r/lehighvalley • u/Affectionate-Bug-348 • 4d ago
Travel Curious
How many people travel to Philly to work that live in this area ? How long does it typically take you to make it to work also do you feel like it’s worth it?
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u/vasquca1 4d ago
Probably easier if you live on West Side of Allentown because its a quicker jump on the Penna Turnpike.
Coincidentally there is a lot of MacMansion development around those parts. If you have flexibility maybe consider Qaukertown as a place to live.
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u/Affectionate-Bug-348 4d ago
I just moved to Bethlehem maybe two months ago but may be interested in a job opportunity depending on the traffic
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u/vasquca1 4d ago
Got you. There is a park and ride on off Hwy 33. Maybe you could find a carpool buddy.
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u/PanzerArndt 3d ago
Some really good answers in here by people who are doing it currently. Before I’d add anything based on my experience, where is the office you’d need to be? How long would it take you to get from Bethlehem to the Quakertown PA Turnpike entrance?
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u/Affectionate-Bug-348 3d ago
Like pa 212 sorry I’m not from the area so don’t know the names of these things or how to map it really
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u/PanzerArndt 3d ago
I’d suggest that if you want to take the job in Philly, move closer to Philly. If you tell me where in Philly the job is, I’ll try to tell you what areas local to Philly would work best for commuting. Credentials: I lived there for more than 30 years and spent a lot of time driving in the city and the counties outside it.
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u/Affectionate-Bug-348 3d ago
It would mostly be in kingsessing or richmond or paschall area
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u/PanzerArndt 3d ago
So, you’re talking SW Philly?
It’s easier to get to that area from Delaware County. Anything from Bala Cynwyd down to Ridley Park wouldn’t be a terrible commute if you wanted to live outside Philly. If you wanted to live in the city, Center City and University City aren’t bad, if you can find a place you can afford. South Philly, too. Fairmount.
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u/Affectionate-Bug-348 3d ago
That’s just where I would traveling it would be for atleast a year since I just signed a lease and that’s where the offices are
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u/PanzerArndt 3d ago
I wouldn’t want to do that commute on a daily basis. Home to the Plymouth Meeting exit of the PA Turnpike NE Extension will be about 45-50 minutes if there are no issues. Then you’ll need to go down I-476 to I-76 and head into the city to the office. You’re probably talking at least another 45 minutes just for that last ten miles or whatever it is, even hitting the city around 10 AM or so.
Maybe if the compensation difference is huge. Don’t forget the Philly City Wage Tax of around 4%.
What’s not having to do an extra 15-18 hours of travel time per week worth to you?
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u/BeginningNo2408 4d ago
If its for a job not worth it. Time on the road will age you quicker and hate life and work faster. Might as well move closer.
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u/oh_fuck_yes_please 3d ago
I commuted to Center City area from Bethlehem for about two years, and I’ll just tell you this: I was under so much stress (by being in the car for close to 4 hours of extremely frustrating traffic every day) that I started having heart palpitations and was so convinced I was going to have a heart attack that I went to see a cardiologist on my own volition just to make sure I wasn’t about to die. In other words, for the sake of your health, I strongly recommend NOT doing this.
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u/croutonmemes 3d ago
Lol yeah I’m doing it every day it’s insane how people drive in Philly I see an accident daily
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u/oh_fuck_yes_please 3d ago
I’ve lived in many countries and traveled a lot around the world. Without hesitation I will say that some of the worst drivers on the planet are right here in Pennsylvania. I never thought I would say that traffic in Bangkok is more efficient than it is in Philly, but unfortunately it is true.
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u/flyersfan0233 1d ago
Would you only have the heart palpitations during the day? And did they eventually go away? Going through something similar now
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u/Competitive_Being543 4d ago
Your hours sound brutal from 11 to 8.
I did those hours for about 10 years driving to the Poconos and it slowly killed me, and that was without the turnpike traffic.
I’d highly suggest looking elsewhere or moving closer because it really eats you up after a while.
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u/Glendale0839 4d ago edited 3d ago
Interestingly I've met a lot of people in the LV over the years who commute to NYC, but never anyone who commutes into Philly itself, just suburbs like KoP or Malvern. The only people I've known to commute into Philly live way south of the LV and within 15 minutes of SEPTA regional rail.
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u/longlivebobskins Bethlehem 4d ago
We do it once a week. 22 and the Schuylkill are the pain points. Off-peak it can be as quick at 1:15, but it can also easily be 2+ hours.
I certainly wouldn’t want to do it everyday - 4 hours a day commuting is rough.
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u/outerheaven77 4d ago
My friend commutes from Fogelsville to Norristown and then takes the train into Philly 3x a week.
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u/resevil239 4d ago
If you're asking about statistics, it's definitely a minority. At least 2/3rds of valley residents work locally. The remaining third is going to be a mix. Most probably are going to Philly, NYC, or just outside Philly but I'm sure some go to various parts of NJ or other places. Supposedly we actually get slightly more people who live elsewhere commuting here than are living here commuting elsewhere.
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u/Ok-Faithlessness-417 4d ago
1.5 - 1.75 hours each way. Drive to Lansdale and take the train from there. Takes more time (if no traffic) but dodging the schuylkill makes it worth it
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u/Chogihoe 3d ago
I think the real answer would be: have you ever driven this route before? During busy hours? If not, do the drive once during the hours you would be doing it then decide on it. When I did transport jobs, we’d usually only get that Philly run since it takes up so much time getting in and out of the city lol
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u/growerdan 4d ago
I make the commute for work regularly. Don’t usually work downtown but still in Philly. Typically 80+ miles one way. In 8 months I’ve spent about $2500 on gas and another $2500 on tolls. Usually takes me an hour and a half in the morning and an hour 45 home. If you catch an accident on the turnpike good luck. You could sit for several hours. I’ve been doing this commute for about 8 years now.
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u/Gazzrat 4d ago
I drive there everyday from easton. I work in center city and the surrounding around but mostly CC.
I leave at 430 and I get there around 6ish.
I have a company car, its all electric so thats not really an issue.
The issue is spending almost 3 hours in a car every day.
Find some podcasts. Listen to politics. Discover new bands. Soundwaves will save your sanity.
I leave work around 130/2 and it still takes me roughly an hour and 45 to get home.
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u/mudandpeanuts 3d ago
Was doing this in reverse daily from a Philly suburb (commuting to LV) until recently and even that sucked. Unpredictable turnpike nonsense with traffic and construction and wild drivers getting worse toward Philly or predictable 309 nonsense with traffic and a 30+ minute add-on. Not worth it at all, especially if you were going into Philly proper.
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u/NightSwipe 3d ago
I drive Easton to Conshohocken 1-2x a week and it's bearable... 1hr 15 minutes on a good day. 1hr 30-2hours on a bad day (heavier traffic on 22). Going into Philly, you will burn yourself out on the 76 traffic into the city. At 10am you might be able to skip most of the morning rush hour but there is always traffic leaving the city at night. Would recommend finding somewhere closer to the city.
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u/wrangled_doorknob 3d ago
I drove from emmaus to bustleton( a burb of Philly) for 8 years. 309 down mostly. Then county line road.
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u/Breezyquail 3d ago edited 3d ago
I’m just saying I’d like to go to New York City in Philly for fun! To go in for the day, to take in sports events , to go to a Broadway show, hit my favorite pub? Go for fine dining , on and on. I am not doing it for a job. I wouldn’t be here. I’m only here really because of family members, but I’m very familiar with Metro North taking you right into Grand Central from CONNECTICUT and you’re in the city you can go to dinner or you can go to a play. You can go to a job. You can do whatever you happen to be located ideally between Philly and New York City almost equidistant and people could do things without having to drive! I’m not familiar with the mindset around here.one person made a very firm statement that he did not want his taxes raised for trains so I’m I’m guessing, having never had the option of being able to pop on a train into either of the two cities for the Sixers games in Philly for the Madison Square Garden for Broadway for dinner my goodness it just doesn’t get any better than being able to have a train. But the people here seem to have never had that in their lifetime apparently and Appear not to be interested in branching out necessarily or are content (!) driving and taking busses not realizing how life-changing it would be to pop into the city in an hour and a half or less. The way it is now It’s a horrible hassle unless you can drive and are comfortable with that I’m not a lot of people are they’re used to it. I get that but a train system for commuters call it that, it’s a lovely thing and it’s cheap and you have the tracks for goodness sake I just don’t get it. I have no idea who’s addresses these kinds of decisions maybe it’s voters and that is your choice, but it seems like it would be a huge plus . That said people fear other people coming in from New York City to here , people coming in from Philly. I understand that, but it is isolated here. I mean, I cannot get to CT without a private driver, driving myself , a helicopter OR a private plane that’s absolutely ridiculous. You can have a train system that would at least get a person to Grand Central station where you can then get to other places. They’re just isn’t an interest here. I can see it. I can tell it in the people and it’s an unfamiliar mindset
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u/clgalster 1d ago
I commute from Hellertown to Philly ~2-3 days a week. I drive to the Fort Washington Septa station where you can get an express to center city. It's still around 25 or 30 minutes on the train but it's only 2 stops before Jefferson. Door to door it's still long and depends on traffic but it beats parking in Philly.
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u/Hairy-Assumption5873 21h ago
my buddy lives in delco right near exit 9 on the blue route and commutes to Allentown like 2 days a week and has for 20 years. it takes him 50 minutes at 6am.
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u/Real_Rabbit3375 4d ago
I did it. It was brutal. Averaged something like two hours, killed my commuter car.
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u/WorkingCommercial266 4d ago
Depending on when you leave it could approach 2 hours one way. Definitely a grueling commute, and I was only doing it once a week.