[parentologist]

The main issue is proximity to the highway for commuting and for getting in and out of the area. Your husband commutes to work daily. You drive to NY or PA much less frequently. If you're driving from Glastonbury, you probably add about ten to at most fifteen minutes of easy highway drive (aside from during rush hour) to your trip to NY or PA from Glastonbury as opposed to from Farmington. I think that you'll get a little bit more for your money in Glastonbury and be able to stay closer to the highway than if you go with the Farmington valley. And the schools in Glastonbury are very good, too.

There isn't any commuter rail in the Hartford area. There is going to be a busway from New Britain to Hartford. If you buy in Farmington close to the Feinemann road exit, your husband might be able to use that for commuting. The commute from Avon and Simsbury will involve driving over Avon mountain. Although Rt 44 has been widened, it's still a dangerous road, especially in snow. Rt 185 from Simsbury is a little better. If he has to drive with route 4 from Farmington, there is a bad bottleneck at the intersection of route 4 and I 84.

We live about ten minutes drive from I84, and every day of my commute, I wish we lived closer to the highway.

[shamrock86]

Thanks for the advice. I do not know ct at all so this information is so important. I was reading something about Avon Mt... but not really clear about it. It sounds like a dangerous road to travel on a daily basis. Is there any other way to drive either than the mountain. Also rt 4 and I84 how bad is the bottleneck. I rather not be near traffic... we are trying to get away from the hustle and bustle!! Thanks again!

[htfdcolt]

Originally Posted by shamrock86

Thanks for the advice. I do not know ct at all so this information is so important. I was reading something about Avon Mt... but not really clear about it. It sounds like a dangerous road to travel on a daily basis. Is there any other way to drive either than the mountain. Also rt 4 and I84 how bad is the bottleneck. I rather not be near traffic... we are trying to get away from the hustle and bustle!! Thanks again!

First, the Rt 4 & I-84 bottleneck is indeed as bad as claimed...traffic backs up for miles on Rt 4 in the morning. Second, the road over Avon Mountain is MUCH safer than 5 years ago (when there were some highly publicized tragic accidents). It's now 2 lanes in both directions, with a divided median on the Avon side. I wouldn't let the safety be a factor in your decision, just the total commuting time.

[parentologist]

Shamrock, I so know where you're coming from! I grew up in NYC, dealt with horrendous traffic there and in other cities I've lived in. If you choose carefully, you can avoid all that here and have a very nice quality of life. I get off the highway just before the bottleneck at I84 and Rt 4 into Farmington, and I'm so glad I do, as I zip by tons of cars waiting to go straight while I drive along the shoulder to reach the right hand turn lane. As for the Avon Mt road (Rt 44), yes, it's safer with two lanes in each direction, but in snow it's still dangerous because of the grade and curves. It can snow a LOT in CT in the winter.

We're not that far from NYC. There's not a lot of inventory on the market. There are bidding wars breaking out. You should get a realtor to work with in Farmington and Glastonbury each, and start looking at houses and getting familiar with the area. We're only a couple of hours from you - you can do that in a day trip a few times. Then you can decide for yourself which town suits you best.

[shamrock86]

Thanks parentologist.... We plan to come look soon. Both town look nice. I like to get opinion from people who actually live there. Sometimes what you read on the internet is not always the case. Do you have a preference for either town? Do they have the same feel? Is the traffic on I84 near rt4? Will i hit that traffic when driving on I84? Your help is so much appreciated!

[htfdcolt]

Originally Posted by shamrock86

Thanks parentologist.... We plan to come look soon. Both town look nice. I like to get opinion from people who actually live there. Sometimes what you read on the internet is not always the case. Do you have a preference for either town? Do they have the same feel? Is the traffic on I84 near rt4? Will i hit that traffic when driving on I84? Your help is so much appreciated!

Just my opinion--between the two, I would choose Glastonbury hands down. I think you'll get the rural feel you seek, very manageable traffic into Hartford, and really some excellent retail and a sophisticated town center that's becoming increasingly walkable. It's a lot more self-sufficient than Farmington is, for groceries & the like.

[JayCT]

For access to Hartford, Glastonbury has a slight edge over the Farmington Valley. Route 2 takes you right into downtown and offers you easy access to major shopping in the Buckland Hills section of Manchester. It all depends on how accessable you want to be. In your price range you can get a nice home on a decent sized lot in either area. And both have most of your basic shopping needs right in town. I suggest a visit to all of them to find the one that feels best for you. Jay