Where to live in Tempe / Tempe-Phoenix commute? (condos, neighborhoods)

[jellary]

I have an internship in Phoenix starting in a few months, and was told Tempe is the best place for me to live because of the student population and because other interns will be based there. I am 22 years old, a single female, and will have a car. Where is the best (safest, cleanest, most fun) place to live in Tempe that is not a terrible commute to Phoenix? I am not familiar with the area at all (moving from the midwest), so is there a main highway or something that I should try to live near to make the commute shorter?

Thanks!

[LocoAZnative]

where in Phoenix are you working, because you might be able to hop on the light rail. If you are looking for a fun area then you might want to live near downtown. Thats where all the clubs and restuarants are. there are nice condos on Farmer. Plus you have the Town lake there also.

[observer53]

Yes, let us know more specifically where your job is, and we can give you some more info. If the light rail would work for you, that would give you some transportation options. There are express buses to and from Phoenix and Tempe that may work for you as well, so you don't have to drive every day, which can be nice to have the flexibility.

Otherwise, the commute is not always that bad, most of the time (it also depends somewhat on your work hours). There are a couple of different freeway routes in and out of Tempe.

[Valley Native]

Commuting from Tempe to Phoenix shouldn't be all that difficult because there are so many choices: car, bus, light rail, etc. It sounds like you want to be around a high population of students, and be near a more fun area. I'd recommend Mill Avenue district, ASU area, or neighborhoods such as Maple/Ash.

If you drive, and want to be near a "major highway", there are several freeways in Tempe that you'll want to consider. Loop 202 is the main freeway that connects downtown Tempe (Mill Avenue district/ASU area) to Phoenix. There's also the 143 that skirts the Phoenix/Tempe border, and will connect to the 202. Further south, there's the 60, which seems to be one of the main routes for commuting to Phoenix from the east Valley. The only problem with commuting from Tempe is the traffic. It can be heavily congested during the mornings & afternoons, so it really depends on what time of day your commute is.

[Java Jolt]

Originally Posted by jellary

I have an internship in Phoenix starting in a few months, and was told Tempe is the best place for me to live because of the student population and because other interns will be based there. I am 22 years old, a single female, and will have a car. Where is the best (safest, cleanest, most fun) place to live in Tempe that is not a terrible commute to Phoenix? I am not familiar with the area at all (moving from the midwest), so is there a main highway or something that I should try to live near to make the commute shorter?

Thanks!

You really should be more precise regarding the part of Phoenix in which you will be interning. Provide some major cross streets or freeway proximities.

Phoenix as a city is such a huge place, expanding in all directions, encompassing different districts, and containing a population of over a million and a half.

[homlish560]

Originally Posted by observer53

Yes, let us know more specifically where your job is, and we can give you some more info. If the light rail would work for you, that would give you some transportation options. There are express buses to and from Phoenix and Tempe that may work for you as well, so you don't have to drive every day, which can be nice to have the flexibility.

Otherwise, the commute is not always that bad, most of the time (it also depends somewhat on your work hours). There are a couple of different freeway routes in and out of Tempe.

It's not too easy driving during peak Times. This is how the Tempe-Phx. commute looks on the 60


Might be easier using this!!!!!!

[Valley Native]

The Tempe/Phoenix commute can be messy ... and that includes driving into Phoenix FROM Tempe during the afternoon rush hour. I work in downtown Tempe, and the westbound Loop 202 from the 143 to the 51/10 interchange can be backed up for miles. That's why I can't understand ADOT's refusal to widen the westbound portion of 202 when that is much more congested than the eastbound lanes.

[observer53]

Originally Posted by Valley Native

The Tempe/Phoenix commute can be messy ... and that includes driving into Phoenix FROM Tempe during the afternoon rush hour. I work in downtown Tempe, and the westbound Loop 202 from the 143 to the 51/10 interchange can be backed up for miles. That's why I can't understand ADOT's refusal to widen the westbound portion of 202 when that is much more congested than the eastbound lanes.

That backup originates way far west, on Interstate 10 itself, it goes way past the 51 interchange. I'm not sure widening the 202 westbound would help much, only to make it bottleneck further west when it reaches the 10.

To the OP-- if the public transportation options out of Tempe (light rail, express bus) are compatible with your hours, that would take a lot of stress off your commute, even if you continued to drive to work some days.

[LocoAZnative]

Originally Posted by Valley Native

The Tempe/Phoenix commute can be messy ... and that includes driving into Phoenix FROM Tempe during the afternoon rush hour. I work in downtown Tempe, and the westbound Loop 202 from the 143 to the 51/10 interchange can be backed up for miles. That's why I can't understand ADOT's refusal to widen the westbound portion of 202 when that is much more congested than the eastbound lanes.

Thats where you are going wrong. You need to shoot down Southern or Broadway to Central never take the freeway during rushhour.

[observer53]

Originally Posted by LocoAZnative

Thats where you are going wrong. You need to shoot down Southern or Broadway to Central never take the freeway during rushhour.

I used to take that route, too, sometimes. (Heck, years ago I used to commute THROUGH the airport, before it became a congested, under construction nightmare) It can be good, unless there is an accident or major issue on the 10 or 202, in which case all the traffic dumps onto those streets. It's kind of a day by day thing, which is why it's good to have options.