Looking to relocate to Portland Area somewhere between... the Pearl district and... McMinnville ADVICE!?! (Beaverton: renting, car insurance)

[OSUperu]

I have been gleaning these forums for the last few days but i really couldn't find anything close to our situation...

Situation: Wife and I currently live in Southern Oregon but I have been given a very beneficial job offer outside of McMinnville (N on 99), HOWEVER my wife has put fashion design education on hold down here, waiting for something like the Art Institute of Portland -smack dab in the pearl...

To be able to finish her educational career we of course can not live in McMinnville, but I of course do not want to commute from deep inside of Portland....

Questions/thoughts:

She is used to long (1hr+) commutes to her university (lived in LIMA, peru), my commute last 6 years has been 15mins...so I could say we could live closer to McMinn than Northeast Portland. I'd like 30min max if my wife won't suffer too much..

How is the transit system trimet? I see it reaches into Sherwood and Tualatin...Or better to have her drive into portland and then ride public?? How nasty is commuting to the Pearl from the Southwest??

My field is winegrapes and of course early morning starts...when does traffic get bad around portland commuting zones??

I understand that 99 can be horrendous, but am i wrong in thinking only bad going N in AM and bad going S in PM or is it just plan BAD!?

**Just renting first** Nice apts. or home.

So far, from my limited experience with portland area and google maps, i believe the happy medium would be to live in: Tigard/King City/Sherwood/Tualatin and deal with 99.

Any advice greatly appreciated!

[figmalt]

You might also consider Forest Grove, Cornelius, and Hillsboro. From Hillsboro your wife could take the MAX into Portland, and you could take Hwy 47 to McMinnville. It's about 30 minutes driving from Hillsboro to Portland, and 45 minutes to McMinnville from Hillsboro. That puts you over your thirty-minute commute time, but it is an option.

[OSUperu]

Figmalt: Never thought about that angle. Thanks!.. I'll have to check out the max and times/fees... How long does a commuting time Max line from Hillsboro to downtown take?

[philwithbeard]

Portland's Light Rail map with (in small print) the 'estimated' commute times:
TriMet: Rail System Map (MAX, WES and Streetcar)

Add a few minutes from the Washington Park (Zoo stop) to downtown Pioneer Square stop. The MAX line only seems take longer if you don't get a seat during rush hour.

[OSUperu]

It seems that the max is a good way to get into downtown. What about taking the WES train in from say tualatin? and then hitting that same MAX route? Compared to bus routes into downtown from tualatin area?

Without experiencing living in an area and commuting how would I know if a public transportation commute is faster/easier than driving into downtown during rush hours?... Rather which area has more public trans. options between: west(hillsboro) or southwest(tigard/sherwood) or south( tualatin/wilsonville) and which area has a better DRIVE into downtown?

Any opinions on the bus only trimet routes from burbs to downtown in general?

[LeftCoastee]

Originally Posted by OSUperu

It seems that the max is a good way to get into downtown. What about taking the WES train in from say tualatin? and then hitting that same MAX route? Compared to bus routes into downtown from tualatin area?

From the WES station in Tualatin, you go to Beaverton to pick up MAX before you start heading downtown (not a direct route). The Tri-Met trip planner shows a train-only trip to the Pearl at 60 minutes starting a 7am on a weekday.

The Tualatin Park & Ride bus station is convenient. Tri-Met trip planner shows a bus-only trip time from Tualatin to the Pearl at 43 minutes.

Additionally there is a bus leaving the Tualatin Park & Ride every 10 minutes. WES goes every half hour.

Unfortuntely, Tualatin is not in an area that makes train commuting attractive. Maybe that will change, but until then the bus makes more sense.

[figmalt]

I commuted between Hillsboro & PSU on a daily basis for a few years. During rush hour traffic in the morning and afternoon the drive was usually 30-45 minutes. Without traffic (i.e. non-peak hours) it was 25 minutes flat. If I rode the MAX from the Washington County Fairgrounds, it took 45-50 minutes to get into downtown, then another 15-20 minutes (at least) to get to PSU. So, it is definitely quicker to drive, but parking is hard to find and expensive, plus you have the cost of gas and car insurance.

[OSUperu]

LeftCoastee -appreciate the detail, i'll get on tirmet.org and play around.

Side note: Am I getting a feeling that Highway 99 commute is a no go?? From tualatin or sherwood or tigard would I not be traveling against the main flow if I am commuting South?

Anybody out there commute to McMinnville from Portland or Northeast burbs?

[OSUperu]

Also...there's some ambiguity on 'peak traffic hours'... Is 6am peak for portland area? Season dependent but i assume i'll be on the road toward wine country by 5:30-630am

[hamellr]

Originally Posted by OSUperu

LeftCoastee -appreciate the detail, i'll get on tirmet.org and play around.

Side note: Am I getting a feeling that Highway 99 commute is a no go?? From tualatin or sherwood or tigard would I not be traveling against the main flow if I am commuting South?

Anybody out there commute to McMinnville from Portland or Northeast burbs?

Even going this way, your commute is not going to be under 30 minutes.

You're still hitting I-84 to I-5, or I-84 to 26 to 217 to I-5 during rush hour. 99 through Tigard is always busy no matter what time of the day. It gets a bit better past that, but during tourist season, or on holiday weekends can get bad due to people headed to the Coast, or to Spirit Mountain.

Rush hour seems to be 7ish to 9ish and 3:30 to 6:30.