Working at Medical Center, Where to live with good schools (San Antonio: apartments, homes)

[rynetwo]

I live in the Thousand Oaks area and my commute takes me passed the 410/Babcock (medical center exit) and I can to that exit in 15 minutes from Thousand Oaks and 281.


My house is in the Churchill High School area so Regan or Johnson areas would 10 minutes more. This thread started so off track.

[pobre]

But going to the Med Center from most of Stone Oak would not involve 281...there are many who live here who commute to Med Center or USAA daily.

At rush hour, there will be traffic on all major roads

[Azure110]

Originally Posted by pobre

At rush hour, there will be traffic on all major roads

And obviously some people in this thread are not sharing their experiences during rush hour, sounds like sunday morning commute times.

[flashfearless]

All routes are a mess to Boerne. And there are not as many amenities there either. So it's a lifestyle thing. My commute from Stone Oak to Med Center doesn't involve 281 at all. Great thing about Stone Oak is that it's all built out around us. No more surprises. You know what you're getting.

[Azure110]

Originally Posted by flashfearless

All routes are a mess to Boerne. And there are not as many amenities there either. So it's a lifestyle thing. My commute from Stone Oak to Med Center doesn't involve 281 at all. Great thing about Stone Oak is that it's all built out around us. No more surprises. You know what you're getting.

I am not sure where it was said that 281 is the only way from Stone Oak to Med Center and back. I know I didn't say that for sure.

We can all stop circling the bandwagons now. It is just a matter of personal preference. Personally if I was working in Med Center, I would just live in the same area and save me the headache of traffic but then I don't care about the schools not having kids.

[WVREDLEG]

Originally Posted by flashfearless

All routes are a mess to Boerne. And there are not as many amenities there either. So it's a lifestyle thing.

What?

[gtoman67z]

Keep in mind that, except for IH-10, there's NO other way to Boerne so even a minor traffic tie-up will be a major impact. The routes going east (Wurzbach, Huebner, 1604) between 4-6 PM can be just as bad.
The school issue is too far in the rearview mirror so won't weigh in on that.

[Azure110]

While there are other routes that may take a bit longer, to say that there is NO other way to Boerne is not true. For example, if you drive from Helotes, you can take scenic loop road, bypassing most of I-10. Would be handy route if I-10 is very clogged.

[sausalito]

Originally Posted by ashbeeigh

Not sure where you got your info on poor middle and high schools in shavano park. I'd go with shavano park or maybe over towards tigers ranch. Not much further east or west or even north. Maybe a tad south toward castle hills but otherwise I'd stick in that area. Take great schools ratings with a grain of salt as well.

What are some general differences between Shavano Park and Rogers Ranch?

[CyVaquero]

Originally Posted by Azure110

While there are other routes that may take a bit longer, to say that there is NO other way to Boerne is not true. For example, if you drive from Helotes, you can take scenic loop road, bypassing most of I-10. Would be handy route if I-10 is very clogged.

16 to 46 is my preferred route to Boerne and parts west on I10 rather than deal with 1604. Shorter? No. Faster? Probably not, even with traffic on I10. Definitely more relaxing and scenic though.

I work right by the I-10W/410W interchange. Pretty much anything in the northwest quadrant of the city is a decent enough commute. Several co-workers live on the I-10 corridor to Boerne and in Boerne itself, they like it but do complain about the tie ups at I10/1604. One co-worker lives in Schertz and has said that since the Wurzbach Parkway completed his commute is pretty fast and he comes in at 8am. Some areas remain a traffic snarl, although construction is going on to help alleviate it - 151/410, Culebra & 1604, 1604 from Culebra to Bandera, and the previously mentioned I10/1604 are always messes but construction on the overpasses and flyaways at all of those locations is moving along. I live out Potranco so Potranco to 151 or Culebra and 90 to 410 are my only real options - leaving at 6am helps tremendously. There is no way to avoid the congestion on 410 between Ingram Rd and SeaWorld Exits short of leaving work before 4pm.

As far as schools - anything public outside 410 in that same Northwest quadrant are good (almost all are 6A in size). As mentioned Boerne ISD is perennially rated a one of the better public schools in Texas. I don't know much about the NE ISD so someone else will have to fill in that info. I'll give my obligatory warning that the difference between a bad and good school is pretty significant, the difference between good and great schools is pretty marginal and parental involvement/emphasis and the child's own drive are the real factors at that point.

Honestly, you should find a decent place to rent for your first year and get a feel for the different neighborhoods as there is quite a range of different homes/properties in that commute area.