I got a job!!! And of course another commute question. (Portland: lease, transfer to)

[psichick]

I finally got a job. It's a temporary one year contract with maybe a possibility of going perm status, but who knows. I figure, at this point, I've been here 5 months so I'll take what I can get. Pay sucks too. But well, I'm starting to see that's the reality. Forget cost of living differences....tack on (or off in this case) another few tens of thousands because they can pay low wages because people will take it (like me). I am taking a huge pay cut and will, unfortunately, still need to live off of my savings. But, it's a job. And that's the most important aspect, right? Right.

With that, besides saying, "it's going to suck" because I'm already anticipating this, how bad do you think my commute will be. And no, I can't move until my lease expires next July.

I'm on the west side of Lake Oswego, so freeway access is right there. I am heading to....ready......the Orenco Station area in Hillsboro. I know it's going to be bad. I drove up there at 10AM today and it took me 25 mins with no traffic.

How bad, honestly, do you think it'll be if I take 217 and 26 (both ways)? Bad? REAL bad? Stupid bad? Just move already bad?

I know there's tons of streets I can take, but I'm sure those will be just as congested. Any good ones that I can avoid the 26/217 interchange? I've taken Hall from Canyon down to 99W and it's pretty fast, then catch the freeway from there since everyone is trying to get off the freeway, not get on. Yes, at 5:30pm on a weekday. Maybe 15-20 mins. I've also been stuck on 26 heading east and hitting that lovely traffic to reach 217 at 5pm on a weekday. Ugly! Took me almost 10 mins to just get past the on-ramp meter.

On the upside, I can be somewhat flexible with the schedule I choose. But not by much. I'm sure I have to start sometime between 8-9ish and end at 5-6ish. And the second thing saving me is that traffic doesn't bother me because, to me, it's not that bad. However, that could get old real fast.

Thanks. I'm excited that I finally found a job. I wouldn't mind moving to Hillsboro next year, but with my luck, I'll lose that job and end up with one in Lake Oswego, right? Haha. Just looking forward to starting my life here. I've enjoyed my time off, that's for sure.

[ga rice]

When I hear stories like yours I'm glad I retired in eastern Oregon. Commuted one summer from NE Portland to Hillsboro, in the 80's mind you. There were times I wanted to pull my hair out. If I had to do it today I would pull my hair out (if I had any.)

Looks like you're young and adventurous with a good outlook. You'll be fine and who knows, maybe this will open other doors.

[rainierman]

You're a prime customer for WES/MAX commuting. $2.50 each way. Over 1 hour total commute time each way if you parked your car at old town Tigard. Easily 1.5 hours if you parked at the much nicer Tualatin Station just south of Bridgeport Village. But you save gas and get to sleep, veg, play with cellphone while the rest are suffering. See if your employer provides discount on trip tickets or monthly pass.

Now I got that out of the way- my best route was hwy 26, take any exit, find your way to Hall Blvd and stay there- it goes all the way to quiet town roads in Tigard, Metzger, Durham. Tigard, obviously back to 217. Metzger's residential roads are empty all the way to 99W, then Haines St overpass, side door to Lake Oswego. Hall Blvd at Durham throws you back to L.O. via Bonita Rd overpass (Trader Joes). Hope this helps, and yes it's stupid bad.

[rogerskevin]

Congratulations on your new job.
Hope things will work for you.

[jjpop]

Here's another vote for taking WES/MAX. I just plugged in Tigard WES to Orenco Station, and leaving Tigard at 7:39am you can be at the Orenco Station MAX stop at 8:16am. It's not a bad ride. The WES takes about 10-12 minutes to get you to the Beaverton Transit Center, then transfer to the MAX west to Orenco. I was never much of a public transit person before I moved here, but I got used to this really quickly once I figured it out (back when I was commuting downtown).

If you drive, the consistently worst part will be 217 north to the 26 interchange. I think 26 westbound can be hit-or-miss in the mornings, but often going eastbound in the afternoon can be quite bad.

But hey, it's a job! Congrats on that. I don't know why, but it's always easier to get a better job when you employed. Hope it works out for you.

[bler144]

I'd consider using Walker as a bypass for 26 on the days when 26 is really bogged (connects to Amberglen and then Cornell). I used to use that to commute back and forth between Hillsboro and Beaverton.

That said, it probably guarantees you'll need 40 min each way, but it should save you from any 60+ runs unless it's 217 that's stalled.

If Pdx were a normal city you'd look at the map and wonder why there's no western beltline/bypass. Beaverton doesn't really have the capacity to handle both local traffic and thru-traffic that's squeezed through it.

[Rob Allen]

I was going to suggest Walker also. Another possibility is TV Highway (state highway 8) to Cornelius Pass Road to Baseline. Or, to bypass 217 completely, Walnut St. in Tigard becomes Murray Blvd, the main north-south route across the west side of Beaverton - take Murray to Jenkins, which becomes Baseline.

[Hawk J]

Congratulations. Think positive about your new job for now, darlin'...

Best of Luck.

I don't know the area.

[Sherwoody]

Purchase a Garmin GPS, I see them offered on Groupon at deep discounts all the time. It will get you anywhere you need to be from wherever you are with two different settings, shortest distance or shortest time. Anytime you alter your course to avoid slowdowns it resets to a new route.

I love it on weekends when we explore new places. It's really nice to wander aimlessly without worrying which way is home, knowing you need only to choose "home" on the GPS to get you there.

[Tulippsy]

The maps app on my phone does the same thing. Great tool.