"Reverse Commute" - Cambridge/Somerville to Bridgewater (Boston: home, unemployed)

[cassielee]

Hello!

I have an opportunity to accept a job in Bridgewater. I currently live in Brookline but I am moving to Cambridge/Somerville with a few friends. If possible, I want to stay in those areas because I wasn't impressed with the actual town of Bridgewater. Also, I am not a MA native and I'm unsure of what the South Shore has to offer compared to Boston.

Now, for my actual question, I know the commute will be about an hour according to Google Maps but how do I factor in traffic? I will be leaving for work at 7 a.m. and off duty at 4 p.m. I don't *think* I would mind an hour commute because after taking the T for two years, having the privacy of my own car, listening to the radio, and sipping coffee without the threat of someone's backpack hitting me in the eye sounds nice. However, I'm getting some mixed reactions from people I ask (who seem to be most worried about winter - I agree). I don't want to turn down the job because right now it's my only offer and I can't afford to be unemployed for much longer and not to mention the "In THIS economy!" factor.

[jlyang]

Brookline to the outskirts of Bridgewater was a commute I did for a year... it takes about 40 minutes during rush hour, and this is via taking the Jamaicaway to Arborway to Blue Hill Ave/Mattapan, going through Mattapan, then through Blue Hills Parkway in Milton to Rt 24. From Somerville (Porter Sq) to Brookline will take you about 30 minutes at 7am. Honestly, you are probably looking at about a 70 minute commute. The drive back home was similar in length too.

[cassielee]

Thank you jylang - If I lived in Somerville/Cambridge, I would go on I-93S...is it usually backed up around that time? 70 minutes is quite the commute!

[jlyang]

For 93S from Somerville you'd have to go through the heart of downtown Boston which would probably be a nightmare...not to mention 93S to 24S can get very backed up too. I have never attempted such a drive but wouldn't be surprised if it takes an hour just to get from Somerville to Quincy. The quicker way is probably still to go from Somerville (Mass Ave), through Harvard Sq, then along Mem. Drive to cross over to Brookline via the BU Bridge, then making your way to the Jamaicaway.

Re. your ? about the winter, the highway might slow to 40-45 mph but snow usually doesn't make your commute a nightmare if it normally isn't one. The bigger issue you'd have is simply getting from side streets to the highway.

If there's an evening Red Sox game when you're driving home from Bridgewater to Somerville, your commute is going to take forever trying to get through Brookline/Boston/Cambridge.

I've lived in Brookline, Cambridge, and Somerville when younger too, and doubt anything on the South Shore would offer the same social opportunities. If you had the option, I'd say try to stay in Brookline (near Brookline Village for ease of access to Rt 9/Jamaicaway) if possible.

[joebloe]

It's 40 minutes one way minimum without traffic (rare) BUT easily 1.5hrs with traffic.

I drove from Easton/Bridgewater to Boston for 3 years and that was enough for me to move closer to the city; only to Canton but it made a world of difference in quality of life due to so much less time spent in traffic. The 3S/93/95/24S junctions around the south shore area is always congested just before/during/after working hours both direction. They're constantly digging and repaving roads in addition to porkulus constructions and bridge fixings that'll cause traffic for many years if not forever.

[proudestmonkey]

I wouldn't do it, but I have an aversion to long commutes. That's definitely going to be a long one. It's not necessarily a "reverse commute" when you're coming from north of Boston and going that far south. If you lived in Milton or something then, yeah.

[HurrMark]

I drive from Somerville to Canton every day...so I know what you are referring to. My commute is generally 45-60 minutes, although I normally get off at Exit 8 in Quincy and take Chickatawbut Road the rest of the way. Depending on where you live in Somerville, usually it's not too bad to get through downtown (they are doing construction right now at Leverett Circle, so the other entrances to 93 are busier than normal...which is slowing things down). You only have to deal with 93 into downtown for a couple of miles...but make sure you're in the left lanes before you hit the tunnel or you might have some problems. The biggest hang up is when the road goes from 4 to 3 lanes near Savin Hill...often times, there is a backup there. I know there is also generally a backup approaching Route 24, which you would need to take. So on a "good day", once you get on 93, you can be on Route 24 in about 20-25 minutes...and then add maybe another 15-20 minutes to Bridgewater. But you could tack on another 15 or 20 minutes or more easily...especially if there is an accident.

Going home might be more of an issue...there is usually a backup at Neponset Circle which is several miles long, and then after Mass Ave until the tunnel. And then there is often another jam after the tunnel up north towards 128. If you leave a little later from work (say, 6-6:30), you might avoid most of that. But there have been days (especially Fridays) where it could take 1.5 hours to get from Canton to Somerville. That's one of the reasons why I asked to work from home Fridays...

Another option, which is longer in distance but might save you some time is to take 128 north to Route 2 east. You are going a number of miles out of your way, but if you are thinking about West Somerville/West Cambridge, that might be a better option since traffic isn't nearly as bad in that direction (you don't have to drive through Boston).

[NotAPrincess]

Can you stay in Brookline? You'll be easily adding 30 minutes to the commute by moving the Cambridge/Somerville. I think from Brookline it's totally doable though.

Personally, if the job sounds interesting, I'd take it and then do what you have to do to live within reasonable commuting distance. But....that's my practical late-30's self talking :-)