NW Houston Commute Times (The Woodlands, Spring: how much, houses, school district)

[psu tom]

I asked a few questions last week and appreciated the responses. Hopefully I can get a few more opinions on commutes.
We are moving there in June. The job is right off of 290 midway between the Loop and the Beltway. We are having trouble deciding which high school zone we should choose. I was hoping to use commute times to cut it back.
Could anyone provide me an average rush hour commute time from any of the following:
Cy-Woods, Cy-Fair, Tomball, The Woodlands, or Klein

(I know there are other options of high schools around, but we have read through other comments and rankings, etc. to start narrowing down the search)

Thank you.

[Malvie]

Originally Posted by psu tom

I asked a few questions last week and appreciated the responses. Hopefully I can get a few more opinions on commutes.
We are moving there in June. The job is right off of 290 midway between the Loop and the Beltway. We are having trouble deciding which high school zone we should choose. I was hoping to use commute times to cut it back.
Could anyone provide me an average rush hour commute time from any of the following:
Cy-Woods, Cy-Fair, Tomball, The Woodlands, or Klein

(I know there are other options of high schools around, but we have read through other comments and rankings, etc. to start narrowing down the search)

Thank you.

While aesthetically one of the best looking areas in Houston, a commute from The Woodlands to your office would be the lengthiest. IH 45 is not much better than 290. Cy-Fair and Cy-Woods are both closer in miles and time.

I had a friend who lived in The Woodlands and commuted to Westheimer/Beltway 8 (further, but an easier drive). It took him an hour from his house to work with NO traffic. If anything went wrong on 45 (wreck, weather...), it could easily take him two.

People do it every day---I just don't know how. No matter how nice the area, it's too far north on a truly crappy freeway.

Tomball would be easier than The Woodlands, while offering some (not all) of the niceties. There are two people in my office (290/Beltway) who live there. They come to work very early to avoid the traffic and it takes them about 30-45 minutes. They also leave at 4, same reason.

One thing for you to try if you can: if you can vary your drivetime (like that), you can avoid the worst of it (no matter where you are). If you're stuck with 8-5, well, you're in the same boat as many. Me, I come at 9 and leave at 6, which works for me personally. My employer is very flexible (whatever it takes to get the job done...I close the computer at 6, take it home, and fire it back up).

[crone]

Figure time to get to the freeway from the house in The Woodlands. That could be 30 minutes. Consider anywhere off of Champions Forest Dr. You can go through Greenwood Forest or go over to Shiloh Church Road and be on Beltway 8 in no time. That opens up CyCreek or Klein. Neighbors go that way to EC.

[Lost_In_Translation]

Originally Posted by crone

Figure time to get to the freeway from the house in The Woodlands. That could be 30 minutes. Consider anywhere off of Champions Forest Dr. You can go through Greenwood Forest or go over to Shiloh Church Road and be on Beltway 8 in no time. That opens up CyCreek or Klein. Neighbors go that way to EC.

Frankly, I'd think closer to 249 would be better for him in Klein (like Glennloch Farms). He could then take 249 to the beltway to 290 or to antoine and secondary roads to come in from the back way.

That way he's assured to be zoned to KHS or a new Klein high school and he's minimized his commute (from the klein area).

[psu tom]

So, Klein is the closest in time and miles?
How much different is the commute to Cy-Woods or Cy-Fair areas?

Someone on a different thread made me nervous about Klein by suggesting it could be the next Spring ISD with regard to rankings dropping quickly.
So, I was hoping there were other options at least close to Klein commute times.

Thanks!

[Malvie]

Originally Posted by psu tom

So, Klein is the closest in time and miles?
How much different is the commute to Cy-Woods or Cy-Fair areas?

Someone on a different thread made me nervous about Klein by suggesting it could be the next Spring ISD with regard to rankings dropping quickly.
So, I was hoping there were other options at least close to Klein commute times.

Thanks!

It depends on where you live WITHIN the districts.

For example, Cy-Fair (Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District) is both north and south of 290. If you live south of 290 (or near 290), then driving all the way to 249 is going to be problematic and you're far better off just getting on 290 and gutting it out.

Tomball and Klein are close to 249. Now, none of us are contending that the traffic on 249 is "light", it's just light-ER than that on 290. You can come in on 249 (which converts to a city street past the Beltway) and come in the "back way" to your office, on surface streets, avoiding the worst of the traffic---IF you live close enough to 249 to make it worth your while to do so.

Tomball vs. 290, say, Copperfield---probably about the same.

Also, crone gave you valuable info--you have to watch your connections to see how long it will take you to get from YOUR HOUSE to the freeway. It takes me 10 minutes (through 2 school zones) to get from my house to the freeway. It can easily be 30, depends on where you choose to live.

Also, my point earlier on varying your start times really does matter. The traffic is different at different times of the day. You'll have to see what works best for YOU.

[psu tom]

Malvie. I appreciate the additional info. My wife has some favorite houses on HAR.com in the Cy-Fair and Cy-Woods high school zones. So, I'll find out how close they are to 249.
If I can do a 9-6:30 schedule is the traffic lightening up?
Someone else mentioned 9-6, so I am guessing they meant that is better than 8-5 ???

Thanks again!

[Malvie]

Originally Posted by psu tom

Malvie. I appreciate the additional info. My wife has some favorite houses on HAR.com in the Cy-Fair and Cy-Woods high school zones. So, I'll find out how close they are to 249.
If I can do a 9-6:30 schedule is the traffic lightening up?
Someone else mentioned 9-6, so I am guessing they meant that is better than 8-5 ???

Thanks again!

That was me with 9-6, that's what I do. 8-5 is the worst. Many people do 7-4. It depends on your job and what you can do.

At 6:30 it's getting better. I frequently leave at 6:30 and can pretty much buzz home (there's always a jam at Beltway and IH-10, sometimes better, sometimes worse, sometimes impossible).

If you don't know about Houston Transtar, click the link and look. Live traffic map (follows the RFID chips in everyone's EZ Tags; also, an EZ Tag is a must for you on every vehicle--one account, multiple vehicles). Today, when it gets to be about 5:00 pm CDT, look at the live traffic map and you can see what it's doing.

Rule of thumb: For every major intersection (surface), add 5 minutes (to get through it). For every freeway interchange, add 10. Obviously, some are worse than others, your mileage may vary, see dealer for details....

[psu tom]

Malvie,
I just re-read and it was you that mentioned 9-6.
Is the traffic really much lighter than 8-5?
Thanks.

[psu tom]

Excellent Malvie.
Thank you.
Hopefully I can compromise with my wife between her favorite houses and my time in the car!