best place to stay between springfield and cambridge...help!!! (Boston: where to stay, living in)

[woodlawn30]

we are moving to mass. soon and looking for areas to live near the mass 90 turnpike . i will be working in springfield while my spouse in cambridge. what would be the best place to live close to the turnpike for both of us to have the easiest commute to work. we checked few places in framingham near the turnpike and going by the map, i would have a commute close to 70 miles each way and she has to drive about 20 odd miles ( which will be at least 35 mins as it is with the traffic) and... please suggest

[brightdoglover]

What is right between the two cities, to even out the commute distance/pain? 70/20 is gallant of you, but not exactly "in between."
Also, consider maybe Rt.2, which goes between the two cities further northwest. Rt.2 runs into Cambridge at Fresh Pond- where does she have to get to in Cambridge?

[holden125]

Originally Posted by brightdoglover

What is right between the two cities, to even out the commute distance/pain? 70/20 is gallant of you, but not exactly "in between."
Also, consider maybe Rt.2, which goes between the two cities further northwest. Rt.2 runs into Cambridge at Fresh Pond- where does she have to get to in Cambridge?

I don't know about 70/20, but I'd err on the side of Boston/Cambridge. The drive from Framingham to Cambridge will probably take a lot more than 35 mins if done at rush hour. Traffic going that way traditionally has been much heavier, especially between Framingham and the Weston tolls, than traffic going from Framingham toward Springfield. I'm not sure if the recent changes (more FastLane lanes, etc.) have helped any.

As brightdoglover says, it would help to know where in Cambridge she has to go.

[woodlawn30]

thanks for your posts...her work is in cambridge st..bewen harvard sq and inman square...

[lmkcin]

well logically if one will be in Springfield the other in Cambridge, I honestly would consider Worcester. It's about 45mins from Springfield west on I-90, and then the other could take I-290 to I-495 to Rte 2.
It works out to about the same driving distance (about 50 miles). Obviously this doesn't factor in traffic. She could also take the Commuter train (MBTA) to the Red line to Cambridge, that's probably just as long in time, but no hassle in driving in Boston/Cambridge.
But I would look at worcester or marlboro, but look at Worcester County.

[holden125]

Originally Posted by lmkcin

She could also take the Commuter train (MBTA) to the Red line to Cambridge, that's probably just as long in time, but no hassle in driving in Boston/Cambridge.

The commuter rail from Framingham (or west) to South Station and then the Red Line to Cambridge is a long ride. It's an hour on the train from Framingham to Boston and another 15-20 mins to Cambridge, plus walking or bus from the Red Line.

The Fitchburg line of the commuter rail stops at Porter, which would be more convenient for a Cambridge commute than the South Station trains. But the towns along that line are even farther from Springfield than the 70 miles it would take from Framingham.

That makes an MBTA commute to Cambridge hard. Does the employer offer parking in Cambridge? If not it's tough to find and/or expensive.

I'd look around Framingham, maybe a little west, but most importantly, move as close as possible to a Mass Pike exit so you don't lose even more time sitting in traffic trying to get to the Pike.

[woodlawn30]

thanks for all your posts...we have seen a few places in framingham within a mile drive from the pike and going by the map, my commute would be an hour +drive and hers be about 22 miles. we also thought of staying in areas like shrewsbury, north/ west/ marlboro or worcester, but doesnt save much of my time ( 10-12 mins less at most), whereas driving to cambridge would be about 35-40 miles ( i guess at least an hr with minimum traffic)...

[brightdoglover]

Again, remember it's traffic, not miles that matter.
Getting into Harvard/Inman Sq. from the west can take more time than getting to the edge of Cambridge. The Red line doesn't go into Inman Sq., so that's another drawback, unless "between" is a decent walk from the Red line at Harvard. In which case, I'd suggest she drive to the Red line station at Alewife off Rt.2 and take the Red line train into Cambridge.
Or, change radically the time she drives in that way. I've gotten totally stuck driving from Alewife area to Inman Square at about 8:30am- just jammed. It's worth it to get up earlier, drive in earlier, and have breakfast at the S&S in Inman Square and then get to work, if you have business near Inman Square. Driving there from the west at rush hour is just not doable.
Not sure where you are moving from, but the miles aren't the issue coming into the urban area- it's the time and traffic. Now I can see why driving high mileage out to Springfield might make more sense than living in the middle.

[holden125]

Originally Posted by brightdoglover

Getting into Harvard/Inman Sq. from the west can take more time than getting to the edge of Cambridge. The Red line doesn't go into Inman Sq., so that's another drawback, unless "between" is a decent walk from the Red line at Harvard. In which case, I'd suggest she drive to the Red line station at Alewife off Rt.2 and take the Red line train into Cambridge.

Again, the time starts to add up when you have a drive and a train and a bus, but there is a bus (69) that goes from Harvard down Cambridge St through Inman Sq. Another (83) goes from Porter, where the Fitchburg commuter line stops, to Inman Square. It runs down Beacon St, Somerville, and passes pretty close to Youville Hosp., Cambridge Hosp, and Rindge and Latin.

If you do go to the Framingham area (which is much better for a drive to Springfield than anything along Route 2), she can take the Pike to Exit 18, cross the river, and then go up Putnam Av and a couple of side streets like Trowbridge to reach Cambridge St.

Another way to get to the Inman Square area is via Brattle St. It's less direct but may avoid the traffic near Exit 18 on the Mass Pike. I'm not sure which is faster at rush hour, but the second way makes the commute cheaper as you don't pay the extra Exit 18 toll. To do it this way:

-Get off the Mass Pike at Exit 17.
-Continue straight on the "rotary" in Newton Corner and follow signs for Charlesbank Rd.
-Follow Charlesbank Rd around the bend and feed into Nonantum Rd, which becomes Soliders Field Rd.
-I'd probably get off at the exit for Brighton Center, turn left at the top of the ramp, then left on Arsenal St for Watertown.
-Make the first right on Greenough Blvd.
-At the end bear left follow signs for 2/3 North, Fresh Pond Pkwy toward Arlington.
-Just after the intersection with Route 16, turn right on Brattle St., go until you have a "do not enter" and make a left on Mason St.
-At the end turn right on Garden St.
-This feeds you into the northern edge of Harvard Square. When you hit the square/Mass Av. go straight (bear left) instead of turning right on Mass. Av. This will curve around to the left (effectively you're making a left turn).
-Bear right to go down in the little tunnel to Cambridge Street.
Coming out of the tunnel, bear left for Cambridge St. at the fire station (not right for Broadway).
-Ta-da, you're on Cambridge St. heading toward Inman Sq. Wasn't that easy?

This may sound complicated (driving in Cambridge and environs is complicated) but after she's done it a handful of times it will become more familiar. Maybe someone who does the Cambridge drive more often than I at rush hour can chime in on whether these machinations would actually save any time.

[woodlawn30]

thanks to both brightdoglover and holden for your suggestions...will consider the cambridge commute in mind....havent yet finalized where to stay framingham( which so far appears to be the best option for both of us)..though have a couple of places close to the pike in mind....also thinking of few good places close to mas pike in Natick.