How is your daily commute within the Atlanta metro area? (Sandy Springs: lease, condo)

[sedimenjerry]

Well technically this job is over and I'm headed back to school tomorrow but for the past couple of weeks:
Origin: NW Snellville
Destination: N Sandy Springs (Northridge Rd)
Miles: Just under 30
Time: 40-45 minutes but that's leaving at 6 am and returning around 3 pm. No traffic is less than 40. 35 if I just hit every light green.
Tele: No
Free Pk: Yep. And covered
Bus: No
Train: No
Incentives: ??? Possibly

Not an awful commute, just have to wake up early. Involves 400, 285 and 85 so you can imagine the disaster.
Office is actually moving up to Alpharetta. I'd probably dislike that more. I rather crawl on the freeway than deal with red lights. BUT, parents are planning on selling the house this year so commute should get a lot better (my mom works here).

[samiwas1]

Working in the film/TV industry, my places of work and hours vary wildly. But here is my current main commute:

Origin city: "Upper Westside"
Destination city: Norcross area
Total # miles (to work): 20.5 miles
Total commute time (to work): Depending on time of day, 23 minutes to 40 minutes there; 23 minutes to 1.25 hours back. (The 1.25 hours is rare)
Telecommute options? N
Free parking? Y
Use bus? N
Use MARTA train? N
MARTA incentives (by your company) : N

In the past two years I have worked for extended periods in Midtown, Fayetteville, Union City, Griffin, Norcross, and south of Six Flags. So there really is no "choosing to live near work".

[Shin Dynamo X]

Ok, ok, I have to ask some of you all this....how do you get such acceptable commute times? I always hear that Atlanta has terrible, terrible traffic, but outside of Primaltech and Samiwas1 (sorry for your suffering), many of your commutes are a blessing compared to mine! My current commute in the DC area averages 60 min-75 mins each way. I am so used to 1 hour+ commuting that anything less than 1 hour then I am grateful for.

So based on these number, I guess I'll be okay then when I move? I assume that renting a home (in Alpharetta, Duluth, Dunwoody, or Sandy Springs) would equal less than 1 hour commute to Atlanta (i.e. Suntrust HQ) ?

[primaltech]

Originally Posted by Shin Dynamo X

Ok, ok, I have to ask some of you all this....how do you get such acceptable commute times? I always hear that Atlanta has terrible, terrible traffic, but outside of Primaltech and Samiwas1 (sorry for your suffering), many of your commutes are a blessing compared to mine! My current commute in the DC area averages 60 min-75 mins each way. I am so used to 1 hour+ commuting that anything less than 1 hour then I am grateful for.

So based on these number, I guess I'll be okay then when I move? I assume that renting a home (in Alpharetta, Duluth, Dunwoody, or Sandy Springs) would equal less than 1 hour commute to Atlanta (i.e. Suntrust HQ) ?

Sandy Springs/Dunwoody is a better bet, because of proximity and because of MARTA. Alpharetta or Duluth to Downtown/Midtown Atlanta will take you easily an hour in the mornings, if not longer in the worst of it. And probably just as bad in the evenings.

If you have no ties to this area and you're going to be renting, why don't you just rent an apartment in the city, if you'll be working in the city?

If you want a nice/upscale area, look into Buckhead.

[primaltech]

I know if I hadn't bought my current home, I'd be renting in Midtown in a heartbeat once the job moves there. Probably within walking distance.

Anyone who is renting, can and should take advantage of that flexibility, and live near work. Or at least not far from work.

[equinox63]

Originally Posted by Shin Dynamo X

What is your daily commute like traveling within the Atlanta metro area ?
Do you receive any company perks such as Marta train incentives, telework, or free parking benefits? Or do you suffer through 5 straight days of traffic hell?

1. Origin city: ?
2. Destination city: ?
3. Total # miles (to work): ?
4. Total commute time (to work): ?
   
5. Telecommute options? Y/N
6. Free parking? Y/N
7. Use bus? Y/N
8. Use MARTA train? Y/N
9. MARTA incentives (by your company) : Y/N
   

Overall, is it worth it or do you hate your commute??

1. Atlanta (Westview)
2. Atlanta (Grant Park)
3. 5.5 miles
4. Approximately 7 mins. (via car)
5. No
6. Yes
7. No
8. No
9. No

Actually, I rather enjoy my commute

[bigup]

1. Origin city: Decatur (North Druid Hills/Leafmore)
2. Destination city: Emory campus
3. Total # miles (to work): 2.5-3 miles
4. Total commute time (to work): 30 min. total; MARTA bus (10min) + walk (10min) + Emory shuttle (10min)
5. Telecommute options? N/A
6. Free parking? No!
7. Use bus? Yes (MARTA & Emory shuttle)
8. Use MARTA train? No
9. MARTA incentives (by your company) : Yes, Unlimited breeze pass

I love living so close to work, but the only thing that I was bummed about when I moved here in 2015 was that I couldn't safely bike to work. The speed/volume of the traffic and those hills on Clairmont Rd. terrify me!

[samiwas1]

Originally Posted by Shin Dynamo X

Ok, ok, I have to ask some of you all this....how do you get such acceptable commute times? I always hear that Atlanta has terrible, terrible traffic, but outside of Primaltech and Samiwas1 (sorry for your suffering), many of your commutes are a blessing compared to mine!

Mine's rarely bad. The 60-75 minute commutes are only if we happen to wrap before 7:00pm, which is almost never. In the mornings, I enjoy listening to the morning show on my way in, so it doesn't usually bother me.

Most of my time on my morning commute is spent either at one intersection on Moore's Mill, or waiting for all the assclowns who think zipper-merging from all four lanes of 85 North onto 400 is a good idea.

[atltechdude]

Origin city: Sandy Springs
Destination city: Sandy Springs
Total # miles (to work): 2.7 miles
Total commute time (to work): 5-8 min
Telecommute options? 1 day a week
Free parking? Yes
Use bus? No
Use MARTA train? I can if I walk/bike to North Springs
MARTA incentives (by your company): Yes

[Forhall]

Originally Posted by Shin Dynamo X

Ok, ok, I have to ask some of you all this....how do you get such acceptable commute times? I always hear that Atlanta has terrible, terrible traffic, but outside of Primaltech and Samiwas1 (sorry for your suffering), many of your commutes are a blessing compared to mine! My current commute in the DC area averages 60 min-75 mins each way. I am so used to 1 hour+ commuting that anything less than 1 hour then I am grateful for.

So based on these number, I guess I'll be okay then when I move? I assume that renting a home (in Alpharetta, Duluth, Dunwoody, or Sandy Springs) would equal less than 1 hour commute to Atlanta (i.e. Suntrust HQ) ?

I'll say what I always say when people ask...Why purposefully rent a house as far from work as possible? Don't you want a work life balance and the ability to have some free time after work? A long commute can add 2 hours to a work day, that's 10 hours per week!

Find a rental as close as possible in a safe area. Try the east side of Atlanta like grant park, etc.