Wake Forest to RTP commute (Raleigh, Durham: chapel, how much, houses)
Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, CaryThe Triangle Area
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A commute from WF to Durham would rely on 98 or Capital to 540 to 40. A commute from WF to RTP would be some combination of Capital and 540. Cary would take you down to 1/401 to 440 (I am allowing for the idea that you could jump off a main thoroughfare and use side roads to navigate if traffic necessitated it).
Having said all that, I would guess a commute time from WF to RTP in rush hour of 45-60 mins (I can get to the airport in ~30 mins in regular traffic). From WF to Cary in rush hour would be a little longer. Commute time to Durham would be the most of the three (assuming based on distance and if you take 98, even with no traffic you can't go as fast as you would on an interstate). Each of them are at least 25 miles one way, as I have said in other threads on this subject, this isn't an area where you HAVE to live that far from work (which is the case in many other areas given RE prices) so doing so is in many ways more a willingness reason than a stark reality reason.
Hoping there are some WF residents with commutes who can either confirm what I am pontificating about or add additional flavor for you.
I have a couple of co workers who live in Wake Forest and they hate their commute, and our office is in Cary right off US1 so don't even have to travel once you're off the highway. It's an hour. Like I said they hate it. Where in Cary is the job?. I live on the west side of Cary and got my vaccines in WF and it was 40 minutes to get there with zero traffic and me doing 80+ on 540. No way would I do that every day. Coming home I noticed the traffic getting into WF was horrible.
Just to pile on a bit here.
I live in Cary. I have been blessed with a few opportunities in Wake Forest over the last year or two.
IMO, Wake Forest and Rolesville are fine towns, lovely neighborhoods, good services, and growing like a weed with the attendant congestion increases.
My "commutes" to and from have convinced me there would have to be a significant overriding motive to buy there and commute daily to Western Wake, RTP, etc, and an even more significant motive if that commute was during regular drive time hours.
People say, "Traffic here is a joke compared to WYZ," but why live a joke when one can just be closer to work and spend more time at home?
I did long commutes for enough years and short commutes for enough years that I would not consider a long commute without that significant or non-negotiable overriding motivation.
I’d go not much further north than the lake for access to 540. So the extreme part of North Raleigh. If you have family or friends in Wake Forest, this gives you access there, but shaves 15 minutes off commute time. I live off Durant Road/Falls of Neuse in Raleigh, and can get to any those three places in less than 30 without traffic. I work in West Raleigh and early (and my son goes to WFHS), so I never have traffic issues. But traffic picks up around 7:00 on 540.
Plenty of people commute from Wake Forest to RTP. So many that it causes about 10 miles of stop and go traffic on 540.
Yeah, Falls of Neuse becomes bumper-to-bumper for about 2 miles heading to 540 with all the cars heading from the Wake Forest direction. They’ve improved the on-ramp with a metered light, so it moves fairly consistently but still. I can only imagine what it’s like on Capital. If you have flexible hours, great. If not, it’s doable but long and not fun.
I also feel like if you can wait to find out where your job is, that would be beneficial. Unless you are tied to North Raleigh/WF (which were the only places mentioned by you). RTP/Cary/DtDurham each have different zones for where to find houses. There is obviously some overlap, but also much that isn’t. I also wouldn’t hedge my bet on the Capital infrastructure upgrade, not in the near term.
I am just wondering, do people commute to RTP from Wake Forest?
Yes, definitely. My husband has worked at Duke and works in RTP and has had numerous coworkers over the years that have lived in WF and didn’t seem to mind. We’ve actually been considering WF ourselves although my husband probably would only have to make the commute two or three times a week. I currently make the drive once and occasionally twice a week to WF from Chapel Hill at mostly non-peak times and don’t think that’s a horrible drive, but I’m sure everyone has their own comfort levels.
As far as routes and times, there are several ways to go and of course going at peak times will definitely increase commute time. Forestville/Reynolds Mill area is practically North Raleigh (just way north! ) in my book, so it’s not even as bad as the rest of WF. You could go 98 to Sherron/Miami or you could make your way to 540 via Falls of the Neuse, US 1 (aka hell on earth) or Ligon Mill and then hit 40. I decide which route just depending on my mood, the time of day, and how much time I have. Without traffic, they’re all roughly the same with the 40/540 route being a little faster. Without traffic, it’d be around 30 minutes but with it’d be more like 45 minutes or so and maybe closer to an hour on 98 if/when everyone starts going back to the office.
I’d consider those commutes pretty terrible for our area as they are today, but you’ve also got to consider the growth in that part of the county (and outside the county) over the coming years. I’d expect 50% more traffic in 10 years minimum, and it could be significantly higher.
I’ve worked in RTP and my husband has worked there for many years, and most coworkers have a minimum of a 30 minute commute with many being 45+ minutes, particularly those in SFH. CD is the only place I hear that this is the exception.
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) in my book, so it’s not even as bad as the rest of WF. You could go 98 to Sherron/Miami or you could make your way to 540 via Falls of the Neuse, US 1 (aka hell on earth) or Ligon Mill and then hit 40. I decide which route just depending on my mood, the time of day, and how much time I have. Without traffic, they’re all roughly the same with the 40/540 route being a little faster. Without traffic, it’d be around 30 minutes but with it’d be more like 45 minutes or so and maybe closer to an hour on 98 if/when everyone starts going back to the office.
