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I'm looking to move to the area and am wondering how bad the commute from Fayetteville to Hamilton would be. I'd like to live nearer Syracuse and I have a place to stay in Fayetteville, but I imagine the 30+ miles to Hamilton in the winter could be pretty awful up there. Does anyone have thoughts? I've heard great things about the city plowing, but how well do they plow the highways between towns? Would I be able to make the trip in a small car without losing my mind and/or sliding into ditches? Thanks in advance for any advice.
]Would I be able to make the trip in a small car without losing my mind and/or sliding into ditches?
Not a chance... very, very bad idea.
While Onondaga County tends to do a bang-up job of plowing, you'll be in Madison County almost the entire time. And the hilliest, highest stretch of road too. I wouldn't even think of that winter commute without good snow tires and 4x4.
Granted it's been years since I drove these roads regularly in a Chevy Cavalier, but is NY 92 northwest of Caz or US 20 east of Caz really that bad? You're starting to get out of the heavy snow area too.
But if you go, don't worry, winter will be over in another month and then you'll have four months before snow flies again.
It depends, as I've heard of people doing the Syracuse to Morrisville commute before. You might want to consider Cazenovia, which is still close to Syracuse, but is closer to Hamilton. Hamilton was the fastest growing town/community in the Syracuse metro this decade, btw. I wonder if Oneida is an option too.
Syracuse to Morrisville isn't bad... but that hill on 20, just past Mo'ville, is.no.fun in the winter. The road isn't even and it's really easy to slide off of your side, crookedly drift into oncoming traffic and ride up a good amount of the opposite snowbank.
A good friend of mine used to live in Caz and worked in Dewitt. Not bad. Once you're out of those "higher elevations", driving gets a lot easier. She had a Kia Soul that was totalled by a sliding car from the other direction a few winters ago, right in front of the stretch by West Lake Road. Then she got a 4x4 SUV, they moved to Hamilton and she made that commute to Dewitt for exactly one winter before deciding to find a job in Hamilton instead... the stress of the SEVERE white outs, topped with very high winds, at the long tops of those hills and sliding down the other side was way too much. It made her good-conditions, 40-minute commute into an hour and a half each way. At least. There were a few nights that her parents called from Hamilton and asked her to PLEASE stay overnight with us, in Manlius. The difference between road maintenance in Onondaga County vs. others is stark, especially in the hilly areas. There's a stretch of 80, between Fabius and New Woodstock and just north of DeRuyter Lake, where the county line is extremely visible in the winter... we're talking a black, salted road (Onondaga County) with a perfect line, separating it across, into a snow-packed road on the Madison County side.
You can clearly see where the Onondaga County plows cleared and salted the road, turned around in a field and went back.
It's possible, no doubt- but would I ever do it regularly without a 4x4 and pristine snow tires? No way. The only thing that to save you from a ditch in the winter, on those roads (and spotty cell coverage, at best), would be the hope that it's snowed enough that you'll just slide or ram into a really thick snowbank.
Thanks for your input, everyone! The reason for wanting to live in Fayetteville is that I have a really great (and incredibly cheap) housing opportunity there that I wouldn't have anywhere else. But what you're saying about that stretch of road is terrifying....
Thanks for your input, everyone! The reason for wanting to live in Fayetteville is that I have a really great (and incredibly cheap) housing opportunity there that I wouldn't have anywhere else. But what you're saying about that stretch of road is terrifying....
To be completely fair- it's only THAT bad about a dozen days of winter. If you're not going in EVERY morning (let's say that you're a professor at Colgate) the scary-driving days might be cut down to about half of that. In the winter, honestly, the commute might easily take MUCH longer than usual.
The stress for my friend, however... with a young child, no less... was huge. She was on her way to pick up her 15 month-old son, a mere few minutes' away. Breaking her hip in that accident was enough to turn her off from this every-day drive. She's moving to Manlius shortly. If you're not a Colgate professor, there should be ample-enough opportunities to find work in the Syracuse metro...
If your job is in Hamilton, the rural nature of the area is distant enough to afford equally low rents. If you need some direction, I'd be glad to help. This friend's father has a few apartments himself that are on his propety... and even attached. His business is construction and he and his staff are well-accustomed to making repairs when necessary. If he doesn't have availability, I'd definitely trust his judgement of other places nearby. We plan on having him rip off our roof for an addition this year... I definitely trust him. lol
Last edited by proulxfamily; 04-02-2011 at 09:45 AM..
You might find something just as cheap in say Oneida or Canastota, which is closer and is close to the Thruway(or even Route 5) for access to Syracuse or Utica/Rome. Check here: www.cnyrealtor.com
Thanks again. I'm definitely not looking to buy; just to rent. The deal in Fayetteville is unquestionably better than what I'd get anywhere else because it's coming through a family friend. But from what you're saying it doesn't seem worth the risk. It's highly disappointing to think of turning this down and paying way more per month in Hamilton. But not as disappointing as dying on the highway would be.
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