Moving to Cumberland, MD (Bel Air, Frostburg: apartments, rentals, neighborhoods) - Maryland - City-Data Forum

Crocodile14 · 12-10-2018, 07:58 PM

Hello all,
I am considering a move to cumberland, MD area sometime around next year. I will be commuting to and from Rocket Center, WV. Was wondering if Braddock Rd is a safe street to live in? I am also looking at a rental in elm street. I am looking for safety and access to conveniences. Thank you in advance for your input.

westsideboy · 12-10-2018, 09:07 PM

Define what you mean by Braddock Rd. There is one in Cumberland and in Frostburg. Either way, both would be good places to live in terms of safety. Braddock Rd. in Cumberland would be pretty convient to get to Rocket Center, although getting off the mountain can be a bit rough in bad weather.

Elm St.? Not so much, avoid it if safety is a concern. Heck, I say avoid it for lots of reasons. Living there would put the worst our area has to offer on full display every day. There are plenty of cheap places to live that are in much better neighborhoods.

Crocodile14 · 12-19-2018, 10:19 AM

Thank you westsideboy for your answer. I was talking about Braddock Rd in cumberland. Since you mentioned mountain.. Would snow tires be a necessity for commuting? I drive FWD corolla.

westsideboy · 12-19-2018, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crocodile14

Thank you westsideboy for your answer. I was talking about Braddock Rd in cumberland. Since you mentioned mountain.. Would snow tires be a necessity for commuting? I drive FWD corolla.

Braddock Rd. in Cumberland is a curvy road that goes up and over the top of Haystack Mountain. It is a well maintained road since there are two high schools on the ridge top and is treated and plowed frequently. I think if you have good tires, front wheel drive, and some experience driving in the snow you would be OK....

........unless it is one of those "have to be there even there is a foot of snow on the ground" jobs at the Rocket Center. If that is the case, it would make more sense to live in the valley, rather than on the mountain.

All that said, google map your address to see where it is. The rentals I know of on Braddock Rd. tend to be towards the bottom of the mountain. In that case, you are in an ideal spot, right next to US 220.

G1.. · 12-21-2018, 04:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crocodile14

Thank you westsideboy for your answer. I was talking about Braddock Rd in cumberland. Since you mentioned mountain.. Would snow tires be a necessity for commuting? I drive FWD corolla.

My daughter was in Frostburg for 4 years after year one I got her snow tires for her front wheel drive Saturn.

westsideboy · 12-21-2018, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by G1..

My daughter was in Frostburg for 4 years after year one I got her snow tires for her front wheel drive Saturn.

Oh, if OP was commuting from Frostburg to Rocket Center, I would recommend AWD or 4WD unless they really knew how to drive in the snow.

Cumberland gets much less snow, like 1/3 as much or less when compared to Frostburg. 12 miles west might as well be 100 miles in terms of the difference in winter weather.

Crocodile14 · 01-01-2019, 05:46 PM

I was mainly looking into Cumberland, Bel Air, and Cresaptown. However the ones I liked were already full and waitlisted. Looked at an apartment in Short gap but was a bit concerned about driving through 956 (I have never driven in snow before). I still have some time and will continue to look...thank you again for your input.

ki0eh · 01-02-2019, 07:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crocodile14

I was mainly looking into Cumberland, Bel Air, and Cresaptown. However the ones I liked were already full and waitlisted. Looked at an apartment in Short gap but was a bit concerned about driving through 956 (I have never driven in snow before). I still have some time and will continue to look...thank you again for your input.

Most likely any apartments in Short Gap probably are full of folks who work at the same place and possibly same shift, so worst comes to worst, you could ride in their pickup truck. The real snow mountain is the Allegheny Front in Frostburg direction, not the Knobley Mountain ridge on 956 from Short Gap.

westsideboy · 01-02-2019, 08:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crocodile14

I was mainly looking into Cumberland, Bel Air, and Cresaptown. However the ones I liked were already full and waitlisted. Looked at an apartment in Short gap but was a bit concerned about driving through 956 (I have never driven in snow before). I still have some time and will continue to look...thank you again for your input.

I am guessing you got a list of places to check from your employer? There are good private rentals in Cumberland for very cheap prices. Obviously, more leg work for you, but you could get a full house, or 1/2 a duplex in a good neighborhood for $800 or so. Your money will go a very long way here with housing.

I can't speak specifically for snow removal on Rt. 956. I would suppose that it kept maintained because of Rocket Center.........but WV tends to have less money and resources devoted to road maintenance as MD, and you would still be going over a mountain. Again, if you end up in Cumberland or Cresaptown, you are in the same valley as your employer, which will lead to much easier driving.

diamondeye · 01-23-2019, 01:12 PM

I have a good friend that lives on Braddock Road just after it splits off of Greene, and it is a pretty nice street and good neighbors. One thing there that scares me more than snow there is having to back out of the driveway onto Braddock, with limited visibility (some people have convex mirrors) it feels like taking one's life in one's hands considering there will always be some driver barreling around the corner obliviously.