is there a better time to commute on LIE (Commack: home, transfer to)

[amyla]

Hi-I know it stinks most of the time but.... to go from Commack to Queens ( Jamaica/Hillside ave area) would there be a better time to go 7:30 am or 9:00 am? I used to leave around 8:30 but now have a little flexibility. Will try both but any thoughts?

[sirtiger]

how would 30 min or even an hour make a whopping difference?

[10-23]

9:00 am is much better. Whenever I would go to the office "late," that's what time I'd leave eastern Nassau and I'd usually make great time to lower Manhattan.

7:30 is a parking lot.

[amyla]

Originally Posted by Chaser199

9:00 am is much better. Whenever I would go to the office "late," that's what time I'd leave eastern Nassau and I'd usually make great time to lower Manhattan,

7:30 is a parking lot.

Thanks-that's what I was thinking/hoping that many commuters have to be where they are going by 9

[10-23]

Originally Posted by amyla

Thanks-that's what I was thinking/hoping that many commuters have to be where they are going by 9

It has always worked for me.

[sirtiger]

by 9am, commercial vehicles clog up the streets

[amyla]

Originally Posted by sirtiger

by 9am, commercial vehicles clog up the streets

maybe the northern state would be better to avoid that

[10-23]

Originally Posted by amyla

maybe the northern state would be better to avoid that

It's a crapshoot. I've had better luck in general on the LIE. Listen to traffic reports when you head out each morning.

Commercial vehicles may tie up surface streets, but not the highways. Not at 9:00 am anyway.

[Firsttimehomeownerli]

I leave my home in central Suffolk at 9:45 to be in the Hillside area by 10:30 (usually pull in earlier than that). I fly right in at that time. Not sure if your schedule can be pushed to 9:30 or not, but there's hardly ever an issue on both LIE/NS at that time, with the exception of the occasional road work/accident traffic, of course. Leaving at 7:30 takes double the time. Same for 8, 8:30. 9:00 is better. I've also commuted at the 6:30/7:00 time frame, which is better than 7:30-8:30, but still pretty bad. I avoid the LIE through Nassau/Queens border at all times (I transfer to NS at ex 42 and stay the course).

[10-23]

Just be off the highways by 10:00 am. That's when traffic cones go out and lanes close. Especially now that pothole repair is in full swing.