Commute from St.Pete to Tampa,or vice versa? (Palm Harbor: real estate, home)

[INeedAChange]

How is this commute? Does the causeway get completely backup up everyday?

[Cora72]

More people live in St Pete and commute to Tampa, so that will be the longest way to go. I live in St Pete and drove 2 hours and day between there and back, it sucked. However living in Tampa and working in St Pete is less horrendous traffic wise. If you work non-standard hours you can make it in half the time to Tampa. Even if those hours are slightly different like 7AM-3PM or 4PM. It's just traffic jams that slow it down.

[yukon]

"St Pete" and "Tampa" are pretty vague and large terms. Location, location, location applies to real estate and commutes around here

If you work in downtown Tampa or nearby, consider NE St Pete for the shortest across-the-bay commute. You'll be against traffic if you come in the Gandy Bridge, and the express bus service from St Pete to Tampa is MUCH better than any service in Tampa (different county transit systems).

I've also found the traffic FROM Tampa to Pinellas on Hwy 60/Courtney Campbell during rush hours to be the lighter flow, so you might want to consider Safety Harbor and nearby areas.

Avoid the Howard Franklin (I-275) bridge if you can.

If you're considering anything south of downtown St Pete, the beach communities, the west side of St Pete, or northern Pinellas towns (Tarpon Springs, Palm Harbor, Tarpon Springs, etc), then be forewarned there is no quick way from those areas to Tampa during rush hour. The same holds true from living in Tampa/working in St Pete.

There is one "shortcut" that many folks don't use. If you live on the East side of Hillsborough county or in Central & East Pasco, it's much easier to come from St Pete and take the Gandy Bridge, pick up the Crosstown to downtown Tampa, and either exit I-75N or exit on Jefferson and pick up I-275 N, depending on where you're headed. Most folks take I-275 straight from St Pete to part of Tampa. Several of us from my office in NE St Pete, who live in Land O Lakes, Zephryhills and Wesley Chapel, take this shortcut and it does make a major difference in our travel time.

[pezzy669]

I live in Allendale area of St. Petersurg (off 54th Ave) and commute to international plaza area every day. Initially my schedule was 8-5PM (peak commute) and it pretty much always took right about 20-25 minutes in the morning and 25-30 minutes in the afternoon on 275. Now I am at 7-4 PM so I miss traffic altogether.

Howard Frankland is not too bad, I get a traffic report every morning about 10 minutes before I leave and if there are problems on 275 I just take Gandy to Westshore.

Coming home its always 275 going back into Tampa that is backed up all the way across the bridge and smooth sailing heading back to St. Pete.

[chiva95]

I live in South Tampa and I work in downtown St Pete. I take the Gandy bridge everyday and it's a nice commute. Not bad coming home at 5 p.m either.