Need 2-3 year rental young family within 30 minutes of Dearborn (Ann Arbor: homes, school district)

[highlanderfil]

Originally Posted by craig11152

I was talking to a peep at the dog park this morning who works at Ford Hq. He says it typically takes him close to 45 minutes from his house in Ann Arbor. (I'm not sure where in town he lives). He said if it was a 5 am on a Sunday it would take him 25-30 minutes.
Point being commuting during prime commuting hours has an impact.

I live in Mitchell (Packard/23) and commute to just around the corner from Ford Hq. (Regent Court). Takes me around 35 minutes door-to-door every morning (I go in a bit later, so traffic flows freely for me unless there's an accident) and around 50 minutes in the afternoon.

[Coldjensens]

Commuting from South Lyon area, my daughter learned it was faster if you stay off the freeways at least during the busier times.

[craig11152]

Staying off freeways can work assuming one has reasonable alternatives.
I just tried a Google from my house to Ford HQ. (I live about a mile west of Highlander) It said about 35 minutes on 94. If I avoid highways it says about 55 minutes on Michigan Ave. Right now its 11:16 am which is certainly between rush hours.

My wife takes about 15 minutes to get to work. Google has her getting on 23 at Washtenaw up to Plymouth Rd as the fastest route. But she declines that and takes Huron Parkway to Geddes to Earhart.

[highlanderfil]

Originally Posted by Coldjensens

Commuting from South Lyon area, my daughter learned it was faster if you stay off the freeways at least during the busier times.

I've done both. It's really six of one, half dozen of the other. Grand River and the mile roads aren't any better in rush hour. Edward Hines flows a little better, but getting to it takes some doing.

[highlanderfil]

Originally Posted by craig11152

Staying off freeways can work assuming one has reasonable alternatives.
I just tried a Google from my house to Ford HQ. (I live about a mile west of Highlander) It said about 35 minutes on 94. If I avoid highways it says about 55 minutes on Michigan Ave. Right now its 11:16 am which is certainly between rush hours.

My wife takes about 15 minutes to get to work. Google has her getting on 23 at Washtenaw up to Plymouth Rd as the fastest route. But she declines that and takes Huron Parkway to Geddes to Earhart.

Ann Arbor is nice in that it affords some fairly decent options (I-94, Michigan Ave., Geddes/Plymouth/Ford, even the M-14 to the I-96). South Lyon is pretty bereft of choice, in comparison, especially when the Novi interchange loads up.

[Arthur Digby Sellers]

Originally Posted by craig11152

Staying off freeways can work assuming one has reasonable alternatives.
I just tried a Google from my house to Ford HQ. (I live about a mile west of Highlander) It said about 35 minutes on 94. If I avoid highways it says about 55 minutes on Michigan Ave. Right now its 11:16 am which is certainly between rush hours.

My wife takes about 15 minutes to get to work. Google has her getting on 23 at Washtenaw up to Plymouth Rd as the fastest route. But she declines that and takes Huron Parkway to Geddes to Earhart.

I know someone who commutes from Lyon Township (east of South Lyon) to Ford WHQ. It takes him an hour each way on an average workday. 35 minutes would be on a Sunday at 6AM.

[DaniellaG]

West Bloomfield does having areas that are walkable especially along Orchard Lake and there is bike path there. West Bloomfield also has strip mall and a small indoor mall plus stores like TJ Made and of course restaurants and coffee shops.
Novi came to mind along with Commerce and Walled Lake which connect to each other.

[highlanderfil]

Originally Posted by DaniellaG

West Bloomfield does having areas that are walkable especially along Orchard Lake and there is bike path there. West Bloomfield also has strip mall and a small indoor mall plus stores like TJ Made and of course restaurants and coffee shops.
Novi came to mind along with Commerce and Walled Lake which connect to each other.

None of these places can give you a reliable 30 minutes and under commute to Dearborn. I lived on Orchard Lake/14 mile (basically in West Bloomfield as you're describing it) and 25 minutes was my absolute best time on a completely empty road, which, in rush hour, isn't going to happen.

[mgkeith]

It's possible to get an "approximate" 30 minute commute but if that's a hard not-to-ever-exceed number then I'm not sure it's a great fit to be this far from Dearborn. But if you could tolerate about 35 minutes then they'd work for you. My husband has worked in Dearborn and Allen Park for the past 20+ years we've lived in Farmington Hills so has some knowledge on this.

The main point is access to freeway entrances that can take you there. If you're in West Bloomfield or northern Farmington Hills you would benefit from being a short drive time away from the Orchard Lake Road entrance to 696 (just south of Twelve Mile). That entrance leads to the Lodge (M10) and from there the Southfield (M39) freeways. While they can get slow they usually move fairly well at rush hour. ALWAYS use map app. on your phone before leaving (best bet is to leave it on for route updates) to avoid surprises like total road closures due to a crash.

Further south of the Orchard Lake entrance to 696 you could travel down to 96 in Livonia and take that to the Southfield freeway, probably a better bet if you're going to/from a point below Ten Mile Road or so. Lots of entrances to that freeway, about every mile or so.

One more thing: Dearborn is south and east of the area you're looking at so the farther north and west you go the more time a drive will take. There are plenty of freeway entrances to the west (96 has an entrance from Novi Road and further west, the M5 "connector" goes further north but adding that distance will inevitably add drive time.

Hope this didn't confuse you!

Yeah, my husband wrote this. ;D Today he is working from home. He is very familiar with the commute.

[DaniellaG]

Originally Posted by highlanderfil

None of these places can give you a reliable 30 minutes and under commute to Dearborn. I lived on Orchard Lake/14 mile (basically in West Bloomfield as you're describing it) and 25 minutes was my absolute best time on a completely empty road, which, in rush hour, isn't going to happen.

Most of these cities are not close to Dearborn. Personally I would rather drive 10 miles more and live in WB then Livonia for example
Also comparing Farmington to WB I think WB has more to offer and is nicer. Farmington has older homes and some areas seem run down.