Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
It has been suggested that we should look in Chapel Hill for a home. I'll be working at SAS.
Will this commute be with the flow or against it? And what will the rush hour commute times be from, say, downtown Chapel Hill (just to have a point of reference).
It may be better coming from that direction but not much. They are getting ready to fix the paving on I-40, too which is gonna cause even more traffic. I used to live in Cary and worked in CH for a month. It was not fun. My boss lives in CH and we work in Apex. She drives all kinds of creative back roads to avoid traffic and it consistently takes her 45 minutes to get here. So either you'll be on 40 and it will be about the same or you'll go back roads and it will be even longer, maybe even almost an hour to that part of cary. Had I not lived in NY prior to that I would think that was the worst commute ever. lol But that's just me.
I would also like to add that the section of Cary that SAS is in is really nice and very convenient near the highway. For the money, if you like Cary you may want to look there as CH is even more expensive. Morrisville, West/NW Raleigh,and SW Durham would also be convenient to SAS and other great areas of the triangle like DT Durham, DT Raleigh and CH.
You will be going against the flow for sure. You'll be able to go 65+ most mornings on the way to work on I40 E. On the way home, depending on what time you leave, I40 W backs up for just a little bit around the Durham Freeway interchange. I drive this every day now, not a big deal at all.
The bigger issue might be getting out of Chapel Hill. I used to live in Southern Village, and while it was fantastic, it was a pain getting in and out of there because you had to contend with UNC (and to a lesser extent, St. Thomas More) traffic.
There are a lot of SAS people in my neighborhood (the preserve) in Chapel Hill that work at SAS. None of them have complained about the trip. I think they go on back roads though. That is your best bet to avoid traffic.
I don't know if you can find backroads, but if not you will basically commute on I-40 through RTP and then down to Harrison Avenue off of I-40. The commute to RTP will be the painful part. Once you get beyond S. Miami Blvd, then the commute from RTP to Harrison Avenue shouldn't be too bad. The reverse is true on the drive home.
I'm a big proponent for living near where you work when possible. People's tolerance for commute time varies, but this seems like it would be a pretty long commute to me - 20+ miles each way, with a good portion through rush hour traffic.
It might depend on what part of Chapel Hill you are in. The Orange County part or the Chatham County part. From Chatham County you will not have any traffic but a lengthy trip. From Orange County, you will have traffic until you pass RTP and after RTP on the way back. A suggestion would be to live in Cary or maybe even West Raleigh.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
