Berwyn, Illinois- where the hec should I live? (Chicago, Toledo: apartments, home)

[Alibee425]

Hi!

I just got a job as a middle school teacher in Berwyn, Illinois. My fiancee and I are moving to Chicago in a month. His company is located right downtown. We both want to live in downtown Chicago, but we are not sure where.

Where the hec should we live? How long would the commute be if I were to drive 290 East over to Berwyn each morning to school. (It mapquests only 10 miles from Chicago but clearly this will take awhile!!)

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!! Thanks!

Yay windy city
Al

[mdz]

Not too too bad, especially if you can get off at Austin where one of the lanes gets lost so average about 15-20 minutes from loop. Just stay in the left lane--that's where the exit is and you'll blow by some of the congestion. On bad days when there's an accident it'll take forever.

[BRU67]

Originally Posted by Alibee425

Hi!

I just got a job as a middle school teacher in Berwyn, Illinois. My fiancee and I are moving to Chicago in a month. His company is located right downtown. We both want to live in downtown Chicago, but we are not sure where.

Where the hec should we live? How long would the commute be if I were to drive 290 East over to Berwyn each morning to school. (It mapquests only 10 miles from Chicago but clearly this will take awhile!!)

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!! Thanks!

Yay windy city
Al

I recommend you look at the transit maps and first determine which stop is closest to your school. Depending on where you're teaching, you can take the Metra (south Berwyn), Pink or Douglas Blue Line + short bus trip (central Berwyn) or Congress Blue Line (north Berwyn), so you may not even have to drive at all if you move to the South or West Loop. The commute from Union Station to Berwyn on the Metra is very short (about 15-20 minutes depending on the stop). The L rides aren't bad either (about the equivalent of Lakeview to the Loop).

As to I-290, it's probably the best of the Chicago expressways. That's probably not saying much but it is. However, courtesy of those "sounded like a good idea at the time" left hand exit lanes at Austin and Harlem, traffic really doesn't open up until after Harlem (heading west) or after Austin (heading east). That's why when I drive to the Loop from Berwyn, the drive in is fine but the drive home is much slower. I think your life will be less stressful, and cheaper, if you can locate yourself near public transportation. Just $.02 from someone who has commuted the other way.

Good luck whatever you choose and welcome to the area!

[Alibee425]

Yay!!! THANKS FOR THE HELP! We go the first weekend in August to look for apartments... I can't wait to move out of Toledo, Ohio... as shocking as it sounds, the city life of downtown T-town just isn't the same as Chicago.. ha