moving to tempe from NYC, commuting from tucson - too much driving?

[PaulieM]

One word...fuhgeddaboudit!

[azguy1010]

It wouldn't be a good commute, it can be pretty windy sometimes and the the speed limit is 75, so the shorter times are because you are going faster than on a "regular" freeway (compared to most states speed limits), if only a few times a week it may be ok but doing it everyday would be too stressful.

[Finger Laker]

Originally Posted by Uhuh

compared to NY buffalo prob has more going on than Phoenix.

Not it doesn't - not even close

As for the original question - it would be pretty taxing ..... I don't find a lot of the towns in the middle to be all that great and you still have a fairly long commute to either city

It's just a lot of miles, a lot of gas, a lot of wear & tear ..... i have to make the drive for work on occasion and it's a simple drive, but it is pretty boring and not something I would want to do more frequently than I already do

Maybe if you lived in south chandler and worked in an area like Marana on the northern edge of tucson it would be bearable ... that's not far off from the commute my dad makes in upstate NY each day (between 75-85 miles each way)

I used to work with a client who lived in marana and worked north of tempe ..... it was a stretch, but he was OK with it as it suited his personality and he didn't find it much worse than some of his commutes in LI

It does take it's toll though, IMO

To each their own, but I wouldn't want to do it

[AZPam]

Originally Posted by nikorock28

Did she commute five days a week?

For about a year she did and then the last semester it was only 3 days a week. What you have to understand, from where we live to where she had to go was a little over an hour. It wasn't much different than driving from Power Ranch in Gilbert to downtown each day in traffic if you think about it.

[nikorock28]

Originally Posted by AZPam

For about a year she did and then the last semester it was only 3 days a week. What you have to understand, from where we live to where she had to go was a little over an hour. It wasn't much different than driving from Power Ranch in Gilbert to downtown each day in traffic if you think about it.

Power Ranch to downtown is 35 miles. Sun Lakes to Ina Rd. exit is 83 miles. I would say that is a huge difference. At 5 times per week, 52 weeks a year, you will have an additional 25K miles on your vehicle. Can it be done for a year? Sure (but I would never consider it in the OP's case). Is it a feasible long-term plan? Absolutely not. Also, commuting to school is much different than commuting for a job. There will be winter break, spring break and the entire summer off. Sitting in class is different than expecting to perform at work (though, clinicals would be the same as work). You can be a little tired and make up the studying later. Plus, I am sure your daughter was not paying rent. For the OP, it just doesn't make sense.

EDIT: I somewhat agree with you on the drive times. In traffic, it might only be 15 mins longer (if you drive fast, pass trucks and slow drivers, etc.) to north Tucson. However, the mileage disparity would be quite a financial toll (gas, car payment, maintenance, etc.). If you work downtown and have to commute during peak hrs, I also would not advise living in Power Ranch =)

[Elysium816]

I lived in SW Tucson and my friends live in Chandler/S. Phoenix and it took me 1-3/4 hours to drive. I suggest she live in N.Tucson, you live in S.Phoenix and plan to spend weekends in Tucson (much nicer and cooler, by up to 10 degrees).

[vjsoto]

Man... you crazy! Are you prepared to spend 5 hours per day in your car and spend hundreds on gas every week? Pick a place and move there.

[sidrah]

Nah. I am from NY, too, and it is nothing like NY in Phx or Tucson. Unless you really want to leave there, I would say looks elsewhere. Granted, I really don't like it here and am moving back or to San Diego, take this info for what it is worth. It is about 1.5 to 1.75 hours between Tempe and Tucson. Yeah, you could live in the middle and each drive an hour or so, but you would be driving into traffic and that would suck. She would be going east, so it would be easier traffic-wise until she hit all the construction near Tucson (that has been going on, without end, for 5 years). Culture shock is a nice phrase for the nightmare you have to look forward to if even trying to compare here to NY. Not worth the trouble on the gas, car, underpar education system (and this is coming from me as a teacher, so no comments about teachers, please), lack of comparable things to do, and a general lack of urgency that seems to exist here....What other opportunities can you come up with because if I knew then what I know now, I never would have stayed (sick parent is all that kept me here).

[mdtscoates]

I would not do it. Tucson will be 2 hr commute each way. My 2 cents

[nicoolio7]

Wow, I hope you take everyone's comments here seriously because that would be a horrible commute to make, even if it was only 3 days per week! The drive from Phoenix to Tucson has to be one of the ugliest stretches of road in the state. The only interesting things in between are Picacho Peak and the pecan grove before you get into Marana. I know you have to keep your eyes on the road, but with only dirt and few scrubby bushes to look at the drive gets so dull. You can only listen to so many talks on tape and hear the same songs on the radio over and over again before you start to lose your mind! The traffic can be really bad sometimes coming from Tucson on the weekends. You can also run into some horrendous wind and dust storms - the kind where you need to pull your car over to the side of the road and wait it out because of no visibility (my parents have had to do that twice in the past few years). If it were me, I would have my spouse look for a job in the Phoenix area and avoid that commute.