Commuting to Brooklyn from NJ

naturalmom5

Wed, Dec 13 2017, 8:16 pm

Fort Lee Englewood Bergenfield. Just hop over the GWB and go down the WS highway to the Battery Tunnel or take the A train express

doctorima

Wed, Dec 13 2017, 8:48 pm

It depends on your definition of "reasonable." None of them will be fun, and all will have high standard deviations based on traffic, accidents, construction, etc. I would think that Elizabeth is probably your best bet - straight across Staten Island and then either through BP or via the Belt. I would not want to have to drive the length of Manhattan twice a day on a regular basis.

amother

Floralwhite

Wed, Dec 13 2017, 9:02 pm

doctorima wrote:

My dh commuted from that area to Yeshiva of Flatbush every day. He said it took about 2 hours each way.

amother

Seashell

Wed, Dec 13 2017, 9:07 pm

I know it won't be pleasant but just looking to see if there's any place within an hour.

doctorima

Wed, Dec 13 2017, 9:42 pm

It depends where in Flatbush and very importantly, what time of day he'll be going. If he goes in super early and davens there, and then comes back by mid afternoon, he could probably do it most days in an hour. But if he has to go at rush hour, there's no chance of making it via Manhattan, and many days Staten Island will be longer as well. Any possibility of moving to Staten Island or somewhere on Long Island to give him a more reasonable commute?

amother

Seashell

Wed, Dec 13 2017, 10:19 pm

It would be for a child commuting to school, so those would be the right hours. We currently live on Long Island but dh wants to move to NJ. I started the Staten Island thread earlier today and mentioned there that while I'm open to it, dh is really skeptical.

saw50st8

Thu, Dec 14 2017, 7:03 am

It's a really rough commute any way you go. My husband went from Brooklyn to NJ for over a year and then we moved.

chocolatecake

Thu, Dec 14 2017, 9:49 am

Passaic/Clifton should be under an hour to Flatbush. I believe that is the closest NJ community to Flatbush.

amother

Papaya

Thu, Dec 14 2017, 10:04 am

chocolatecake wrote:

Passaic/Clifton should be under an hour to Flatbush. I believe that is the closest NJ community to Flatbush.

Under an hour is when there's no traffic. In rush hour it could easily take an hour and a half or more.

amother

Papaya

Thu, Dec 14 2017, 10:06 am

amother wrote:

Aside from the time, you also have to consider how you're child would get to school. Are you planning on hiring a private driver? I know in Passaic it's hard to find someone willing to give consistent rides even for pay.

doctorima

Thu, Dec 14 2017, 10:14 am

Passaic is 50 minutes with NO traffic. At times it can take that long just to get through the Lincoln Tunnel. I thought the question was for a commuting DH; no way I would subject a child, who already has a long school day, to such a commute on a daily basis. I would either switch him to a school in NJ, or look into Staten Island.

amother

Mustard

Thu, Dec 14 2017, 10:47 am

I assume if you need to keep dc in school in Brooklyn, there's a good reason. If that reason is special needs (or even if not), be very skeptical. He or she will be late on a regular basis. And by late, I mean often an hour or more.

I have a friend who did this, Passaic to Brooklyn, because it was the right school. Traffic on any of the highways, bridges or tunnels will automatically make them late. And it often occurs after the kid has left already, so you can't just leave early to account for it. And if you're paying a driver, or doing the driving, you may not be able to leave early anyway. An hour, starting from any time after 7:00 or so, isn't happening, a 7:00 may be pushing it.

amother

Seashell

Thu, Dec 14 2017, 11:05 am

Switching schools is not an option. Dh's current commute is 2 hours each way. Hopefully we'll be able to switch schools eventually, but it's not going to be possible for next year and probably the year after. I would agree that Staten Island would be better, but dh is not sold on it. What about Linden? Google maps says 35 minutes with no traffic, so even with traffic it might not be that bad. Thoughts?

doctorima

Thu, Dec 14 2017, 11:19 am

Linden isn't fundamentally different than Elizabeth, which is a larger, more established community. Linden is 22 miles (to 11230), and Elizabeth is 23 miles. At present, Google maps says Linden is 56 minutes, and Elizabeth is 59. Willowbrook in SI is 14 miles and 32 minutes (and avoids many of the potential traffic pitfalls).

I would tell DH that it's not about the community feel he'll have, it's about his child's sanity and well-being for the next 1-2 years. Make SI work until DC can be enrolled elsewhere, and in the meantime, give SI a trial run.

chocolatecake

Thu, Dec 14 2017, 11:31 am

amother wrote:

My husband used to go from Linden to Flatbush at night and it took her 45 min to an hr....

amother

Papaya

Thu, Dec 14 2017, 12:00 pm

amother wrote:

I put it Linden to Flatbush as 7:30 AM and it says 45 minute to an hour and a half. It's so unpredictable and stressful. Is your child able to handle that?

amother

Seashell

Thu, Dec 14 2017, 12:25 pm

amother wrote:

I put it Linden to Flatbush as 7:30 AM and it says 45 minute to an hour and a half. It's so unpredictable and stressful. Is your child able to handle that?

Up to an hour I think he could handle. More than that I think would be a problem.

amother

Floralwhite

Thu, Dec 14 2017, 12:27 pm

amother wrote:

Up to an hour I think he could handle. More than that I think would be a problem.

It is an hour without traffic. When your dc will be going to to school it could easily be close to 2 hours.

Why is your dh not ok with a long commute but fine with your dc having a long commute?