Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Why not try Granby?
It would be an easy commute for your husband. It's just as rural/suburban feeling as Simsbury and Avon and also has very good schools.
Granby is a great town but it is kind of remote from major shopping and amenities that a town like West Hartford has to offer. Jay
If you have a son who will be traveling for sports, you might want to avoid Simsbury-- Although it is a lovely town, it is more isolated than West Hartford (especially) and Avon (less so) and travel will take longer.
I think that Avon is just as "isolated" as Simsbury. Both towns are on the other side of Avon Mountain which means you have to go up and over it on the same raods. Jay
I routed 4 mapquest routes - 2 from a house in Simsbury(one without using highways-only back roads), one from a house in Avon (on Avon Mtn), and one from W Hartford around Bishops Corner.
Mapquest shows that the house in W Hartford is the fastest route, taking 22 minutes (13.78 mi) (218 east to 91 north). BUT I'm wondering about rush hour traffic...
The back way from Simsbury to his work takes 33 minutes (14.30 miles), and the highway route takes 30 minutes (16.21 mi)(202,318,189 to 91 and north).
The Avon route is from a house on Wright Dr on Avon Mtn, so we very well could live farther west if we ended up in Avon. That route was 32 minutes, (19.13 miles). It takes 44 over to Main Street in W Hartford and goes north and follows the same path as the W. Hartford route.
From this info, I say either Simsbury, because he could avoid highway traffic and enjoy the drive, or W Hartford so he could save time.
Thanks for letting me write out my thoughts here! What do you think? You are there, and I am here.... Our son's sports travel will take second place to husband's work route...
A lot depends on where the house is and where the job is. I am assuming his job is somewhere around Bradley Airport. Bishops Corner is in northern West Hartford so it is more convenient to his job than other parts of town.
You are right though that Avon would be a little less convenient. More immportantly I would caution you about traffic on Route 44 over Avon Mountain. This is a notoriously busy and difficult road.
As for Simsbury, there are local roads through East Granby that would cut that time significantly. The route given on Mapquest follows state routes and major roads which are not at all direct. Instead of taking Route 315, take Wolcott Road to Floydville to Holcomb to Route 20. This is much shorter and if the job is near Bradley, he could be there in 20 minutes or less depending on where you live. Jay
You are right though that Avon would be a little less convenient. More immportantly I would caution you about traffic on Route 44 over Avon Mountain. This is a notoriously busy and difficult road.
And this is absolute nightmare (Avon mountain) in the winter weather. The traffic can make a short trip seem an eternity...
I routed 4 mapquest routes - 2 from a house in Simsbury(one without using highways-only back roads), one from a house in Avon (on Avon Mtn), and one from W Hartford around Bishops Corner.
Mapquest shows that the house in W Hartford is the fastest route, taking 22 minutes (13.78 mi) (218 east to 91 north). BUT I'm wondering about rush hour traffic...
The back way from Simsbury to his work takes 33 minutes (14.30 miles), and the highway route takes 30 minutes (16.21 mi)(202,318,189 to 91 and north).
The Avon route is from a house on Wright Dr on Avon Mtn, so we very well could live farther west if we ended up in Avon. That route was 32 minutes, (19.13 miles). It takes 44 over to Main Street in W Hartford and goes north and follows the same path as the W. Hartford route.
From this info, I say either Simsbury, because he could avoid highway traffic and enjoy the drive, or W Hartford so he could save time.
Thanks for letting me write out my thoughts here! What do you think? You are there, and I am here.... Our son's sports travel will take second place to husband's work route...
I'm biased but we've lived in the Bishops Corner area for 3 years now, and find it SO convenient to nearly everything. There are even ways to get to Windsor Locks without getting on I-91.
Agree with Jay re: 44, but the new widened road, with a median for safety, is just about to open and should help the situation.
If you know about traffic on the 101, Connecticut roads and rush hour is a breeze. People in Connecticut don't know how good you really have it.
You mean our rush hour here the Valley on the 101? It's obnoxious, but if it's not worse than our 101 traffic it can't be that bad...except for the weather in traffic..
Chiming in late here, but I would lean towards West Hartford, particularly since you noted that you like older homes/architecture. WH just has a lot more character than a simsbury or avon. My second pick would be simsbury with avon dead last. The steele road area is very nice. My parents have friends who just bought a home in that area last year for about $700K, gorgeous brick tudor style home. they haven't had any problems at all and can walk to Elizabeth Park.
I live in the South end of Simsbury (just South of Climax Rd...what a name, right?) and commute to Windsor Locks (just off rte 20 very near the airport). I come up 10 or 167 and make may way in without the highway. I average 25 mins and, depending on the hour, it can be 22 or 30 mins max.
Going further South into Avon, his commute will get longer, but still won't be too bad.
It'd depend on where in Windsor Locks your husband will be working to give you better advice on the commute from Avon or W Hartford. Generally speaking, 91 is going to be a bit more traffic ridden than back roads and the commute will be a little higher stress and less scenic as well. Also, generally, he'd have to "fight" to get East on roads like 44 or 218 to get to 91 in the first place. However, from Bishops Corner, 218 to 91 may make sense because he'd be going against highway traffic for the most part.
Anyway, no matter which of the three neighborhoods you settle in, I think you'll be happy. It's tough call and a matter or personal preference though. I've restled with settling in one of these three towns myself.
The schools in each of the three towns are comparable and the best in the area. Avon and Simsbury have a similar rural feel with more open space while W Hartford is more urban. Having not lived in WH, the allure is of better access to culture, shopping, dining and more ethnic diversity.
Gotta run otherwise I'd dump some more here for you...Good luck though!
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Our son's sports travel will take second place to husband's work route...
