Commute to Conn question (White Plains, Scarsdale: apartment, home, school)

[Vargil]

I'm looking at possibly taking a job in Norwalk, CT but considering maybe living in White Plains. Out of curiosity what would a commute time look like if I went that far out?

Also are there certain parts of White Plains I would want to look into for just a studio apartment?

[jjinla]

Commute from White Plains to Norwalk is going to be brutal. Others can say how brutal, but not pleasant. Another option would be to live in Westchester along the New Haven line to take the train, but if you are young and single I wouldn't, personally (not much happening on the LI Sound).

Have you considered Stamford or Norwalk itself? Both have a substantial amount to do there, and are probably somewhat cheaper, too.

[7 Wishes]

I actually think depending on the time of day it would be better than you think. Last year I actually commuted to the Bridgeport area (some days to Bridgeport, some to Trumbull) from Fleetwood (northern Mt. Vernon) and much of the traffic was actually the Hutch Parkway and a little bit on I-95 in CT around exit 3 in Greenwich, and that was on the days I went into work at about 9am. Still it took me about an hour. On the days I went in at 7:45 it generally took me about 40 minutes (no traffic yet). For most of the rest of the way the traffic was the other direction (even at 7am the Merritt south can be brutal, even out by Trumbull, etc.

My wife commuted for 7 years to Norwalk and noticed the same thing. For three of them she had a 9-5 shift and while it was not fun sitting in traffic, it was mostly the same areas I described. The other years she worked 12-8pm and it generally took her 1/2 hour.

Stamford/Norwalk are barely cheaper than White Plains, for it to get really cheaper you need to live EAST of Norwalk, and then not until about Fairfield/Trumbull/Bridgeport and points east and north. My wife used to have coworkers who actually commuted from the Waterbury area to save money.

[ponytrekker]

Originally Posted by jjinla

Commute from White Plains to Norwalk is going to be brutal.

No it isn't. You're going against traffic. If it takes 20 minutes I'd be surprised.

[kletter1mann]

Originally Posted by Vargil

I'm looking at possibly taking a job in Norwalk, CT but considering maybe living in White Plains. Out of curiosity what would a commute time look like if I went that far out?

Also are there certain parts of White Plains I would want to look into for just a studio apartment?

Unless you have some good reason to be in White Plains I can't imagine why it would be preferable to Stamford for a Norwalk commute. You'd pay NYS income tax rates too.

Anyway, I can't speak to the reverse commute on the Merritt. I can speak to the merge from I-287 east onto I-95 north. It's horrendous about 20% of the time cause 95 drops to a crawl through Stamford and it can back up all the way onto 287. If that's your route plan on being late a lot.

[streetsmart]

Originally Posted by ponytrekker

No it isn't. You're going against traffic. If it takes 20 minutes I'd be surprised.

You're joking right? It will usually take 20 minutes to get through Stamford alone during rush hour. Things just stop at around Exit 6 on the 95. And you've also got to deal with the 287, through White Plains and also the merge onto 95. The drive home at 5pm is no picnic either. You can fly all the way or be stuck crawling along, but usually the latter. If your commute is during off-peak hours it wouldn't be so bad.

I live in the north end of Scarsdale near White Plains and often do the drive to Greenwich and Norwalk. I get through WP on Maple Ave and hop on the 287. In NO traffic on a Sunday morning it takes 40ish minutes to Norwalk (we go to the Aquarium a lot!).

[Vargil]

Well I will be by myself so I figured it might make since to be a little closer to the city. But it sounds like it would just be smarter to just stay in Stamford.

[jjinla]

Vargil, Stamford IS a city! Honestly, if you are young and single, don't waste your life in traffic. The only reason to ever do that IMO is to give your family a better home/school than you could otherwise afford closer to work.

[kletter1mann]

Originally Posted by Vargil

Well I will be by myself so I figured it might make since to be a little closer to the city. But it sounds like it would just be smarter to just stay in Stamford.

If you want to get to NYC Stamford is only slightly father than WP anyway. No major advantage over Stamford, many disadvantages.

[7 Wishes]

Originally Posted by ponytrekker

No it isn't. You're going against traffic. If it takes 20 minutes I'd be surprised.

Actually at about 8am-9am if your commute involves I-95 you will sit for an (albeit short bit) at the I-287/95 merge into about exit 3 in CT. You may also at that time see a tiny bit of traffic around exits 6-8 in Stamford If you lived along the Hutch or I-95 south of I-287 you'd sit in that too going north (until 287), but from WP that should be the only problem (the I-287/95 merge) and then only if you're truly at the height of rush.