How Do Most Oak Park Area Residents Get to Work?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Yasmeen on November 11, 2009 at 4:59pm

I take 290 West to Oak Brook. It's not as bad as when I had to commute from Lincoln Park to Palatine (that was miserable). On my way home, I take Washington because 290 East is pretty rotten at ~5/6 pm.

2 days out of the month I work from home and that is very nice. I love telecommuting and wish I could do it every week. I'm very glad my company has changed the policies considerably since I started.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Ryan Eikmeier on November 11, 2009 at 6:05pm

Suggestion: Talk to your boss about the possibility of working from home one day per week. If your job is the type that has any amount of computer work, you should be able to do this. Build a firm foundation of trust with your boss and absolutely deliver on any projects you agree to during the time you work at home. If things go well and you continue to prove you can work well from anywhere, then maybe you can slowly build the case that you can be more productive working remotely.

All of this assumes, of course, that you're working in the type of job that could be done remotely. If you're a dentist or a doctor, sorry :)

Dave! said:

You people suck. :) I am *so* jealous of the "work at home" crowd!!

I drive: Austin to Ike to 55 to LSD to 58th. It's a total pain to drive, but it's even worse to try to get to Hyde Park on PT. There are just no *efficient* ways to do it from OP that I've figured out.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Bri on November 11, 2009 at 6:20pm

I work in Geneva. Most days I take the train, occasionally I drive. Metra is much less aggravating than driving. If I had to drive everyday I'd move. I'm pretty much in charge of my own work schedule so that helps a lot with the long commute too.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Bob Walicki on November 11, 2009 at 8:08pm

I take 290W (from Harlem) to 88W to R59. Reverse that for the home commute. Despite sitting in traffic often during my drive home (between Mannheim and Harlem on the Ike) I'd have to say that I am definitely opposed to any widening that impacts the community. If there's a way to add an extra lane without widening what is already a large slice through the village I'd be for it. But, I'm hesitant to trust any plan that is put forth.

We live in Oak Park for a whole bunch of reasons, but one big one is ease of access to the city (via both train and road). A widening would be taking from Oak Park to give to Oak Brook/Schaumburg/Naperville/et. al.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Theresa Browning on November 11, 2009 at 9:27pm

Blue line from Forest Park to Downtown Chicago and back. Some days the EL has some issues, but I can't think of a better commute. I would hate to drive 290 at all during the week.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Ernie Morales on November 12, 2009 at 9:00am

I take the Ike westbound for 30 minute(Approx.) drive to work but coming home is usually a bit longer. I do have the option of exiting at North Ave. if it looks bad beyond that point.
Listen to AM780 on the Tens before you hit the road if you commute.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Ashley Sinclair on November 12, 2009 at 1:23pm

I drive, but then again, I work in River Forest. Great commute!

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by amy bernstein on November 13, 2009 at 6:46pm

I walk eight blocks to the Metra train, take the 7:51 into Chicago and walk from the train station to Monroe and Clark. Because the train runs on a schedule, unlike the EL, there are a lot of regulars each morning and it creates a sense of community.

In good weather, I love the walk to the train down Forest Avenue, but in the rain, extreme heat, and especially in winter it's a lot less fun, especially when people don't shovel their sidewalks. In bad weather, I used to drive down to the lot between north blvd and lake by the post office which had 12 hour meters but when they changed all the parking rates, some genius decided that this commuter lot was prime parking and raised it to the top rate of a quarter for every 10 minutes (from a quarter per hour). You can only imagine how quickly that lot emptied. I sent congratulations to the village that with my employer's group rate, they had now made it cheaper for me to drive into the Loop and park (two blocks from my office, no less) than park by the train in Oak Park and take the train to the Loop.

They "adjusted" the rates slightly so I think it now only costs $7-$8/day to park there, and the lot always looks empty. What a waste. And for those of you who may be scoffing at the idea of needing to park by the train when you live eight blocks away, there are a lot of working parents who work in the Loop and have to pick up kids by a certain time. I'm just grateful they made this change when I no longer needed to leap off the train at 5:52pm, jump into my car and race to Mann School to pick up my son at the Hepzibah after school program before 6pm, when the penalty was $1/minute.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by w.byron reaves on November 17, 2009 at 5:00pm

i'm all about the blue line.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by David Zverow on November 17, 2009 at 9:38pm

I hate to give away secrets, but the best driving route to get downtown/back to Oak Park during rush hour is without doubt Lake St. I take both els frequently, find the green line quicker usually-more slowdowns on the Blue Line. To drive west in rush hour, Cermak or Roosevelt much quicker than 290.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Russ M on November 17, 2009 at 9:48pm

Traffic isn't bad on 290 in the morning going into the loop. If gas and parking weren't so expensive, it would be much quicker and easier for me to drive. Coming back to Oak Park on 290 is a nightmare though in the evening. Taking Lake Street under the El tracks is pretty fast although it screws up listening to the radio with the El noise and radio interference.

The route I normally take home from the Loop is Grand Avenue to Chicago Avenue or Division. It isn't too bad. Just don't stop and watch for the stray bullets. Augusta can be pretty quick as well.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Krissy at Dominican U on November 18, 2009 at 11:19am

I have a 3 mile bike ride to Dominican from Oak Park. If it is raining or too cold, I can take the Pace buses but they are pretty slow and unreliable.

▶ Reply to This

▶ Reply to This

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• 2
• 3
• Next ›
• Page