Commuting Question (Pittsburgh, Butler, Warren: home, construction, living)

[savstep]

I hate to clog up the board with another relocation/commuting question, but I was wondering whether the commute to downtown Pittsburgh is easier from Cranberry or from Gibsonia.

Also, does anyone have any thoughts on Emsworth? It's a shorter commute, but I'm not familiar with the area.

Thank you for any responses!

[hinsey86]

Most likely about the same. Cranberry is a bit further out but you can take the interstate all the way. Depending where in Gibsonia you are likely to have to take some slower stop and go routes but it is closer. I commuted from Gibsonia to Southside for a few years. It was typically about 45-60 minutes during rush hour traffic with the morning being a bit quicker than evening. You are probably looking at about 15 minutes shorter with going to downtown.

[gg]

Gibsonia is faster than Cranberry usually. Cranberry is very far away, but has a nice road for commuting. Gibosnia is closer, but Rt. 8 has several lights. I would choose Gibsonia for the commute though.

[greg42]

I lived in Emsworth for 5 years. It's a perfectly decent sleeping area close to downtown, about 8 miles which is often only about 15 minutes. There are a few businesses, including now a newer restaurant, clustered at and in the general vicinity of the Rt 65/Camp Horne Rd. intersection.

The backup at the McKees Rocks Bridge in the morning can be a solid 10-15 minutes if you go at the worst time around 8 or so, so expect to allow a good half an hour at heavy morning commute times.

The biggest drawback to Emsworth is the same as those other towns right there, proximity to Neville Island pollution. I can't say it was a big deal to me as far as smell or visible particulate or anything, but there could be some health effect after while. I don't personally have anything to point to after living there 5 years.

Right now, with the construction on I-79 and a fairly easy setup on Rt 28 now, Gibsonia down Rt 8 and 28 is probably shorter than 79/279 from Cranberry. Otherwise, probably about equal. I can't gauge the Rt 8 drive well, but I know from most parts of Cranberry you'd probably need to allow an hour right now at peak morning rush. (There are a few exceptions where you might enter 79 at Warrendale instead, and that might cut the time to more like 45 min.) Gibsonia probably only need to allow about 45 min at least if you're close to Rt 8.

[robrobrob]

I think the commute to downtown would be better from Cranberry. Gibsonia, I am guessing you mean Hampton, is tough because you have all of the lights on Route 8 and then all of the traffic on Route 28.

It would help a lot if you leave early in the morning. The commute home is always brutal regardless of when you leave. Unless you leave at 6:30.

[gg]

Originally Posted by robrobrob

I think the commute to downtown would be better from Cranberry. Gibsonia, I am guessing you mean Hampton, is tough because you have all of the lights on Route 8 and then all of the traffic on Route 28.

It would help a lot if you leave early in the morning. The commute home is always brutal regardless of when you leave. Unless you leave at 6:30.

28 isn't nearly as bad as before the construction. At 5:00PM coming home on 28 is amazingly fast these days. Sure the merge point gets backed up a bit, but once in one lane it really goes well. I can't comment on the commute in because I am off peak then, but leaving the city is now much better than when the two lights were part of the commute.

Oh am my commute is from the 31st Bridge. I actually drive down River Road towards the city, (I kid you not!) and get on 28N at Heinz. Yes, I could cross the 31st bridge and go up Butler, but it is way faster to head back into the city and out on 28N. I would have never guessed that until I watched the traffic on 28. Amazing!

The problem is how far are you going up Rt 8? That is filled with red lights and a pain in the butt. Still it is probably much closer than going all the way out to Cranberry.

[robrobrob]

Originally Posted by h_curtis

I actually drive down River Road towards the city, (I kid you not!) and get on 28N at Heinz.

You miss most of the traffic doing it this way. If not you would most likely be sitting in traffic from around the exit to 279.

[savstep]

The place in Gibsonia that I was looking at is near Hunter Road and Bakerstown Road. Would that mean a lot of extra traffic lights on Rt. 8?

[gg]

Originally Posted by robrobrob

You miss most of the traffic doing it this way. If not you would most likely be sitting in traffic from around the exit to 279.

? I usually get right on at the on ramp. There isn't much traffic behind me when I enter. 28 is better than ever. I used to sit at that dumb light to let 2 cars out of pig hill for a really long time.

[greg42]

Bakerstown Rd is pretty far out. That's Richland, as I suspected, not Hampton. (BTW, much of Hampton is Allison Park zip not Gibsonia zip. When someone says Gibsonia I assume Richland.)

Still, depending upon where in Cranberry I'd say it could be less. The mileage is less. If you are commuting at off times, the speed you can do coming down from Cranberry may make up for that.

If you are commuting at rush times, eh, I'm not familiar with Rt 8 rush but I still think you might shave a little off the current Cranberry time. Now once that bridge construction is done the Cranberry time should go back to being the same or perhaps a little better than the Gibsonia time.