Feasibility of reverse commute from NYC to Metropark then drive 12 miles to Piscataway (Edison: calculation, gated)

[ann2008]

Hi, we currently live in Morris county and are planning to relocate to NYC since my husband works at upper east side and my new job is in Piscataway. I have a few questions about the feasibility of reverse commute that I am not able to find answers by searching the current posts:

1. I learned from other posts that there normally is always parking space at Metropark. I went out there yesterday (Friday), and I did not find any parking space in the garage that is closer to the train station until I was on 6th floor, where the parking slots are not numbered...Does that mean those can not be used for daily parking?

2. If parking space in Metropark is not an issue, is it safe to leave the car there at night and on the weekends (we have a relatively new car---less than one year old)? Also since I was originally from NYC and do not have much experience in using garage, I have no ideas about safety in using garage. I imagine it would be all right since I will use it mostly around 7-8am in the morning and 5ish in the afternoon, right?

3. How is the traffic situation from Metropark to Piscataway? Based on google map calculation, it should take around 20 mins to drive, either locally or via highway. I am not a fan of highway and wonder if the local traffic can be something I should worry about. I do not think I would tolerate a drive longer than 20-30 mins in addition to a little more than 1 hour commute from NYC to Metropark. I, of course, would not mind riding the train to New Brunswick and drive from there. However, based on the information I gathered at this forum, the parking there has a long waiting list.....

Any advice is highly appreciated. This will help me greatly in deciding whether I should move to NYC. Thank you in advance.

Ann

[BobKovacs]

You should have no problem with safety in the garage, and overnight parking shouldn't be an issue either- I've left my car there for several days during a trip to DC with no issues.

The drive to Piscataway can be accomplished via local streets, but the time will depend on where in Piscataway you're traveling to, as well as the time of the trip- could be 10 minutes, could be 30+.

[ann2008]

Thanks Bob for your quick reply. Regarding the local travel, I will be taking Lincoln Hwy, Middlesex Ave and Centennial Ave (final destination) around 7:50 to 8 in the morning and around 5 in the afternoon. Any insights for the traffic situation around those times or alternative routes or highway you think that are substantially faster? Many thanks.

[skapur]

Lincoln highway and route 1 both will have considerable traffic during the times you mentioned. But you can take other local roads to avoid traffic.

[Stripes17]

I'm sure times have changed since the 1990s, but I used drop my DW off on Thornall Street (Huber Bldg) and then drive myself out to 120 Centennial for work. Did the reverse in the evenings. I usually ran right through Metuchen and jumped on 287, but I also navigated around and discovered plenty of backroads to take as well. It used to take about 35 minutes each way back then. Not sure what it's like now up there. (But thanks for the trip down memory lane!)

[ann2008]

Originally Posted by skapur

Lincoln highway and route 1 both will have considerable traffic during the times you mentioned. But you can take other local roads to avoid traffic.

Thanks for the information. Any suggestion for the alternative route for lincoln hwy then? Also are Lincoln hwy and Middlesex Ave the same road?

[BobKovacs]

Lincoln Hwy is probably the best bet, as your only other two choices are Route 1 to 287 (a bit out of the way, and plenty of traffic), and Oak Tree Road through South Plainfield (too many lights and one lane). I'd take 27 (Lincoln Hwy) to New Durham Rd to 287, which will put you on at Exit 3, and get off either at exit 5 or 8, depending on which end of Centennial Ave you're working at.

[skapur]

Originally Posted by ann2008

Thanks for the information. Any suggestion for the alternative route for lincoln hwy then? Also are Lincoln hwy and Middlesex Ave the same road?

You can try Dunellen station or Edison station for easy commute to piscataway.

[ann2008]

Originally Posted by skapur

You can try Dunellen station or Edison station for easy commute to piscataway.

I would except that the parking at those two stations are not easy to find, isn't it?
Thank you all for your great input.

[pbergen]

Originally Posted by ann2008

Any suggestion for the alternative route for lincoln hwy then? Also are Lincoln hwy and Middlesex Ave the same road?

yes, lincoln highway and middlesex avenue are the same road, with the name changing as you pass from edison into metuchen. technically, this road is designated as a state highway (route 27), although it's just a run-of-the-mill local street rather than a "true" highway.

the problem with electronic maps is that they sometimes omit minor details in explaining how to get from point A to point B. i couldn't figure out what you were asking (even though i've driven down these streets many times) until i looked at the map and figured it out for myself.

here's what you should do:

1) from the metropark station, go southbound on lincoln highway (route 27), which becomes middlesex ave as you enter metuchen.

2) as you go southbound on route 27/middlesex ave, you'll hit the intersection of middlesex and lake aves in downtown metuchen. this is the point in your trip that isn't explained well by google maps.

since route 27 isn't a true highway, but rather a collection of local roads that happen to share that state highway designation, it veers off onto other streets seemingly at random. and at the intersection of middlesex and lake aves, route 27 "jumps" to the left (southeast) along lake ave. this means that if you were to go straight on middlesex past that intersection, you will no longer be on route 27, but rather "county road 501" (CR 501 south).

it's really simple - when you hit that intersection, just go straight on middlesex. i wanted to explain what's going on, though, since you might get confused by all of the signs there.

3) after that intersection, continue south on middlesex ave/CR 501 for 0.3 miles, then turn right (west) onto new durham road (which is a continuation of CR 501).

4) go west on new durham rd for 1 mile, then turn right onto the entrance ramp for I-287 north.

5) stay on I-287 north for 2 1/2 to 5 miles, depending whether you get off at exit 5, 7, or 8, as bob mentioned. the whole trip should be about 7-10 miles and will likely take 20-30 minutes, depending on traffic.

here's a google map link to the above:
from:metropark station iselin nj to:I-287 N @40.557143, -74.422324 to:40.551782,-74.439304 - Google Maps

the thing is, traffic on I-287 can be brutal during rush hour, so it's good to know some back routes:

-if I-287 is jammed as soon as you get on at new durham rd, you should get off at the next exit (exit 4) for durham ave.
at the end of the ramp, make a left onto durham ave southbound, then make the first right onto hadley ave westbound. go straight on hadley for a little over a mile, and right after you pass the stelton rd intersection, hadley road becomes centennial ave.
from:metropark station iselin nj to:Exit 4 @40.552766, -74.411797 to:40.554994,-74.426837 to:Centennial Ave @40.551668, -74.439015 - Google Maps

-another back route avoids I-287 altogether. basically, you stay on new durham rd (CR 501) westbound instead of getting on the entrance ramp for I-287. after a few miles, make a right onto stelton rd and then the second left onto centennial ave:
from: metropark station iselin nj to: 40.5517,-74.437437 - Google Maps

i would avoid oak tree road, as others have said, and experiment with each of these routes until you find one that works best for you. good luck.