Commuting between OKC and Stillwater

[White Peacock]

I'm finishing up my BA at UCO in a couple weeks, and I've been admitted (fully funded with a TAship) to OSU's master's program in my field of study. I'll be staying here in OKC and commuting to Stillwater. Has anyone else here done a similar routine and found it survivable? I don't expect there's a ton of traffic going in that direction.

[u50254082]

All I can say is good luck.

[catch22]

Not the same but a friend of mine recently purchased a house in Colorado Springs, and he drives to Denver for work. It takes him just over an hour (1:05). He said at first it was terrible, but after a month or two it just becomes a part of his routine. Most podcasts are about that long, so find one you like and you’ll look forward to the drive.

Really, though. An hour of highway driving is easier than 45 mins of rush hour traffic....

[TeeDub2]

I've had a couple friends that stayed in Edmond after graduating UCO and got their masters in Stillwater. Just like what was said above, after about a month or two it just becomes routine and not too bad from what they've said. My SIL also did this from Tulsa for her last year of undergrad. Definitely survivable I would for sure find some podcasts or audiobooks.

[AP]

After graduating in 2012, I got a job in OKC and stayed in my lease in Stillwater for 6 months. It was definitely survivable. Gave me a lot of time for longer podcasts that I can't do on my 10-minute commute now.

[Jeepnokc]

After graduating in 2012, I got a job in OKC and stayed in my lease in Stillwater for 6 months. It was definitely survivable. Gave me a lot of time for longer podcasts that I can't do on my 10-minute commute now.

I commuted from Gatewood to Chandler for a year. Once you embrace the drive, it is a nice relaxation at the end of the day and in the morning. My experience was I was going against traffic so never seemed that bad but I am sure there is more traffic going into Stillwater than Chandler

[BG918]

Not the same but a friend of mine recently purchased a house in Colorado Springs, and he drives to Denver for work. It takes him just over an hour (1:05). He said at first it was terrible, but after a month or two it just becomes a part of his routine. Most podcasts are about that long, so find one you like and you’ll look forward to the drive.

Really, though. An hour of highway driving is easier than 45 mins of rush hour traffic....

Yeah the CO Springs to Denver commute is fairly common, even though it is more than a hour each way and approaching two hours in bad weather..

[gopokes88]

Edmond to Stillwater never has bad traffic. Just don’t speed on 51 till you get over the first two hills, that’s where hi-po hides. I fly in and out of Stillwater couple times a month and my regular office is 45 mins away too (all freeway). The morning can suck sometimes if you’re running late, but I love it at the end of the day.. The windshield time to decompress, get the day wrapped up mentally is awesome. You’ll come home happier. Like others have said, there’s a massive difference between a long distance high speed commute and low speed short distance traffic commute.

[onthestrip]

Ive made the commute before and its not that bad, especially from Edmond.

Doesnt OSU offer a bus route between Stillwater & OKC? I know they did in the past, might want to look into that.

[AP]

Just don’t speed on 51 till you get over the first two hills, that’s where hi-po hides.

This is very good advice. I've been pulled over several times on 51.

[Bunty]

All I can say is good luck.

Most of all good luck with the weather. My Stillwater friend who drove every day to work in OKC for about a year got her car hailed upon. She was glad to end the commute by getting a job in Stillwater.

[sooner88]

I did the commute from OKC to Norman while completing my Masters, with a majority of the drive being during both rush hours. The drive typically took around 45-60 minutes... i'd much rather have been making the drive to Stillwater without traffic. Like others have said you get used to it and build it into your schedule.

[Bunty]

This is very good advice. I've been pulled over several times on 51.

I don't speed since I don't have a radar detector.

[White Peacock]

Thanks for all the input; the podcast suggestion is a good one, since I never have time to listen to any currently. Most of my commutes will be on motorcycle with a bluetooth headset going, so that'll be pleasant. For the other days, I'm afraid I'm going to have to sell my Cherokee, because 15mpg simply won't do with a 120 mile round trip commute.

I did the commute from OKC to Norman while completing my Masters, with a majority of the drive being during both rush hours. The drive typically took around 45-60 minutes... i'd much rather have been making the drive to Stillwater without traffic. Like others have said you get used to it and build it into your schedule.

I applied to a PhD program at OU and was rejected, but I considered the likelihood that the commute times from here to OU will be comparable to commute times to Stillwater, given the congestion that's nearly always present between OKC and Norman, so I didn't feel so bad about adding a longer stretch to my routine.

[BG918]

I did the commute from OKC to Norman while completing my Masters, with a majority of the drive being during both rush hours. The drive typically took around 45-60 minutes... i'd much rather have been making the drive to Stillwater without traffic. Like others have said you get used to it and build it into your schedule.

Depends where in Norman and where in OKC you are going. Near I-35 in Norman to downtown OKC can be 20-30 min. even during rush hour. I commuted from near OU to far NW OKC about 10 years ago and it was about 50 min each way, probably longer than an hour each way now.

[Bunty]

If I-35 north of Guthrie is slowed from construction or whatever, then getting off at the Highway 33 exit and eventually to 177 is a very good alternative route. Since it takes you to the east side of Stillwater, it won't get you any faster to OSU.