Driving from Westfield to Newark? (Cranford, Summit: home, live, vs) - New Jersey (NJ) - City-Data Forum

bktoli · 10-23-2016, 03:02 PM

I'll be starting a job in Newark soon and we are looking at different towns in NJ. We really liked Westfield when we drove through. Googlemaps says it should take 25 minutes to drive from there to Newark in rush hour. Is that accurate? i got a weird comment from someone recently about "driving time vs actual distance" when I mentioned commuting from Westfield to Newark and I want to make sure I'm not missing something. Any help appreciated.

zhelder · 10-23-2016, 03:06 PM

25 minutes outside of rush hour. And rush hour in that area gets pretty rushed. Think more like 45-50 minutes on a typical busy day.

bktoli · 10-23-2016, 03:13 PM

Thanks. That is helpful.
We have also looked at summit and Glen Ridge. Is there a significant difference in the commutes from those places? Googlemaps reads them all as similar.

zhelder · 10-23-2016, 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bktoli

Thanks. That is helpful.
We have also looked at summit and Glen Ridge. Is there a significant difference in the commutes from those places? Googlemaps reads them all as similar.

I don't know Summit too well, but I'm thinking commuting times would be similar to Westfield. Glen Ridge might knock 5-7 minutes off.

JerseyGirl415 · 10-23-2016, 03:19 PM

I drive currently from Cranford to Newark (live close to the parkway in Cranford) and no matter how you go at rush hour there's traffic and it sucks. It takes anywhere from a half hour if I'm lucky to a little over an hour, door to parking garage. Average is probably around 40-45 mins.

Driving time vs actual distance is not a weird comment or concept. The distance from my home to my destination in Newark is 13 miles (that's taking my most common route; as the crow flies obviously it's even less distance) and at rush hour it still takes me about 45 mins. To drive the point home it takes me 15 mins outside of rush hour. Rush hour can commonly double commuting time depending on where you're going/coming from.

I don't really mind the traffic. I expect it and I'm used to it. Sure it can get annoying but it's not a deal breaker for me. I don't have any desire to take the train instead, or something, because taking the train sucks too and gives you less control than driving.

bktoli · 10-23-2016, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JerseyGirl415

I drive currently from Cranford to Newark (live close to the parkway in Cranford) and no matter how you go at rush hour there's traffic and it sucks. It takes anywhere from a half hour if I'm lucky to a little over an hour, door to parking garage. Average is probably around 40-45 mins.

Driving time vs actual distance is not a weird comment or concept. The distance from my home to my destination in Newark is 13 miles (that's taking my most common route; as the crow flies obviously it's even less distance) and at rush hour it still takes me about 45 mins. To drive the point home it takes me 15 mins outside of rush hour. Rush hour can commonly double commuting time depending on where you're going/coming from.

I don't really mind the traffic. I expect it and I'm used to it. Sure it can get annoying but it's not a deal breaker for me. I don't have any desire to take the train instead, or something, because taking the train sucks too and gives you less control than driving.

Thanks for this. I should have said "cryptic" as opposed to "strange" regarding the comment I got. I suspected the answer you just gave, but i wanted to get a direct answer.

tom1944 · 10-23-2016, 06:15 PM

The traffic on Broad St and Route 21 is the problem.

bktoli · 10-23-2016, 06:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tom1944

The traffic on Broad St and Route 21 is the problem.

I'll be commuting to a lot near broad and court, not the north end, if that makes a difference in terms of time. Does it?

jdacunha · 10-23-2016, 07:39 PM

Any of you ever try to cut through the ironbound section of Newark? Get off on 1&9 on Delancey street and cut through south ST or chestnut street.

tom1944 · 10-24-2016, 05:26 AM

A little. I go up to Raymond and Halsey.

I know someone that used to go from Springfield to Newark. 12 miles. Between the drive, parking and waiting for an elevator the commute was 45 minutes. They now go from Springfield to Neptune which is about 45-50 miles. Parks in front of the building and walks the stairs (in Newark you are not allowed) takes 45 minutes.