Commuting between Moon and Downtown / Looking for a new neighborhood (McKees Rocks: real estate, school district)

[SteelersFan09]

Originally Posted by smithsl5

Are you looking for an apartment or house? Waterford Landing apartment complex in Moon is fantastic and very convenient to RMU. You will hit traffic going into the city, but it's not too bad

The last time I lived in the Pittsburgh area, I lived in Moon and commuted downtown for work. Being very close to RMU for class was nice but the downtown commute got very frustrating at times. I don't mind living closer to Moon than downtown, but I'm going to be driving to the arena fairly often.

[SteelersFan09]

Originally Posted by DaBurgh

Beechview
Dormont

both have public transporation called the T (trolley)- you could take it back and forth to Consol. Then hop in the car for the trip out to Moon.

or maybe:

Lower Hill
Southside

Walk to work and drive out to Moon.

The latter two sound like the better option of the two pairs you presented. I'd like to avoid public transportation if possible.

Forgive my ignorance but how would you rank the safety of living in the lower hill? I understand that the Hill District, like the North Side, is made up of many different neighborhoods.

[SteelersFan09]

Originally Posted by greg42

Actually, I'm thinking Bellevue, Ben Avon, Emsworth, Sewickley, anything along the Ohio River there. Why? Think of where Robert Morris is, towards the lower end of University Blvd, closer to the river than to the airport grounds. Sewickley Bridge makes an easy commute to school from that side. Would be pretty easy to choose a spot where you'd have about a 15 minute commute to either place (or you could favor one over the other). In fact, even if you lived Downtown or beyond I think I would suggest getting to RMU on Rt 65 and the Sewickley Bridge rather than the parkway.

If you want something to do near home without driving, most of the Ohio River towns are not that appealing, though. Bellevue is dry (if that matters). Ben Avon and Emsworth have almost no businesses. Sewickley is kind of a stuffy town. Etc. But you could just as easily live Downtown, the Strip, Mt Washington, South Side, whatever.

I would NOT suggest any of those places that would necessitate a trip through the Ft Pitt Tunnel before and after a Pens game, because it backs up a lot. This rules out Green Tree and Robinson. (I don't think those places offer anything more over the ones on the Ohio River anyway; you still gotta drive everywhere.) Beechview and Dormont, less of an issue, but still not ideal IMO. Harder to get to RMU from there. I'm wondering if the T operates late enough sometimes if the game runs over, etc. It's not a bad thought, but it's still not that convenient to RMU, which is probably where you go more often.

Troy Hill is a funny one given the rest of your original list but it's no worse location-wise than the others I guess. Pretty close to the arena, take 65 out to RMU. May trigger your safety meter more than some others, not sure.

Rt 65 outbound in the morning and inbound in the evening would be a reverse commute with not too much traffic in those directions.

I don't know how familiar you are with the neighborhoods. If you have an idea of what sort of place you want, what sort of surrounding area (suburban or urban) and how much rent (I assume rent?) that might help narrow down a bit.

People have told me that Troy Hill is a safe area with affordable housing (I've found very large 2 bedroom apts for 500$ a month). I also noticed that it's very close to Rt.65. I'm honestly not familiar with that area of town at all.

[SteelersFan09]

Originally Posted by alise007

I lived in Robinson for 5 years and had multiple ways to avoid Ft Pitt. I worked at AGH and initally worked on the South Side near the Birmingham Bridge and went to evening hospital rotations at various UPMC locations -Shadyside and Presby. I rarely went the Parkway. It would be a parking lot in both directions in the evening.

We could get home from Steelers games in 15-20 mins. You can cut down 60 thru Crafton, back ways thru the Rocks or Stowe Twp over to the Ohio River Blvd. You can drive thru Crafton Heights and go thru the Corliss tunnel over to W Carson/51 and cross over the various bridges. Rarely sat in traffic because at night most of the people were leaving the city- it was great!

I'll definitely keep Robinson in mind then. That sounds like a very good scenario. Any idea what monthly rent prices are like in that area?

[ferraris]

Originally Posted by SteelersFan09

The latter two sound like the better option of the two pairs you presented. I'd like to avoid public transportation if possible.

Forgive my ignorance but how would you rank the safety of living in the lower hill? I understand that the Hill District, like the North Side, is made up of many different neighborhoods.

Why are you avoiding public transportation? Just curious. The T is quite nice and I would think it runs relatively on time, since it is on tracks and not sharing the road with cars.

If you were to look in the Hill District, you would probably want to be in the Crawford Roberts section.

[ferraris]

Originally Posted by SteelersFan09

I'll definitely keep Robinson in mind then. That sounds like a very good scenario. Any idea what monthly rent prices are like in that area?

If you're willing to familiarize yourself with the surface roads and alternative bridges to avoid the Ft. Pitt tunnel, everything between Robinson and Greentree could be an option.

[SteelersFan09]

Originally Posted by ferrarisnowday

If you're willing to familiarize yourself with the surface roads and alternative bridges to avoid the Ft. Pitt tunnel, everything between Robinson and Greentree could be an option.

I agree. That's why I initially brought up those areas...looking at google maps, it seems I could get anywhere I needed to get to without using the tunnels.

[SteelersFan09]

Originally Posted by ferrarisnowday

Why are you avoiding public transportation? Just curious. The T is quite nice and I would think it runs relatively on time, since it is on tracks and not sharing the road with cars.

If you were to look in the Hill District, you would probably want to be in the Crawford Roberts section.

It's nothing personal against using the T, I just have lived in a few cities where I've had bad experiences with public transportation (schedules, ect.). One of the main reasons I've tried to live in cities like Pittsburgh is the option to have your own car and it not be a problem.

[greg42]

Well, you CAN get most places without using the tunnel, sure, but it doesn't automatically follow that it will actually take less time than waiting in the tunnel traffic. Rt 60, for example, actually has backups in Crafton at rush times of day.

That said, the biggest problem with the tunnel is that it backs up in both directions at both rush hours. Most of the other routes do not have that problem at least.

Still think Green Tree is mostly out. A lot of Green Tree is not well located for a good non-Parkway drive to/from RMU or non-tunnel drive to downtown. The fastest route from RMU to downtown (the entire way) at times that could be close to evening rush is going to be Rt 65. Assuming you're going to stop at home in between and have plenty of time between last class and work times, that doesn't mean other places can't be nearly as convenient. Just have to decide what's important to be closer to. It sounds like cheap rent is important. Rents in Rt 65 towns like Emsworth or Ben Avon have remained pretty reasonable.

It's hard to put a finger on a specific area that would be more compelling than the others, apart from the routing. If, for example, you said you really wanted to be in a newer apartment complex, then you should probably be looking in Robinson or Moon where a few actually exist. But otherwise, I dunno. We're not talking school districts, walkability, transit, nothing like that.

Heck, maybe you can find a place in Uptown. I'm not sure it's particularly less safe than Troy Hill, and it's closer to work (you could walk there). Another city neighborhood you might try that you could get to easily is Bloomfield. Makes the drive out to RMU a little bit longer, no moreso than Troy Hill would though. I think rents can be reasonable there, and you get a truly useful city neighborhood (Uptown and Troy Hill lack somewhat in the area of useful businesses).

So that gives you some things to think about at least, city neighborhood vs suburb.

[ferraris]

Originally Posted by SteelersFan09

I agree. That's why I initially brought up those areas...looking at google maps, it seems I could get anywhere I needed to get to without using the tunnels.

Keep in mind the terrain here. Two roads might look like they intersect or are right next to each other, but with all the bridges and tunnels roads that look like they have easy access to each other could be separated by 100 feet of elevation (there are plenty of smaller tunnels, not just Ft. Pitt, Liberty, and Squirrel Hill.)