Commute time from Brentwood to San Francisco (Antioch, Walnut Creek: relocation, realty)

[Hummingbird6]

We're relocating to Brentwood and was wondering what the average commute time into San Fran is? I know it's horrible...but "horrible" is relative depending on what city you're relocating from. Is it 1 hour? 3 hours?

PLEASE no suggestions about moving closer in, like Walnut Creek, San Ramon, Danville, etc. We can't afford a home in any of those cities. So Brentwood it is. Just trying to figure out commute time. AND how it's done - drive to Antioch and then take BART in? Or do people just drive straight in/over the bridge?

Thanks so much.

[18Montclair]

Originally Posted by Hummingbird6

We're relocating to Brentwood and was wondering what the average commute time into San Fran is? I know it's horrible...but "horrible" is relative depending on what city you're relocating from. Is it 1 hour? 3 hours?

PLEASE no suggestions about moving closer in, like Walnut Creek, San Ramon, Danville, etc. We can't afford a home in any of those cities. So Brentwood it is. Just trying to figure out commute time. AND how it's done - drive to Antioch and then take BART in? Or do people just drive straight in/over the bridge?

Thanks so much.

By car, id say 2-3 hrs in the morning and maybe 2-3 hrs in the evening as well. You'll be driving on very busy freeways and interchanges and through 3 counties through tunnels and hills culminating at the Bay Bridge, whose 30-lane toll plaza area is the widest roadway in the united states...that funnels down to 5 lanes in a few hundred yards. This creates a horrible funnel effect and then you have to cross the span and then deal with pedestrians and bicycle messengers in The City only to spend more time looking for parking in the hopes your car doesnt get towed due to some strange city parking ordinance-not a fun commute at all. Just to repeat the whole drive in reverse in the evenings?? Getting onto the bridge again on city streets is extremely irritating.

BART is supremely better.

One benefit of catching BART from Pittsburg is that its the end of the line so you will most likely get a seat.

[sonarrat]

I believe you can park at the Pittsburg BART station for free, too. But if you can afford that kind of a commute, you CAN afford to move closer in. Figure 50 cents a mile.

[Hummingbird6]

Okay, very helpful. Ya, 2-3 hours...not much fun. Is the BART commute any shorter than driving? Sounds like it's easier, but does it cut the time down at all?

[humboldtrat]

BART would probably be faster than driving and easier on your nerves. However, the round trip fare between Pittsburg/Baypoint and downtown SF is $11.20 and multiply that times 20 days a month and you're spending about $220 a month. You might spend that much on gas if you have a big SUV. BART doesn't have weekly or monthly passes.

[ImRandy]

Originally Posted by humboldtrat

BART would probably be faster than driving and easier on your nerves. However, the round trip fare between Pittsburg/Baypoint and downtown SF is $11.20 and multiply that times 20 days a month and you're spending about $220 a month. You might spend that much on gas if you have a big SUV. BART doesn't have weekly or monthly passes.

You'd have to add in bridge toll and parking too.

[tennis368fan]

You have more choices than just Brentwood, that's for sure. Consider Mountain House, which is just as affordable, especially during developer "fire sales": Moderator cut: Advertising link The elementary and middle schools compare to some of the best schools in Brentwood. Moderator cut: Outside forum link

Mountain House is master-planned and has a luxury commuter bus service that takes you from the heart of the community to the Dublin/Pleasanton BART Station, from where you can take BART to San Francisco. Plus, I saw on the forum that new metering lights are lightning the traffic on the Altamont Pass and I-580, in addition to a widening project. If you live in Brentwood, it is going to be tricky to drive on Highway 4, and there is no commuter bus that I know of that takes residents to Pittsburg/Bay Point BART Station in 45 minutes.

In Brentwood, you need to drive to the Brentwood Park and Ride, which takes time, ride the bus for one hour to the Pittsburg/Bay Point BART Station, and then ride on BART for another hour.

From Mountain House, the bus picks up passengers from within walking distance of most residents, and takes only 45 minutes to get to the Dublin/Pleasanton BART Station. From there, the BART journey is only 45 minutes to Embarcadero Station, shorter than the hour from Pittsburg.

In all, the journey from Mountain House to San Francisco is shorter than that from Brentwood by half an hour. In Mountain House, you will also be living in a better community with close-knit neighbors. Pittsburg and Antioch are not that great, and Brentwood is slowly being impacted by those cities.

Mountain House is also near the affluent Tri-Valley and its technological industry base, conveniently accessible by I-580.

Moderator cut: Outside forum link



From another thread: Help? Relocation to Antioch area

Edit: I figured the cost of a monthly pass for the luxury commuter bus service. The cost of the pass averaged over twenty weekdays comes to less than the price of gas per mile per gallon of a car that has a mileage that is less than 30 MPG. Also, you would not have to deal of the stress of commuting, making the bus-to-BART option a bigger plus.

[tennis368fan]

Here's an example of a Mountain House Home: Moderator cut: Realtor site - Advertising

[Hummingbird6]

Thanks for the great detailed commute info, and also links for the Mountain House community. We'd like to avoid a 2-3 commute, of course. My husband would need to get off at the Montgomery BART station for work, not Embarc so I don't know what that would do for time.

Anyway, we do have two very young children - great schools and low crime is by far the most important factors....isn't that what anyone with a family wants?! A nice/big house would be a bonus!

Everyone in Brentwood says the schools are excellent, but the MH forums say otherwise. Typical of most forums - people who live in Brentwood will praise it, and people from Mountain House will do the same. It's hard to really know which is better.

While having a Starbucks near by is of no importance to us, we do want some kind of infastructure. And it seems like you get more bang for your buck in Brentwood, as far as homes go. ??

Your attached links were very helpful.

Any thoughts on Tracy?

[tennis368fan]

Originally Posted by Hummingbird6

Thanks for the great detailed commute info, and also links for the Mountain House community. We'd like to avoid a 2-3 commute, of course. My husband would need to get off at the Montgomery BART station for work, not Embarc so I don't know what that would do for time.

Getting off at Montgomery Station adds three more minutes to the commute.

COMMUTING TIMES BREAKDOWN (ONE WAY):

Brentwood: 2 Hours, 3 Minutes. + Time it takes to drive to Brentwood Park and Ride to catch bus

Mountain House: 1 Hour, 33 Minutes. Bus stop is within the community and walking/biking distance. No driving necessary.

Tracy: More than 1 Hour, 33 Minutes. Commuting involves driving to BART Station.

Originally Posted by Hummingbird6

Anyway, we do have two very young children - great schools and low crime is by far the most important factors....isn't that what anyone with a family wants?! A nice/big house would be a bonus!

What is your price range for your potential home? What are your minimun specifications?

Originally Posted by Hummingbird6

Everyone in Brentwood says the schools are excellent, but the MH forums say otherwise. Typical of most forums - people who live in Brentwood will praise it, and people from Mountain House will do the same. It's hard to really know which is better.

Each school is unique and requires an in-person visit to the school.

In terms of statistics, Mountain House and Brentwood schools are about the same in terms of API (Academic Performance Index)

However, Mountain House's elementary and middle schools are located on one campus, K-8 schools, so there is less of a transition period for students. Friends stay at the same school and the middle school classes consists of the same students as the elementary level classes.

To view statistics, try the following links:
California Department of Education: DataQuest - Educational Demographic reports - select additional parameters--- test

Greatschools.net: California schools - CA elementary, middle and high school information

Originally Posted by Hummingbird6

While having a Starbucks near by is of no importance to us, we do want some kind of infastructure. And it seems like you get more bang for your buck in Brentwood, as far as homes go. ??

Mountain House is only about ten minutes from Costco and Tracy's mall. It also twenty-thirty minutes to Tri-Valley venues like Stoneridge Mall and the international Ulferts Center.

Originally Posted by Hummingbird6

Your attached links were very helpful.

Thanks!

Originally Posted by Hummingbird6

Any thoughts on Tracy?

It can be a little cheaper, but the traditional schools are not as good. Charter schools there are in high demand. The commute will be longer and there is no commuter bus that will connect you to BART. ACE trains stops are nowhere near the BART Stations in Dublin and Pleasanton. High schools have gang problems, or as I have heard.