OKC Ranks Third in Best Commutes

[bjohn9]

I thought this piece of news might interest a few folks...

OKC Ranks Third in Best Commutes

Now here’s a ranking that’s sure to please most locals: Oklahoma City has the third-shortest daily commute time among the top 52 cities in the country. This little factoid comes from the Census Bureau's recent American Community Survey.

According to the study, Oklahoma City drivers spend an average of just 21.35 minutes in their daily one-way commute. Only Rochester, N.Y. (20.37 minutes) and Buffalo-Niagara Falls, N.Y. (20.78 minutes) ranked with better commute times.

OKC’s ranking beat other cities of similar size, including Salt Lake City, Kansas City and Milwaukee.

The worst commutes in the country, not surprisingly, were in cities with some mega-populations. New York City topped the list, where the average one-way commute time was 34.55 minutes. The NYC was followed by the Washington, D.C. metro with 33.23 minutes and Chicagoland with 31.08 minutes.

Ben Johnson
posted on OKCREview.com

[windowphobe]

Yeah, but who has a one-way commute? Sooner or later you gotta go home, right?

(18 minutes for me, until they start messing with I-44/Broadway Extension, and then all bets are off.)

[MikeOKC]

Kansas City a similar size metro to OKC? Strange example to use.

'09 Estimates:
Kansas City: 2,067,585
OKC: 1,227,278

[dmoor82]

Kansas City a similar size metro to OKC? Strange example to use.

'09 Estimates:
Kansas City: 2,067,585
OKC: 1,227,278

^^^ Exactly!6-700k is a big diff. it's like adding The Wichita Metro ontop of OKC's metro pop!

[mugofbeer]

We're blessed with a pretty decent highway system. Sure beats Austin or Denver.

[ljbab728]

We're blessed with a pretty decent highway system. Sure beats Austin or Denver.

I can just hear the naysayers now saying that this contributes to OKC sprawl and we would be better off without the great highway system and more congestion.

[mugofbeer]

I can just hear the naysayers now saying that this contributes to OKC sprawl and we would be better off without the great highway system and more congestion.

There's a point to that logic, though. OKC IS a sprawling, low-density city which is circa 1960's-90's. The only thing that will help end this sprawl, because government won't do it, is $5-7/gallon gas. If OKC could figure out a way to make the city's schools attractive, the inward migration would be significant.

[ljbab728]

There's a point to that logic, though. OKC IS a sprawling, low-density city which is circa 1960's-90's. The only thing that will help end this sprawl, because government won't do it, is $5-7/gallon gas. If OKC could figure out a way to make the city's schools attractive, the inward migration would be significant.

Mug, I think OKC has made significant strides in making it's schools more attractive with MAPS for Kids. Don't make it sound like the schools are forgotten. There is a night and day difference compared to 10 years ago.

[rcjunkie]

Mug, I think OKC has made significant strides in making it's schools more attractive with MAPS for Kids. Don't make it sound like the schools are forgotten. There is a night and day difference compared to 10 years ago.

The problem is not the schools, teachers or administration, it's the parents! The days of kids being held responsible for their actions are long gone, kids are no longer motivated by parents to attend school, get there on time, do their homework, get involved in school programs (sports, drama, speech, debate, etc.
Teachers can only teach if the kids show up, show up on time, respect the teachers, principals and staff, and until the parents do their part, the OKC Schools will never make the required/needed improvements.

[Larry OKC]

Mug, I think OKC has made significant strides in making it's schools more attractive with MAPS for Kids. Don't make it sound like the schools are forgotten. There is a night and day difference compared to 10 years ago.

True, we made bright shiny new schools...but what goes on inside the schools, not so much. The vastly improved test scores and graduation rates that were supposed to go along with it hasn't materialized yet. Recent article said they know that and are planning on fixing it (we can hope).

Dang these threads get off topic soooooooo easily (guilty here as charged)...we now return you to your regularly scheduled topic...

[mugofbeer]

Mug, I think OKC has made significant strides in making it's schools more attractive with MAPS for Kids. Don't make it sound like the schools are forgotten. There is a night and day difference compared to 10 years ago.

Hey, I am happy as I can be that some truly significant money was spent on improving the facilities. I can recall sitting in school on 100+ degree days in May and September wishing I could think. MAPS4KIDS was a great start but its not enough. My point was really aimed at the academics aspect of the schools. They still aren't anywhere near where they should be considering kids at NW Classen, anyway, didn't get textbooks to bring home because there weren't enough.

If the public schools could somehow be made attractive and safe (even on a perception basis), people would stream into the inner city and it would become much more urbanized. I think $5 gasoline is coming back in the next couple of years and it it does, that will also encourage shorter commutes and urbanizaton - especially if downtown continues to be a desireable place for businesses to locate.

[Lord Helmet]

We're blessed with a pretty decent highway system. Sure beats Austin or Denver.

Denver is basically a 2 highway town...i-70 or 1-25...everything else is basically a 2 or three lane pseudo highway. Thankfully expansion of the train system is close on the horizon because getting around can be a nightmare. I'm luck because my commute is only about 25 minutes.

[Dustin]

One of the things I love about OKC.. COMMUTES!

[PennyQuilts]

One of the most wonderful things about OKC is the short commute. We just moved back home from Northern Virginia/DC. Husband's daily commute was over three hours a day. My commute was anywhere from an hour and twenty minutes to just over two hours (total to and from)

[Larry OKC]

Absolutely...whenever I visit other cities it makes me thankful when I get back home to our amazingly short commute times...really only traffic problems we have (where you cant go the speed limit) is at actual rush hour around 8 am and 5 pm. Get outside that hour window and you are home free. I don't ever want OKC to become a Dallas in that regard and so many people don't seem to see the connection with wanting to be another Dallas. There is a lot of negative that goes along with the positives.

[MikeOKC]

Absolutely...whenever I visit other cities it makes me thankful when I get back home to our amazingly short commute times...really only traffic problems we have (where you cant go the speed limit) is at actual rush hour around 8 am and 5 pm. Get outside that hour window and you are home free. I don't ever want OKC to become a Dallas in that regard and so many people don't seem to see the connection with wanting to be another Dallas. There is a lot of negative that goes along with the positives.

That is so very true. And to think there's worse than Dallas. Houston anyone? Los Angeles? One great thing about Oklahoma City is our traffic and commute times. Relatively speaking, of course.

[Larry OKC]

That is so very true. And to think there's worse than Dallas. Houston anyone? Los Angeles? One great thing about Oklahoma City is our traffic and commute times. Relatively speaking, of course.

I hear you on Houston! As bad as traffic is in Dallas, seemed much worse in Houston (was there for 3 months when my former employer was trying to get me to move there). Seriously, the interstate was as busy at 3 or 4 am as ours are during our morning/afternoon rush hours. Insane.

[yessir69]

I moved here from Memphis. The same distance went from 35 min (mem) to 15 min (okc). Also, I don't have to get my brakes replaced every hundred miles either...

[Curt]

Well all I can say is those who know of me from my past posts may hate me,and I dont blame you, but the truth of the matter is no matter what I have said in the past is I wish beyond anything I would have moved from Detroit to OKC.....

HUGE mistake to stay in Michigan....HUGE

[metro]

That is so very true. And to think there's worse than Dallas. Houston anyone? Los Angeles? One great thing about Oklahoma City is our traffic and commute times. Relatively speaking, of course.

Atlanta traffic, way worse than Houston or Dallas, and even worse than the times I've been in LA.

[shane453]

We don't want to be another Dallas with respect to its traffic, and if we learn to center inevitable population growth based on improved public transportation routes and walkable/bikeable neighborhoods, we can alleviate some of the highway traffic that will worsen as our population grows.

[PennyQuilts]

We don't want to be another Dallas with respect to its traffic, and if we learn to center inevitable population growth based on improved public transportation routes and walkable/bikeable neighborhoods, we can alleviate some of the highway traffic that will worsen as our population grows.

Nice idea but you can't deter population growth along public transportation routes in many places. In a city like NYC, you can do some of that when you are primarily talking about apartments (which zoning can help with) or a lack of parking. But in places where people can drive and there is land, middleclass families don't tend to live in apartments. The only people who live in apartments where land is available are singles (at least no kids) with money or low income people. And those folks don't tend to run together. The smart money is going to come from betting on telecommuting for professionals and diversifying work sites for factories. IMO.

[PHXguyinOKC]

as long as you stay away from the I-40/I-35/I-235 interchange (worst designed interchange I've ever seen) traffic is never a problem. I lived in Edmond for a few months (2nd and Coltrane) and could get to Tinker in 18 min. Similar distance when I lived in the Phoenix area (Chandler to Scottsdale) would take me 25 min to 45 min.
I really hope OKC will invest in Light rail or street car and promote infill and building up. The 20 mile light rail starter line in Phoenix and Tempe has blown away expectations and has seen a lot of TOD around the light rail stops.

[metro]

as long as you stay away from the I-40/I-35/I-235 interchange (worst designed interchange I've ever seen) traffic is never a problem. I lived in Edmond for a few months (2nd and Coltrane) and could get to Tinker in 18 min. Similar distance when I lived in the Phoenix area (Chandler to Scottsdale) would take me 25 min to 45 min.
I really hope OKC will invest in Light rail or street car and promote infill and building up. The 20 mile light rail starter line in Phoenix and Tempe has blown away expectations and has seen a lot of TOD around the light rail stops.

We just DID invest in a streetcar system, and hopefully will lead to a light rail system. Hopefully work on it will start sooner rather than later.

[PHXguyinOKC]

We just DID invest in a streetcar system, and hopefully will lead to a light rail system. Hopefully work on it will start sooner rather than later.

well, excellent.