Leander Or Georgetown To Killeen (Houston, Austin: apartment complexes, to buy, construction)

[alwaysorka]

I'm aware this topic has been broached at various times but I could not find any recent threads discussing how the work on 195 has gone over the past few years. I was born and currently live/work in Austin but am contemplating taking a job in Killeen. Obviously, like so many others, I'm looking to split the difference between Austin and Killeen.

I've pretty much narrowed in on Leander and Georgetown as my two locales but it's hard to find accurate current traffic data for the two. And Google Maps 'Traffic' layer can only tell you so much.

Living in Houston, I'm used to a 45 minute commute (for a 20 mile drive). Now I realize I would be stretching into a 50-mile drive one way, but I would love to solicit some opinions on which route I might incur the least amount of traffic. I know both routes would utilize 195 for the last stretch but Georgetown incorporating 35 N for a few miles and Leander utilizing 183. My typical drivetimes would be leaving at 7am and coming back from Killeen around 4pm.

I'm more than happy to hear any added opinions on each town as well but primarily I'm looking for traffic concerns. Also, not sure whether tolls come into play for either route, either going to Killeen or Austin from each town. It's been about 6 years since I've been up that way. I'm completing an interview in Killeen on Monday and will probably come up through Austin just to give one of the routes a test run.

Thanks in advance for any help!

[alwaysorka]

BTW, if both areas are still looking like an hours commute to Killeen then Florence, TX is a possibility. My M-F commute is more important to me than 15 extra minutes every other weekend or so when I might go down to visit friends in Austin. But quite frankly, I know nothing about Florence.

I'm not a party animal by any means, I go to national parks and hike for a week by myself for vacations. But I'm a 28 year old single male that can enjoy a good local bar and some nice shops or older downtown storefront area. I'd like to have some retail at least within 10 minutes of me....not sure if Florence provides that.

[hound 109]

Excellent first post. Good detail.

If married w/kids, either would be good. But if I was 28 & single, I'd choose Gtown. A real downtown with more pubs etc for a single guy.

[10scoachrick]

Cedar Park and Leander smoosh together along 183 and 183A...hard to tell where one stops and the other starts. As you go farther south toward 1431, you will find all the shopping and restaurants you might need on a regular basis...the farther north toward Leander and Liberty Hill, the fewer options(but the slightly shorter commute). I'd look at some of the apts along 183A as the best for the commute and ease of heading south for food and entertainment. No tolls on 183A way up there(currently). It's a sleepy drive, IMO, up 183; but I would take that over the potential daily congestion along the IH35 corridor(even though I like G-town).

[TexasHorseLady]

You don't have to get on I35 in Georgetown to get to Killeen. In fact, most of the Fort Hood personnel that I know of don't - if you are west of I35, obviously you don't use I35 to get to 195, and if you are east of I35, Inner Loop drops you off just south of 195 on the access road and there's no need to get on the highway.

Reading your two posts, I'd say Georgetown. If you like hiking, there's the 26-mile Goodwater Trail right there all the way around Lake Georgetown (my husband hikes it occasionally for quick getaway), there's bars and the Square downtown, while, yes, Sun City is in Georgetown, so is Southwestern University for a younger crowd. Lots of Fort Hood folks live in Georgetown and commute daily, so it's clearly workable on a daily basis. I haven't driven 195 recently to see how the construction is going, though; putting that on my list to do now!

[RoadWarrior12]

Most of the construction on 195 is complete to the interchange at 138 - still one little stretch that isn't much of a problem, unless someone wrecks there, then you're screwed.

The big issue is actually getting from 195 to 190 and onto Hood right now, 190 is all torn up right there.

[ericsami]

I would live in Temple and commute to Killeen.

I don't think on Average you are make it to killeen in Under 40 minutes.

if you plan to buy I don't think Template is gone appreciate as much as much George Town. but it will definitely increase your qualify of life with a less length drive.

[TexasHorseLady]

Originally Posted by ericsami

I would live in Temple and commute to Killeen.

I don't think on Average you are make it to killeen in Under 40 minutes.

if you plan to buy I don't think Template is gone appreciate as much as much George Town. but it will definitely increase your qualify of life with a less length drive.

How would that accomplish the goal of splitting the distance between Austin and Killeen? Seems to me it would greatly increase the travel time to Austin.

[alwaysorka]

Appreciate all the opinions. Sounds like both are pretty do-able. Good thing is my work would be about a block off 195 and just before you get to 190. So I wouldn't need to worry about much Killeen-specific congestion.

Sounds like I just need to visit the both of them. Georgetown is admittedly seems little more my style as I'd rather stay away from the mass apartment complexes and retail centers. I don't hate them, I just don't like living smack in the middle of them. I'll check both out.

Thanks for all the suggestions. Sounds like 195 isn't terrible, like it has been at various points apparently. I don't mind a 45-minute drive of relatively smooth sailing, I just don't want it to regularly turn into over an hour while stopping/going.

[TeddyKuma]

Originally Posted by alwaysorka

I'm aware this topic has been broached at various times but I could not find any recent threads discussing how the work on 195 has gone over the past few years. I was born and currently live/work in Austin but am contemplating taking a job in Killeen. Obviously, like so many others, I'm looking to split the difference between Austin and Killeen.

I've pretty much narrowed in on Leander and Georgetown as my two locales but it's hard to find accurate current traffic data for the two. And Google Maps 'Traffic' layer can only tell you so much.

Living in Houston, I'm used to a 45 minute commute (for a 20 mile drive). Now I realize I would be
Thanks in advance for any help!

Several people have given good advice. In addition to the one talking about 183 there is a bypass going around Copperas Cove so if you were to use 183 to Briggs, 2657 to Cove then Killeen it would be a fairly low traffic commute. But like someone already mentioned, it's a sleepy drive.