Turnpike Costs (Boston, Weymouth, Plymouth: house, high school, calculator) - Massachusetts (MA) - City-Data Forum

Mhertel · 03-21-2007, 01:41 PM

I am moving to the Boston area soon and am looking at various places to live. If I chose an area on the Mass Turnpike route to Boston say even Sutton does anyone know the cost involved on a monthly basis? Also I am not sure that the Google Map Directions really account for the average rush hour commute time? I have also been looking at Weymouth, Millis, Sharon, and that area. Thoughts?

CaseyB · 03-21-2007, 02:06 PM

Here's a link to a toll calculator for the turnpike: http://www.masspike.com/user-cgi/tollcalc.cgi (broken link)

Those towns you mentioned are quite different from each other. What were you looking for? Are schools a factor?

Mhertel · 03-21-2007, 02:35 PM

Thanks. Schools are a factor. I have a son in high school. Also I am looking for a place that will work for both commuting to Crantson RI and Fenway Park in Boston. Sharon is in the right place but taxes are very high. I hear the schools are really good there though.

CaseyB · 03-21-2007, 02:45 PM

I can't see Weymouth as being that convenient for a commute to Cranston.
Sharon's taxes are likely to increase more as they are now facing a large deficit. I guess I would choose Millis, since it is on the train line. Have you looked at Franklin?

Mhertel · 03-21-2007, 02:49 PM

No, but I will now. Thanks for the tip on Sharon. The Cranston commute is for an older daughter and only for a year so........she may have to deal with somewhat of a drive which is why Weymouth may still work. My commute to Fenway will be for a long time hopefuly.

LovelyBoston · 03-22-2007, 08:36 AM

Don't go to Weymouth if schools are a factor. Not a good district. Really. Convenient to Boston, but I do not like the schools. Low MCAS scores, low standards, high class sizes, high fees (you have to pay $250 each year for each child to take the daily school bus, for heaven's sake).

Millis has a fantastic school system -- one of the top in the state, in fact. And you get a decent amount of house for your money, too; as the other poster said, it's also close to the commuter rail. Lovely little town.

Franklin might be okay, but I had a teacher friend who worked there and was quite discouraged by the school; she felt the high school had a better reputation than it deserved, and that the administration was not really supportive of teachers trying to push students with harder work. However, that was 5 years ago and perhaps things have changed.

LovelyBoston · 03-22-2007, 08:38 AM

Oh -- have you thought of Foxboro? If Franklin and Sharon work for location, Foxboro might, as well, and that has a pretty good school system (although I don't know the tax situation there).

Mhertel · 03-27-2007, 12:10 PM

Thanks!! I am now looking in Plymouth. Seems to be OK. Thoughts? Foxboro looked pretty good too.

LovelyBoston · 03-27-2007, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mhertel

Thanks!! I am now looking in Plymouth. Seems to be OK. Thoughts? Foxboro looked pretty good too.

I love Plymouth. It is such a beautiful town. Right on the coast, but it's still affordable. Close to Cape Cod, but commutable to Boston. A wonderful downtown area, really walkable and quaint. Love it, love it, love it. We go there all the time.

Schools: I know some great teachers in the district, so it's hard to say bad things about it -- the teachers I know are really committed, and do interesting, challenging, fun work with the kids. But the schools are having trouble because the administration and the faculty do not get along real well. (Teachers have been working without a contract for 2 years... it is very tense right now.) Still, it is such a nice town in so many ways -- and the schools aren't failing, they just are struggling with MCAS -- that I think it is really worth looking into.