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I'm planning on commuting by car into manhattan-- where to live for a short commute into manhattan --- should I look at brooklyn (park slope, cobble hill) or suburbs (LI, NJ)? I'm looking at a 30-45 mins commute.
The subway is not possible for an every day commute in my situation.
Yikes...when are you planning to enter and exit the city each day? If you factor in traffic, to make that 30-45 min commute possible you need to be in a town right next to the city either in Brooklyn, Queens, or NJ.
Yikes indeed. You can spend 30-45 minutes just getting through the Lincoln Tunnel in the morning.
In ideal conditions, you can reach Manhattan from most parts of Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx or close NJ locations in one hour or less, but ideal conditions are rare. If your work hours are not the standard 9-5 type of thing, driving may be generally easier, but traffic is always unpredictable. I have sailed through the Midtown Tunnel at 5:30 and I've been stuck in horrendous traffic at midnight on a Tuesday. All it takes is one minor accident blocking a lane or two.
But your biggest problem isn't driving time... it's the cost of parking: $45-$60 a day in Manhattan. Also, if you live in any neighborhood close to Manhattan (in Brooklyn, Queens or NJ), parking where you live will be difficult and/or expensive. The Brooklyn nabes you mentioned - Park Slope and Cobble Hill - have notoriously difficult parking.
Being ahead of rush hour makes a world of difference.
If you're in at say 7am, you have an easy commute, traffic wise, no matter where you're coming from. I'd say that's the case til about 8:30. I've driven in many times from Astoria leaving 8:30 or before, it takes less than 30 minutes to midtown, Rockefeller Center.
Also, if you're parking in a garage, and paying out of pocket, most of them have an "early bird" special price.
The traffic in NJ gets bad EARLY. Like around 7AM. The helix at the Lincoln Tunnel can be significantly clogged by then. And if there's an accident it can take an hour just to get down the helix.
Yikes indeed. You can spend 30-45 minutes just getting through the Lincoln Tunnel in the morning.
Yup lol thats why I said he has to live virtually right next to a major crossing into the city to have a chance. I live right off Blvd East not even a quarter mile from the Lincoln Tunnel and it takes me 30-40 min just to get onto the NYC side of the tunnel!
Also, if you're parking in a garage, and paying out of pocket, most of them have an "early bird" special price.
Good point about the early bird specials. I only park in Manhattan when I can expense it
I'd say that coming from NJ is generally worse than from Brooklyn or Queens, because of the tunnel bottlenecks. I drive to work in Manhattan from Sheepshead Bay a few times a month because I have to go our warehouse in NJ or deal with some other errand and generally hit surprisingly little traffic on the Belt Pkwy, Battery Tunnel or FDR, although the Gowanus gets a little backed up at the Tunnel/BQE split. Going crosstown in Manhattan is usually the worst part. Generally, its a 45-60 minute trip for me on a weekday morning, and a 35 minute trip in ideal conditions.
I'd also consider Riverdale in The Bronx, since you can get to Manhattan in that time window, and don't have a tunnel, or major bridge (only the Henry Hudson Bridge) to cross.
ETA: And, if you want the FDR, you can take the Deegan to 138th and take one of the Bridges to Manhattan, or you can just get on Broadway in Inwood and turn left at Dyckman to follow to the Harlem River Drive to the FDR.
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All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages.
~William Shakespeare (As You Like It Act II, Scene VII)
I need to be in by 9 AM -- i would consider an early commute to beat traffic.
So, NJ is out then. The options are Brooklyn, Bronx? How about Westchester?
What is the usual park slope to midtown commute in the morning/evening?
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