San Diego Housing Bubble News and Analysis

I have lived and worked in Carlsbad for 5 years and don't have first-hand experience about the commute from Temecula to Carlsbad and back again. However, I do know that the I-78 can get a crowded in the morning going east and in the evening going west. Depending on which part of Carlsbad you plan to work, you're probably looking at a 1-hour + commute time each way:
Google Map

Here's the CalTrans site on local traffic: http://www.dot.ca.gov/dist11/d11tmc/sdma...

Check it out to get a feel for local traffic conditions.

One word......Rent

Great info, thank you!

Rent, realy? May be an option then.

They will be making the 76 a 4 lane express way,

That when complete be a much faster and much fewer miles way to downtown Carlsbad I would think.

(probably a better route even today)

You would not have to compete with traffic from Escondido or San Marcos.

Also you could just catch the bus at the 76/15 junction to the metro station.

There is really no quick way right now, it's gonna break 45 min each way. I drove for a number of years to Vista and San Marcos, it was about 30 minutes and rarely had any traffic but I ignored the 78 and cut accross gopher or twin oaks. With the construction the 76 is no picnic these days, there is a choke point on the unfinished eastern part through bonsall that seems to always have wicked traffic, I have no idea when they will be finished but highway contstuction is such a slow process and one of the biggest problems with the North county is the lack of East/West freeways. It seems easier to get to Poway/Rancho bernardo, the 15 improvements have had a real nice effect.

If I knew that I was going to forever work in Carlsbad, I'd probably just rent there and see if prices came down. The again, I'm from L.A., I consider 30 minute commutes a godsend.

There are plans to extend the expressway all the way to I-15. The road east of Mission Road may be rerouted onto a new alignment.

The city of Oceanside does have plans for grade-separated interchanges with College Boulevard and Melrose Drive, should the expressway through Oceanside need to be converted to a freeway.[11]

State Route 76 in Oceanside is an expressway. In March 2009, a new 1.3 mile realigned segment of State Route 76 opened east of I-15. Initially, only two lanes are open, with the other two lanes of this new four lane divided highway planned to open in September 2009. The purpose of this improvement is to reduce accidents on a stretch of road that now carries over 12,000 motorists per day. Much of this traffic is destined for either the Pala Indian casino or a new gravel quarry that was recently opened. The casino and quarry owners each paid for half of the new road. At this time, there are no plans to extend this improvement eastward to Pala. [12]

Thanks Temeculaguy, this has been very helpful. I may be in Carlsbad for a good number of years, so it probably would be best to stay closer to Carlsbad, even if means looking at the rent option.

Thanks again!

I thought I remember that the 76 expressway was to be completed to the I15 by 2011 or 2012 ???

Does anyone have the current planned completion date ???

Thanks,

Why not look into SEH? I heard the new schools there are pretty good. Prices seem very low but you can rent there first and wait to see if they'll go down further.

For me, I really like to town-within-town atmosphere of SEH and would definitely consider if I work up in the North County.

Is THAT what it is? Being from LA! I see. I consider my commute of ~20 minutes (5.1 miles, no freeways) alittle too long, but then again I am riding a bike. When I drive it is only 10 minutes or so and that is ok I guess.

If I could have the house I want(yes I know which one it is exactly) It would be about 3 minutes by car and maybe 10 by bike considering I would have to ride up a rather steep hill. That, in my mind, would be a godsend commute.

HA!!, Yea the few times I go the RB Office (which takes about an hour at 7:00 AM from TV).

I think this is great! Little traffic, nice scenery (most of the way), but I bet most SD people would rather croak than do even that drive.

Renting also allows you to learn the area before committing. You don't have to rent forever, just long enough to make a better decision.

I think we're on to something here. Also being from LA I've been accustomed to a commute, it's already priced in to my life plan. 30 minutes? That's a cake walk. The 1hr drive into deep SD? Mostly scenic and quick. Some folks seem to think it is long and tedious. Those folks can't survive in Temecula. I'd rather have 1hr @ 75mph through green hills than 1hr @ 10mph through smog and concrete (LA). Pick your poison.

Then again I say this as a person that hasn't commuted in 3 years...

I've been commuting between Temecula and RB for 7 years now, up until about 2 -3 months ago it sucked.

Now with the 15 improvements/lane additions, no problem at all, takes about 40 minutes.

I do so daily, exclude the days that I work from home. Try it. No one can tell you because everyone's tolerance is different. I rented in Temecula for two years (have to live there because of family reason) before I committed to buy. I may buy a Carlsbad home in the future if the price comes down and turn the first one into a rental property, who knows. So far the commute is not a burden to me yet.

I have a several co-workers who commute from TEM and MUR to CBAD. Takes them all 45 minutes or so, no complaints.

I rent in SEH and I think about buying in TEM from time to time but like the coast too much.

Thank you! I'll be in the area in early July, and will definitely do the commute both ways. Appreciate everyone's responses, and am looking forward to returning to SoCal.

I commute from OC to SD, 80 miles each way. Alternating 4 day and 3 day work week. Telecomute the rest. I have been doing this for about two years. I have a Prius and book-on-tapes, no problem. Everyone else thought that I am crazy.

One thing I forgot to mention: In commuting south of Temecula you always run the risk of being harassed, arrested or shot by the Border Patrol.

Yes, they will widen the 76 to 4 lanes, they are hoping to get that done by 2014. But it will remain a conventional highway through Bonsall (with intersections, traffic lights & such).

80 miles!!! Jimmy, You are crazy! I would suggest you buy the foreign language lessons on tapes.

One word: torrent.

I thought that the express way part of this was to add collar roads and minimize the traffic lights and other delaying stuff; I guess we will have to wait and see.

From my experience these eventually turn into freeways but it's a long process.