Questions about the Reverse Commute from JC, Hoboken, Union City, or Weehawken into Newark (Jersey City: middle-class)

[Boogalou]

I will be starting a new job in Newark in June and would like to live closer to the city. I will most likely be leaving between 6:30 to 7am and would like to know what the reverse commute is like in the morning from the areas close to the city into Newark. I was hoping to stay close to 20 minutes. I have mapquested a few locations in Jersey City, Hoboken, Union City and Weehaken which have all been between 20 to 25 minutes. I was not sure if this accurately took traffic in account. Does anyone know the fastest/least congested routes into Newark from any of these locations?


I also would like to know about the surrounding areas in general. (i.e. which areas are safe or not, which are worth buying/renting in, etc.) I would appreciate any information you can give. Thanks!

[DowntownJerseyCity]

At that time it won't be too terribly bad going out to Newark. I would take 1-9 to Raymond Blvd (if you live in downtown Hoboken or Jersey City, otherwise take 495 to the Turnpike South or 3 to 21 if you don't want to pay the tolls). That will be 15 minutes tops to downtown Newark. Where will you be working? There is always the PATH into Newark if you don't feel like driving.

My GF lives downtown JC and loves it, but the prices are still too high for the time being (stay out of Greenville, Communipaw Ave area, Bergen-Lafayette, and parts of the Heights near Truck 1-9). Hoboken? Forget it...way overpriced and full of BMW yuppies and the stroller brigade.

Weehawken is nice but parking is very tough and Union City is just too dirty, congested, and it gives off a vibe of simmering urban violence.

[veuvegirl]

That early in the morning you should be good; you might hit a bit of traffic, but nothing major. Another option would be taking the train from Hoboken.

[Boogalou]

Thanks for the replies,

I will be working at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center as a resident, which is located on Lyons ave, off of Exit 55 (the Hillside/Irvington exit) on 78 west. Not sure how far that is from downtown Newark, but hopefully that helps figure out the commute time a little better. My goal was to keep at least the morning commute to 20 minutes, and not have a really long commute due to traffic.

I got the sense from your replies that even the reverse commute gets pretty bad traffic. What time in the morning does it really start getting packed when headed to Newark?

Hoboken Guy, you mentioned your girlfriend lives in JC , is there any particular area that you recommend for young professionals that is fun to be in , but that still doesn't break the bank as far as rent/cost of living?

I have been checking out different areas over the last few days and saw Union City with a Realtor. He suggested that it will be developed over the next few years and that it will get better, and that it would be a good area to invest in. Does anyone have any information about which areas are being developed and if Union City really is on the rise, or destined to stay the way it is?

Thanks again for all the help.

[pretorius]

There is one part of Union City that is literally on the rise. It is the part along the Park Avenue border with Weehawken. The evidence of gentrification - fancier shops & restaurants, new condos - is visible. But it still feels a lot like the rest of Union City, a crowded city dominated by poor immigrants.

In Weehawken, unlike Union City, most of the 2- and 3-family homes are owner-occupied which contributes to Weehawken's better neighborhood feel. And Weehawken has large upper-middle-class population, which Union City doesn't.

Living near the Park Avenue entrance to 495 (on Union City-Weehawken border) will save 5-10 minutes on your commute, compared to living in Hoboken.