VA Dallas (Garland, Mansfield, Lancaster: homes, neighborhoods, school district)

[MaaLa]

My husband may be taking a job at the VA hospital in Dallas soon. We're presently looking in the Forney area and have found some nice homes and the schools seem to be pretty good. We have one child that will be an 8th grader this next year and plan to stay for the duration. What do ya'll think of Forney (schools, commute from there, etc.)? Any better options?? Any in-put would be appreciated!!! Thanks!!

[ChristieP]

That's going to be a LONG daily commute, and if there is a wreck or closure on I-20, there's no other convenient way to get home. I'd look closer to the hospital...

[MaaLa]

Thanks ChristieP for replying and I'm sorry I'm just now getting back to your response, we've been out of town quite a bit. So, how about the commute from Red Oak or Mansfield, any different?? We are looking for a good school district also for our child. Any better ideas??

[GayleTX]

If you go to the following website you can look at the test results and ranking of every school district in Texas:

Assessment Results

[ChristieP]

I'd say Mansfield. Commute will be crowded as Mansfield is a growing community and everyone heads North to work, but it won't be as long as Forney would have been!

[Philip T]

Time-of-day and direction of travel makes much more difference than the distance, but there are off-shift safety issues as well. After dark, some of the neighborhoods around the Dallas VA -- emphasis on 'Hoods part there -- look like the zombie scene from the old Michael Jackson video "Thriller."

But if hubby can schedule so as to miss the morning rush (inbound to Dallas) and the afternoon (outbound from Dallas), the traffic can be surprisingly light.

[FarNorthDallas]

Forney to the VA is what? 25 miles? It might not be that bad. You are going to end up with a commute no matter what since you can't live within the general area of the hospital and Forney might not be as bad as others.

[MaaLa]

Thanks for your help. My husband and I drove from Forney to the Lancaster Rd. exit on 20, but it was a Sunday afternoon. It only took us 15 minutes. I do know during rush hours it will take longer, does anyone want to estimate what it is during rush hours?

[FarNorthDallas]

Maybe about triple the time? So 45 minutes perhaps? No wrecks or lane closures.

[momof2dfw]

Actually going from Forney to Lancaster is not bad during rush hour traffic. This stretch of highway in the Dallas area probably sees LESS rush hour commuters than any other around. Since most people are trying to get to downtown or the surrounding corporate areas. Not only that but there are LESS housing developments in that area so you are missing that type of commuter. What this stretch of highway does see is more freight traffic hence all of the truck stops and freight terminals that are along that route. My inlaws travel from the Emory area to the VA and it usually takes them about an hour and in a Buick so you KNOW they are going MUCH slower than the rest of the traffic Even myself when I've had to go out to the VA while they have been there coming from NE Garland it is less than an hour easy in non rush hour traffic.

What you might want to do is in the morning and afternoon rush hour times is pull up the traffic reports on wfaa.com and nbc5i.com and see where the problems tend to come up in a pattern. Very rarely is there a problem on Hwy 80 or I-20 in that stretch.