95S Commute from Society Hill - Good? Bad? Ugly? (Philadelphia: for sale, houses)

[Alice Paul]

Moving to PHL from a different part of the country. One of us may be working in the Media/Swarthmore area (the other in Center City). Would like to live in Center City, if possible.

Can anyone shed any light on what the commute is like on 95S from Society Hill to just past the airport/this area (by the looks of my Google Maps) in the AM (and in the reverse in the PM)? Yes, I have checked Google Maps, but I have heard Google Maps can be very unreliable for Philadelphia traffic estimates (my one own experience on 76 during a visit during rush hour = can confirm). Have not driven this stretch/potential commute before....might have to make a housing decision without getting to do a trial run.

Is it your typical rush-hour traffic? Please tell me it's better than 76. 76 was not an enjoyable experience.

Our family debate is Society Hill versus a Main Line suburb (Ardmore or Bryn Mawr). Prefer the city; commute to Media/Swarthmore area from Ardmore or Bryn Mawr *appears* to take just as long as a commute down 95S from Society Hill in the AM due to traffic (is this accurate depiction of traffic or is the commute from the Main Line 'burbs much shorter, actually)?

Any other words of wisdom much appreciated!

[rainrock]

There is always a pretty decent rush hour bottleneck where 95 meets 476(Blue Route)in all directions. Usual big city traffic, nothing out of the norm. You have a reverse commute to Media which is beneficial but you will still hit traffic. The 95 + 476 interchange has alot of commuter flow between Philly, Wilmington and the Western burbs.



Depending exactly where the commute to Swarthmore/Media would be you can always take the train from the city . The Media/Elwyn line has stops in Swarthmore and Media. The Media stop is about a 5-10 minute walk to town. Swarthmore is smaller and the walk will be less from the train stop.

Can check out Septa website for all information.

The commute from Ardmore to Media is no picnic either. Perhaps a little better/closer compared commuting from Center City but not without headaches. The backroads going N-S are all one or 2 lane streets with alot of lights, heavily congested. If you jump on 476 down to Media that can be just as bad as 76.

Good luck.

[Sicilee]

I guess I would add two things to the excellent comments made by rainrock.

1) Lifestyle in Society Hill vs the main line will be very different. I would focus on which location will give you the kind of life you are looking for. If you disagree,with each other it is possible that what you disagree on is not really commute but the living environment. And even if you are both OK with either, I would still take the time to consider what you are looking for. You didn't say where you are coming from or what type of neighborhood you live in now -- how big a change will either of them be for you? Where will you be happier? That matters the most.

2) I second rainrock's comment about the train. Why drive if the train takes you there? Train service in Philly is good. I'd plan for that to be primary mode of transportation with driving as a fall back.

Good luck to you.

[cpomp]

Why live on the Main Line if you are working in a great area already?
If you opt out of Society Hill Media/Swarthmore is just as as nice of an area with an equal commute to Philly via Septa.

[Burger Fan]

Originally Posted by cpomp

Why live on the Main Line if you are working in a great area already?
If you opt out of Society Hill Media/Swarthmore is just as as nice of an area with an equal commute to Philly via Septa.

I'd second this. There's no significant advantage to living in the main line over media/swarthmore. They're virtually identical in demographics, school systems, and local amenities- and living where you work has significant benefits in the form of no commuter traffic.

Also notable is that It's likely easier to live in Media/Swarthmore/Nether Providence and commute in to center city via train (since CC has a lot more public transportation options, and is more dense) than to live in center city and take the train out to media, hoping work will be in reasonable walking distance.

Furthermore, wage tax is something to keep in mind. If you both live in center city but one of you is working in the burbs, both of you are paying philadelphia wage tax on your earnings. If you both live in the burbs, but one of you is working in CC, then only one of you is paying philadelphia wage tax, and it's at the lower rate.

[rainrock]

Originally Posted by Burger Fan

I'd second this. There's no significant advantage to living in the main line over media/swarthmore. They're virtually identical in demographics, school systems, and local amenities- and living where you work has significant benefits in the form of no commuter traffic.

Media -Swarthmore are terrific little towns but they are considerably smaller than the continuous Main Line towns. Media's walkable downtown is 5 blocks long whereas the Main Line walkable towns connect and stretch for 5 miles or more.

There is a considerable benefit to living on The Main Line regarding certain aspects including availability of homes for sale..

Media is so small(LESS THAN 1 SQ MILE) that houses in the walkable part of town rarely come up for sale. You may have to go out into the auto centric woods surrounding Media to find a home.

Furthermore, wage tax is something to keep in mind. If you both live in center city but one of you is working in the burbs, both of you are paying philadelphia wage tax on your earnings. If you both live in the burbs, but one of you is working in CC, then only one of you is paying philadelphia wage tax, and it's at the lower rate.

Agree the wage tax is something to strongly consider and schools if relevant to the OP. Suburbs clear winners in both regards. OP would have to weigh the plusses + minuses suburbs/center city. If they want a truly urban experience then Center City provides 3,000 small businesses within walking distance of home. Media? 100-200 stores maybe? Then you have to jump in the car and head to KOP,Center City,Springfield,Concordville,the city etc etc..

And the cultural offerings are in a different stratosphere, if proximity and walkability are keys for the OP. Its just as easy to live in Media and hop in your car or train and be in Center City in 20 minutes.

[cpomp]

Originally Posted by rainrock

Media -Swarthmore are terrific little towns but they are considerably smaller than the continuous Main Line towns. Media's walkable downtown is 5 blocks long whereas the Main Line walkable towns connect and stretch for 5 miles or more.

There is a considerable benefit to living on The Main Line regarding certain aspects including availability of homes for sale..

Media is so small(LESS THAN 1 SQ MILE) that houses in the walkable part of town rarely come up for sale. You may have to go out into the auto centric woods surrounding Media to find a home.




Agree the wage tax is something to strongly consider and schools if relevant to the OP. Suburbs clear winners in both regards. OP would have to weigh the plusses + minuses suburbs/center city. If they want a truly urban experience then Center City provides 3,000 small businesses within walking distance of home. Media? 100-200 stores maybe? Then you have to jump in the car and head to KOP,Center City,Springfield,Concordville,the city etc etc..

And the cultural offerings are in a different stratosphere, if proximity and walkability are keys for the OP. Its just as easy to live in Media and hop in your car or train and be in Center City in 20 minutes.

If you have a lot of money to spend I would pick Society hill over any of the burbs.

But the same could be said for the Main Line. When homes located near Lancaster Ave go on sale with the exception of the Wayne/Radnor area, they tend to be old, small, dumpy and very expensive.

The housing selection you would find in Middletown, Upper Providence, Edgemont and Newtown Sq is similar to most of Lower Merion, minus some exclusive enclaves in Gladwyne and Villanova.

And yes Media borough is small, but Lancaster Ave is not one 5 mile stretch of walkable downtowns. Its walkable, but I only see Wayne(which is tiny) Ardmore and a section of Bryn Mawr that have that fun downtown vibe.

But both good choices in the end.

[rainrock]

Originally Posted by cpomp

And yes Media borough is small, but Lancaster Ave is not one 5 mile stretch of walkable downtowns. Its walkable, but I only see Wayne(which is tiny) Ardmore and a section of Bryn Mawr that have that fun downtown vibe.

You pretty much have connected walkable neighborhoods from Bala Cynwyd to Rosemont between Montgomery Ave and Haverford Road. Small gap at Villanova/Radnor where the university /corporate parks pop up then transitions back to walkable neighborhoods with Paoli,Wayne Berwyn etc etc due west..

Media and Swarthmore are isolated walkable towns seperated and surrounded by terrific townships but which are very autocentric much moreso than you will find between Montgomery Ave + Haverford Road + City Ave.

Originally Posted by cpomp

But both good choices in the end.

Agree.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by rainrock

You pretty much have connected walkable neighborhoods from Bala Cynwyd to Rosemont between Montgomery Ave and Haverford Road. Small gap at Villanova/Radnor where the university /corporate parks pop up then transitions back to walkable neighborhoods with Paoli,Wayne Berwyn etc etc due west..

Media and Swarthmore are isolated walkable towns seperated and surrounded by terrific townships but which are very autocentric much moreso than you will find between Montgomery Ave + Haverford Road + City Ave.






Agree.

Sorry, but I usually lol when I have to read all this stuff about how "walkable" these areas are. Yes, they have sidewalks which, technically, makes them "walkable" but most people drive to and from their destinations on the Main Line. As an example go to the intersection of Bryn Mawr Ave and Haverford Rd... Maybe you'll see a few walkers leaving the RT100 Bryn Mawr station, as they risk their lives, trying to cross Haverford Rd since the pedestrian traffic signals aren't particularly good.

[rainrock]

Originally Posted by kyb01

Sorry, but I usually lol when I have to read all this stuff about how "walkable" these areas are. Yes, they have sidewalks which, technically, makes them "walkable" but most people drive to and from their destinations on the Main Line. As an example go to the intersection of Bryn Mawr Ave and Haverford Rd... Maybe you'll see a few walkers leaving the RT100 Bryn Mawr station, as they risk their lives, trying to cross Haverford Rd since the pedestrian traffic signals aren't particularly good.

There is a stark difference in walkability between Narberth,Ardmore,Merion,Haverford,Bryn Mawr,Wynnewood etc as opposed to Upper Providence,Nether Providence,Middletown Township .

No one is saying Bryn Mawr/ Narberth/ Ardmore is Center City but they are walkable. Nether Providence/Middletown are not walkable.

Its as easy as looking at the satellite map of google. The area surrounding Media is low density woodlands quite the contrary along Route 30/Montgomery Ave/City Ave/Haverford Rd ...