Commutes can vary a lot here depending on departure time (5 or 10 minutes can make a difference) traffic obstructions (minor construction or accidents). 38 minutes in rush hour is not going to work most of the time (again, depending on departure time, day of week), but my guess is that no more than 15-20 minutes additional will do it in "normal" rush hour (traffic moving, but slowly).

[43north87west]

Originally Posted by Skibbs

Scottsdale 85259
Phoenix 85044
mapquest estimated time of 38 minutes

the jist of it is:
6 miles on Shea blvd to 101S
13miles on 101S to US-60W
4 miles on US-60W to I-10E
4 miles on I-10E

I guess my question is how bad is traffic on the freeways in the morning? What am I looking at for a REAL commute time during morning and afternoon rush hour? I know this is a long commute but I am at this address because it is a vacation home that I was allowed to stay at while looking for work.

Thanks for any help, I am a Californian who moved out here to look for work and it looks like I may have found something!

My S.O. used to drive a similar commute (from North Scottsdale). We moved to Ahwatukee as a result of the drive time, but it really wasn't THAT bad. I did it before and managed OK.

Depending on where you are going in the 85044 ZIP code, you might be better off using the 101 south to the Santan Freeway (Loop 202) and then driving west on the Santan to the 10. You could exit at Ray Road, which would get you off of the 10 right where it backs up at the junction of the 202 and the 10. From there, you could make your way into Ahwatukee (85044). But, if your job would be north, around Warner or Elliot, you'd hit northbound traffic on the 10, or you would have to take surface streets. I'm a fan of driving a longer distance in less traffic, than shortening up the distance and doing the stop-and-go thing.

Another option is to take Warner, Elliot, or Ray from the 101 across to 85044. It's around 5 miles between the 10 and the 101. But avoid the 60 during peak times, at least between the 10 and the 101.

Going back to Scottsdale, depending on what time you leave, you might want to try a few options because the traffic doesn't get too bad until after 5. Traffic in Phoenix truly represents "rush hour". During much of the day there is little traffic, but during peak times, it's quite heavy. You can sit in rotten traffic at 5:30 on the 10, and at 6:30, drive the same stretch of road at 65mph. If your employer has flexible schedules, take advantage of that and you'll be able to deal with it. It's not an ideal commute, but it is manageable if you use the right roads.

Finally, pay attention to construction (goes without saying but...). See azdot.gov for more information on closures.