Suggestions on Where to Live in Tampa (Clearwater, Sarasota: groceries, shop)

[DUNNDFRNT]

Originally Posted by tampagator89

You work right around Westshore Plaza and International Mall. Both are good areas for hanging out/shopping after work.

Rush hour traffic around that area is rather bad, especially east and south of there. If your job requires you to be there during normal hours and commute time is very important, I'd throw out Brandon and Apollo Beach and look at Westchase and Carrollwood. Another option is just across the bridge around the Gateway area of St. Pete. I am not as familiar with this area, but you can likely find some good townhouses up on N 4th St or around the Feather Sound area off Ulmerton Rd.

FeatherSound would also get you closer to Sarasota, than Carrolwood or Westchase. Although traffic on the howard Frankland into tampa is can be bad, you always have the option of taking the Gandy bridge and coming up Westshore blvd. still less than 30 min, both Carrolwood and Westchase would be closer but a lot more traffic.

[scarlett68]

Originally Posted by MeInDenudinFL

I would try safety harbor too, you are a causeway away. Close to the beach as well as activities like those in Ruth Eckerd and down town safety harbor. Plus you get to enjoy driving on the causeway, which I do.

Well, Safety Harbor did interest me, but I heard the drive was bad. I DO LOVE LOVE LOVE a drive over a causeway, so that would be nice. But I heard it was a lot of traffic. Is that inaccurate?

[BBI]

[quote=Annie of Oldsmar;25936476]

Originally Posted by crazynip

I agree.
Feathersound is a nice area, but it's going to be a long drive for u.

Feather Sound is 20 mins to the airport at morning rush hour; 15 mins home evening rush hour. She could be as far south as downtown St. Pete -- as long as she's somewhat close to 275 -- and stay within 30 mins. From downtown St. Pete, it's also only about 40 mins to downtown Sarasota. If the goal is to essentially split the distance between work and family, anywhere east of 275 from (and including) downtown St. Pete north to the bay would be convenient to both.

[scarlett68]

Is Feather Sound a difficult commute? Looks like it is taking 275 to Tampa, which I have heard is a tough drive.

[scarlett68]

I would definitely be interested in the area across from Tampa by 275, but the rush hour traffic is a concern I have been warned about. If it is not that bad and there are options (like Gandy bridge was just mentioned), then I'd much prefer being closer to the ocean and having the view of the ocean at times.

[tampagator89]

Originally Posted by scarlett68

I would definitely be interested in the area across from Tampa by 275, but the rush hour traffic is a concern I have been warned about. If it is not that bad and there are options (like Gandy bridge was just mentioned), then I'd much prefer being closer to the ocean and having the view of the ocean at times.

From my experience, over the bridges themselves traffic moves along fine until you get to one side or the other. Since where you live would be first exit on the bridge and where you work is first exit off, your drive time would not be as bad as it looks. Your drive time from Feather Sound would definitely be a lot less than from somewhere like Brandon.

[BBI]

Originally Posted by scarlett68

I would definitely be interested in the area across from Tampa by 275, but the rush hour traffic is a concern I have been warned about. If it is not that bad and there are options (like Gandy bridge was just mentioned), then I'd much prefer being closer to the ocean and having the view of the ocean at times.

Whether rush hour is bad depends on what you're used to. We moved here from the northeast, so rush hour here seems like nothing to me. If you're moving here from a low-population area, rush hour will seem very bad to you.

There's a thing here where people have a problem driving over bridges. (This is why St. Pete is going to lose it's baseball team, but that's another story...). The consistent advice you'll get is that, if you have to drive over a bridge, your commute will be terrible. But that advice seems overblown. I'd much rather commute over the 275 bridge than commute on 275 from Kennedy to Dale Mabry or commute on US 19 in Pinellas.

Anyway, from St. Pete into Tampa, 275 goes down to 2 lanes right after the exit you'd take to go to work. So there's a backup there at both rush hours and the backup can extend well onto the bridge. From Tampa into St. Pete on 275, once you get to the bridge (and you would enter 275 right as the bridge starts), there's no traffic in the morning. Evening rush hour, things slow down a bit right at/after the Roosevelt Blvd entrance, and then usually pick up again just after the Gandy Blvd exit. But the slow downs really only cost you 5-10 minutes. Again, whether that's a big deal depends on your commuting experiences. For me, it's not a big deal.

In terms of drive times, I've driven from my home (just north of downtown St. Pete, I usually take 22nd Ave N to 275) to Westshore or the airport dozens of times at morning rush hour, and it's never taken me longer than 30 minutes. I drive 5-10 over the limit, unless traffic's too slow for me to accomplish that, and I'm rarely the fastest car on the road. From Feather Sound, you'd be looking at 20 minutes to get to work and then 15 minutes to get home.

Also, rush hour here isn't very long (again, relative to my experiences). If you start work before 8a, you'll just about completely miss it in the morning. If you leave work after 6:30p, you'll just about completely miss it in the evening.

[Pragmaticus]

Originally Posted by scarlett68

Well, Safety Harbor did interest me, but I heard the drive was bad. I DO LOVE LOVE LOVE a drive over a causeway, so that would be nice. But I heard it was a lot of traffic. Is that inaccurate?

I don't driver every day but about once a week and I have no problem with it. Definitely, check it out and decide.

Good luck!

[DUNNDFRNT]

Originally Posted by scarlett68

Is Feather Sound a difficult commute? Looks like it is taking 275 to Tampa, which I have heard is a tough drive.

Not awful, first of all there is never traffic leaving tampa, so your commute home would be a breeze, the worst part will be from west shore to the highway which is a couple of blocks. In the morning however the bridge can get backed up, i would say it mostly is, coming into tampa, but even if you catch traffic right at start of the bridge it still moves at 25-35 mph, so it takes 20 min to 30 min tops, what i find maddening is that is not consistent sometimes i try to beat the traffic and leave work at 3p and its backed up sometimes i leave at 515p and its clear. Its annoying.

[crazynip]

Originally Posted by scarlett68

Is Feather Sound a difficult commute? Looks like it is taking 275 to Tampa, which I have heard is a tough drive.

If possible, avoid the bridges at all cost, thats why I wouldnt recommend feather sound or safety harbor