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We are dual military and considering taking assignments in Texas. Only issue is he will be at Ft Sam and I will be at Hood. Anyone had to deal with this? If we take it we would look into living in the Austin area? How's the commute? TIA!
I'm in San Antonio so I'll chat a little about the commute from Austin to Fort Sam. Unless you are living on the far west side of Austin, I-35 is likely your only choice. There are many people that live in the areas of south Austin, San Marcos, and New Braunfels that use I-35 as their main route into San Antonio. In a word, it's crowded. Even with no accidents, it can be a very slow commute.
I was assigned to Ft. Hood many years ago and the roads have changed a lot since my days there. I have no idea how the traffic might be going north out of Austin or if there has been a nice road added into the Fort Hood area other than US 190. There once was a little two-lane road just north of Georgetown that cut over to Killeen from the south but, again, that was many years ago.
I'm sure someone will chime in with more information.
Best of luck on your decision.
Last edited by TexasDillo; 03-01-2015 at 09:27 PM..
The commute to Hood is bad enough if you live in Killeen! My sister lives about 4 miles right off Clear Creek in Killeen. It's about a 45 minute commute for her to work and her office is by the Popeye's on post.
It's just awful there, not a commute I would recommend.
The commute to Hood is bad enough if you live in Killeen! My sister lives about 4 miles right off Clear Creek in Killeen. It's about a 45 minute commute for her to work and her office is by the Popeye's on post.
It's just awful there, not a commute I would recommend.
Traffic in Austin is awful as well.
That's the biggest bottleneck. I travel to Austin 2-3 times a year and am amazed at how I-35, despite two levels, can be a parking lot. Now, maybe travel against the flow isn't so bad out of downtown, but from San Antonio it can really get slow around the airport. Maybe Kerrville or Fredericksburg are better options, the latter being the same distance as Austin to Fort Sam, or Marble Falls. As a bonus you avoid the snarly mess they call Austin. When I was in the Air Force we had three joint spouse pilots in my George AFB squadron, one lived in San Bernardino (wife at Norton) and the other two lived in Palmdale (wives at Edwards). The caveat was that they MUST be available in the squadron 60 minutes after any notification. Not a problem unless Cajon Pass was iced over. I don't know what rules the Army has but some commanders might frown on someone living far away, whether it's an operational consideration, or it's based on risk assessment and exposure.
The commute to Hood is bad enough if you live in Killeen! My sister lives about 4 miles right off Clear Creek in Killeen. It's about a 45 minute commute for her to work and her office is by the Popeye's on post.
It's just awful there, not a commute I would recommend.
Traffic in Austin is awful as well.
Has it really changed that much? I rarely had a commute longer than 15 minutes going from Clear Creek/Stan Schlueter to base, going in the main gate (or Bernie Beck, or whatever it's called now)
With the new toll roads the commute to Austin seems better, but even before it was rare for the trip to Austin to take more than an hour. Then again, I haven't been back to Killeen since the toll roads were first opening. The worst part was always the drive through Florence, damn speed trap.
Has it really changed that much? I rarely had a commute longer than 15 minutes going from Clear Creek/Stan Schlueter to base, going in the main gate (or Bernie Beck, or whatever it's called now)
With the new toll roads the commute to Austin seems better, but even before it was rare for the trip to Austin to take more than an hour. Then again, I haven't been back to Killeen since the toll roads were first opening. The worst part was always the drive through Florence, damn speed trap.
Yes, it's pretty bad. At second glance, it's not even 4 miles for her. She lives behind Shoemaker High School.
I was out that way a few weeks ago. Went east from El Paso to 35 north to Killeen. Traffic going south on 35 from Killeen to Austin wasn't bad until we hit the part of the interstate where it's upper/lower 35.
Whereabouts are you from in Chicago? I'm originally from the south suburbs. Small world.
Yes, it's pretty bad. At second glance, it's not even 4 miles for her. She lives behind Shoemaker High School.
I was out that way a few weeks ago. Went east from El Paso to 35 north to Killeen. Traffic going south on 35 from Killeen to Austin wasn't bad until we hit the part of the interstate where it's upper/lower 35.
Whereabouts are you from in Chicago? I'm originally from the south suburbs. Small world.
Right now I'm in the Schaumburg area, working downtown. Dad retired from EOD at Hood in 03, then I went to NW Indiana for college in 07 before getting a job in Chicago. I'll have to make it back down to Austin area just for Pok-e-jo's and Salt Lick. Can't find good BBQ to save my life up here
I'm currently a GS-11 that works at the NEC (NETCOM) on Fort Hood. I also live 44 miles away in Georgetown, TX (North Austin) and it takes me about 45-50 mins to drive all the way to my work (one way) from my house. I do this drive everyday and it's not bad at all. If I had to drive to SA also I would try and live exactly half way between the two. The drive would suck but that's they only way to make the misery equal.
Has it really changed that much? I rarely had a commute longer than 15 minutes going from Clear Creek/Stan Schlueter to base, going in the main gate (or Bernie Beck, or whatever it's called now)
With the new toll roads the commute to Austin seems better, but even before it was rare for the trip to Austin to take more than an hour. Then again, I haven't been back to Killeen since the toll roads were first opening. The worst part was always the drive through Florence, damn speed trap.
Florence is bypassed now. I take 195 to hood daily and they have redone most of it. Now it's all a proper highway with no stops or towns to go threw.
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My sister lives about 4 miles right off Clear Creek in Killeen. It's about a 45 minute commute for her to work and her office is by the Popeye's on post.
