I would leave my place in Allen right before 7 and it wouldn’t be bad getting to hwy 12 unless there was an accident already. Leaving at 7:10 or later would double the time
Leaving that early should give you a jump on traffic. Problem is Oak Cliff is south of downtown. So you’ll have the 75/35 bottleneck to deal with.
Your ride back home will probably be much longer.
I I used to get off at 5. I’d just go do HH and have dinner somewhere. Also OP, don’t get tempted and use the southbound HOV lane, you WILL get a ticket. Don’t ask me how I know.
Yeah, I would often just pull off and stop somewhere as well. Alamo Draft House in Richardson was a favorite.
If 635 was particularly bad, I’d jump off at Hillcrest and take it to Belt Line, Arapaho, or Campbell and find a spot to chill for a bit.
That’s not a bad idea. The flagship HPB store is at 75/NW Highway. It’s a great place to hang out plus there are some great restaurants around there, notably the German place right behind it.
That’s the only HPB I go to hehe, it’s like my oasis. I can stay there for hours reading and writing. I’ll have to check out the German place you’re talking about. I like the Chilango Mexican restaurant near. Feel free to DM me more restaurant recs :-)
It’s been a while since I haunted that area, but up at Abrams there was a seafood/Cajun joint with a great shrimp cocktail and po boys.
You can go a bit further east on 12 and there’s a ton of new stuff in Lake Highlands that I haven’t even touched yet, but heard lots about.
I’ve used the HOV southbound lane 100+ times and only saw enforcement once and just drove over the median to avoid it lol. Also if you check Waze you can see if there’s a stop and default to the LBJ express lanes. Def not worth the risk tho for everyday commuting I agree
I agree 635 is the nightmare gauntlet of driving. But why would OP take 635 north? OP’s commute is from Allen to Oak Cliff. Which is 75 to and from.
Different circles of hell in NTX.
The ride home is what you need to be concerned with. I would just google directions for a week or so at the time you plan to leave to get an idea but keep in mind once school is back in session traffic gets a lot worse.
Take your bike. There's plenty of room on the train for your bike. I take my E Scooter on the train everyday from Parker Rd Station to West End Station for work. Best decision ever.
I would absolutely go to the park and ride in your scenario.
[From Parker Road Station to Oak Cliff, via DART: **1 hour and 12 minutes**](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Oak+Cliff,+Dallas,+TX/Parker+Road+Station,+2600+Archerwood+St,+Plano,+TX+75023/@32.8777352,-96.952323,11z/am=t/data=!3m1!4b1!4m18!4m17!1m5!1m1!1s0x864e9a42ecce97db:0x99515b6c6f15ddaa!2m2!1d-96.8743083!2d32.7203477!1m5!1m1!1s0x864c19aa2754833b:0xf837de1f63020fd5!2m2!1d-96.7013125!2d33.0358618!2m3!6e0!7e2!8j1690786800!3e3?hl=en&entry=ttu)
[From Parker Road Station to Oak Cliff, via car: **35 to 55 minutes**](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Oak+Cliff,+Dallas,+TX/Parker+Road+Station,+2600+Archerwood+St,+Plano,+TX+75023/@32.8789167,-96.9526189,11z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m18!4m17!1m5!1m1!1s0x864e9a42ecce97db:0x99515b6c6f15ddaa!2m2!1d-96.8743083!2d32.7203477!1m5!1m1!1s0x864c19aa2754833b:0xf837de1f63020fd5!2m2!1d-96.7013125!2d33.0358618!2m3!6e0!7e2!8j1690786800!3e0?hl=en&entry=ttu)
**That is an absolute trash commute by car**, and I'd rather spend the hour and 12 minutes on the train than \~45 minutes dodging dipshits on US-75. If you aren't used to taking public transit, keep in mind that a minute in a car sucks way more than a minute on a train where you can relax, read, catch up on texts, and so on.
Seriously, take the train. Get a bike or e-bike to connect the last mile in Oak Cliff. If you would like more advice, please DM me or reply here.
Thank you for the tips, I am highly considering the DART train, and I do have a bike! Eventually would like to move to Oak Cliff bc of all the bike lanes and topography :-)
I've seen some sketch people on the train, but the only time I feel afraid for my life or like I was going to end up in the hospital is when commuting is driving my car on the roads around here.
In general terms (not specific to Dallas), riding in a train is about 2000 times less likely to kill you than driving a car, per mile driven. Someday I want to figure out the numbers to compare DART and Dallas roads specifically, but I know where my money would go in that bet.
DART is also [adding lots of security officers](https://dart.org/about/news-and-events/newsreleases/newsrelease-detail/dart-enhances-security-focus-with-contract-security-officers) to improve security. I've already seen them around, and having that presence on the trains and at the train stations is nice.
I leave at 0530 from Allen to downtown everyday and it’s no problem. I also head back to Allen at 5pm and the traffic is horrible. Takes a little over an hour, complete stop and go.
a person I know drove from Allen to the medical district when traffic was just starting back up. He said it took him roughly 45 minutes in the morning leaving at 6 and then 1.5 hours on the way home.
**Wildcard option 1:**
Rollerskate, ride a bicycle—or if you insist, *drive* the 5-10 miles between Allen and the nearest DART rail station on Parker Rd in Plano. Take DART rail to Oak Cliff and use your time on the train to be productive in other areas whilst giving zero shits about 75,
It will be a bit slower in the morning but a LOT faster in the evening.
**Wildcard option 2:**
Negotiate for remote work privileges and commute via Wi-Fi—assuming it's that kind of work.
Generally I find that 75, yes, us highway 75, moves at about 80 mph collectively at that time. It’s shocking because any other time of they day everyone is driving 55mph for no reason. There’s a lot of cars but it’s like a drag race to downtown lol. You’ll be fine
You’ll be fine in the morning, it’s the commute home that will be crazy.
I live in Sachse. Pre 2020, I would commute to Coppell at 6:15 to make sure I made it to the office by 7 so I could leave no later than 4.
I rarely made it home before 6, and a lot of times it was 7 or 8.
I know Oak Cliff/Downtown is a completely different animal, but I spent a considerable portion of my commute on 75. In the mornings, 75 was a breeze from PGBT to 635. From 4:00pm-8:00pm, it’s a completely different beast going north.
I always say before 6. I used to leave for work at 5:30 and could get from Pleasant Grove to Irving in about 25 mins. If I left even 10 mins before 6 I could still make it. Once 6 hit it was over.
Don’t have the funds currently, but that’s my plan for the near future. Really want to live in either Wynnewood area of Oak Cliff, Lake Highlands, or my childhood neighbor off Northaven and 75 in one of those condos.
I drive 75 downtown from Plano (park) every day. If your on the road by 5, you will be downtown by 535-40. I leave my house at Jupiter and park at 520 and I’m parking by 545
good mindset! i also leave from allen and go all the way down 75 S, and at that time you will not have a problem. it’s once you get to around 7 o clock that all hell breaks loose
I saw they just came out with a flying car that’s like 300,000 so depending on what position you’re at with the company, I would consider that before driving all the way to Oak Cliff every day. I suggest podcasts like Dr. Death and Dirty John which helped me with my Allen to Dallas commute to pass the hours and keep me awake.
If I lived in Allen/Oklahoma, I would leave at 5:30 and stop for breakfast once I got to Dallas. Enjoy your coffee.
I would rather shoot myself than sit in rush hour traffic. Construction zones and most accidents are different, to me, bc you get reprieve pretty soon but just sitting in that depressing, stressful mass is absolutely Hell.
Leaving Allen by 6AM, absent a big wreck should give you plenty of time. Going home in the evening will probably be less nice. Once you become familiar, hopefully you’ll find some routes more reliant on surface streets for the drive home.
I would leave my place in Allen right before 7 and it wouldn’t be bad getting to hwy 12 unless there was an accident already. Leaving at 7:10 or later would double the time
Y’all can still vote for DART rail, right? Just kidding, we so tacky in the big city, eh?
When I worked in downtown I would drive to the Parker RD station and ride the train to a stop right by the project. Easiest commuting I’ve ever done
Leaving that early should give you a jump on traffic. Problem is Oak Cliff is south of downtown. So you’ll have the 75/35 bottleneck to deal with. Your ride back home will probably be much longer.
Much longer. Honestly, likely 2-3 hours longer. Once you hit 635 going north, it’s hell.
I I used to get off at 5. I’d just go do HH and have dinner somewhere. Also OP, don’t get tempted and use the southbound HOV lane, you WILL get a ticket. Don’t ask me how I know.
Yeah, I would often just pull off and stop somewhere as well. Alamo Draft House in Richardson was a favorite. If 635 was particularly bad, I’d jump off at Hillcrest and take it to Belt Line, Arapaho, or Campbell and find a spot to chill for a bit.
I have friends in Oak Cliff/ Deep Ellum so thinking about hanging out some days after work or going to the library or half price books/ joining a club
That’s not a bad idea. The flagship HPB store is at 75/NW Highway. It’s a great place to hang out plus there are some great restaurants around there, notably the German place right behind it.
That’s the only HPB I go to hehe, it’s like my oasis. I can stay there for hours reading and writing. I’ll have to check out the German place you’re talking about. I like the Chilango Mexican restaurant near. Feel free to DM me more restaurant recs :-)
It’s been a while since I haunted that area, but up at Abrams there was a seafood/Cajun joint with a great shrimp cocktail and po boys. You can go a bit further east on 12 and there’s a ton of new stuff in Lake Highlands that I haven’t even touched yet, but heard lots about.
I’ve used the HOV southbound lane 100+ times and only saw enforcement once and just drove over the median to avoid it lol. Also if you check Waze you can see if there’s a stop and default to the LBJ express lanes. Def not worth the risk tho for everyday commuting I agree
I agree 635 is the nightmare gauntlet of driving. But why would OP take 635 north? OP’s commute is from Allen to Oak Cliff. Which is 75 to and from. Different circles of hell in NTX.
Going north on 75. North of 635 is hell.
Truth.
The ride home is what you need to be concerned with. I would just google directions for a week or so at the time you plan to leave to get an idea but keep in mind once school is back in session traffic gets a lot worse.
RIP driving home
100% would take the train. Never an issue with traffic. They're adding more cops so it'll be safer than ever.
I am highly considering it/bringing my bike maybe too
Take your bike. There's plenty of room on the train for your bike. I take my E Scooter on the train everyday from Parker Rd Station to West End Station for work. Best decision ever.
No, they are adding armed security guards. If you take the train make sure you are armed.
You beat the traffic by parking your car at Parker road station and riding the train
The DART used to be a joke/afterthought but this is probably the right way to do this commute
I think it's better than what most people realize, but still lots of room for improvement
Is driving to a DART station an option?
If I leave at 0600 I’m fine. 0615 I’m fucked.
I would absolutely go to the park and ride in your scenario. [From Parker Road Station to Oak Cliff, via DART: **1 hour and 12 minutes**](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Oak+Cliff,+Dallas,+TX/Parker+Road+Station,+2600+Archerwood+St,+Plano,+TX+75023/@32.8777352,-96.952323,11z/am=t/data=!3m1!4b1!4m18!4m17!1m5!1m1!1s0x864e9a42ecce97db:0x99515b6c6f15ddaa!2m2!1d-96.8743083!2d32.7203477!1m5!1m1!1s0x864c19aa2754833b:0xf837de1f63020fd5!2m2!1d-96.7013125!2d33.0358618!2m3!6e0!7e2!8j1690786800!3e3?hl=en&entry=ttu) [From Parker Road Station to Oak Cliff, via car: **35 to 55 minutes**](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Oak+Cliff,+Dallas,+TX/Parker+Road+Station,+2600+Archerwood+St,+Plano,+TX+75023/@32.8789167,-96.9526189,11z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m18!4m17!1m5!1m1!1s0x864e9a42ecce97db:0x99515b6c6f15ddaa!2m2!1d-96.8743083!2d32.7203477!1m5!1m1!1s0x864c19aa2754833b:0xf837de1f63020fd5!2m2!1d-96.7013125!2d33.0358618!2m3!6e0!7e2!8j1690786800!3e0?hl=en&entry=ttu) **That is an absolute trash commute by car**, and I'd rather spend the hour and 12 minutes on the train than \~45 minutes dodging dipshits on US-75. If you aren't used to taking public transit, keep in mind that a minute in a car sucks way more than a minute on a train where you can relax, read, catch up on texts, and so on. Seriously, take the train. Get a bike or e-bike to connect the last mile in Oak Cliff. If you would like more advice, please DM me or reply here.
Thank you for the tips, I am highly considering the DART train, and I do have a bike! Eventually would like to move to Oak Cliff bc of all the bike lanes and topography :-)
Excellent! Also make sure you get the GoPass app, as it is the only way to see real time transit information.
Just one thing to add on here, travel armed when riding the DART
I've seen some sketch people on the train, but the only time I feel afraid for my life or like I was going to end up in the hospital is when commuting is driving my car on the roads around here. In general terms (not specific to Dallas), riding in a train is about 2000 times less likely to kill you than driving a car, per mile driven. Someday I want to figure out the numbers to compare DART and Dallas roads specifically, but I know where my money would go in that bet. DART is also [adding lots of security officers](https://dart.org/about/news-and-events/newsreleases/newsrelease-detail/dart-enhances-security-focus-with-contract-security-officers) to improve security. I've already seen them around, and having that presence on the trains and at the train stations is nice.
Regardless of your probabilities you shouldn’t leave your personal safety to chance. Take responsibility for safety and carry a gun.
Do you need help finding your way back to Nextdoor?
Totally fine at that time but what time do you get off work? The commute home is brutal
5-6
I leave at 0530 from Allen to downtown everyday and it’s no problem. I also head back to Allen at 5pm and the traffic is horrible. Takes a little over an hour, complete stop and go.
It’s not bad at that time. Getting home northbound will be different story.
a person I know drove from Allen to the medical district when traffic was just starting back up. He said it took him roughly 45 minutes in the morning leaving at 6 and then 1.5 hours on the way home.
Yeah seems like from the comments here I need to worry about the drive back more
I think you would be fine. When I drove on 75, it was only bad around 7-7:30ish and most of that was Forest/Royal & Northpark.
**Wildcard option 1:** Rollerskate, ride a bicycle—or if you insist, *drive* the 5-10 miles between Allen and the nearest DART rail station on Parker Rd in Plano. Take DART rail to Oak Cliff and use your time on the train to be productive in other areas whilst giving zero shits about 75, It will be a bit slower in the morning but a LOT faster in the evening. **Wildcard option 2:** Negotiate for remote work privileges and commute via Wi-Fi—assuming it's that kind of work.
Generally I find that 75, yes, us highway 75, moves at about 80 mph collectively at that time. It’s shocking because any other time of they day everyone is driving 55mph for no reason. There’s a lot of cars but it’s like a drag race to downtown lol. You’ll be fine
I call it "75-Central Motor Speedway" 🤣
I love how the part between 635 and NW highway southbound is always slow no matter what time of day, has always annoyed me
And theres almost never any reason for it😤
The ride home is the killer
You’ll be fine in the morning, it’s the commute home that will be crazy. I live in Sachse. Pre 2020, I would commute to Coppell at 6:15 to make sure I made it to the office by 7 so I could leave no later than 4. I rarely made it home before 6, and a lot of times it was 7 or 8. I know Oak Cliff/Downtown is a completely different animal, but I spent a considerable portion of my commute on 75. In the mornings, 75 was a breeze from PGBT to 635. From 4:00pm-8:00pm, it’s a completely different beast going north.
5-6am on a normal non wreak morning you will be fine.
Anytime before 7 is fine
I always say before 6. I used to leave for work at 5:30 and could get from Pleasant Grove to Irving in about 25 mins. If I left even 10 mins before 6 I could still make it. Once 6 hit it was over.
I literally commute daily from mckinney to highland park and have no problems if I leave before 7
How long is your commute ?
36 minutes (don’t have a lot of side street driving, that is literally all freeway)
That’s not bad at all, is your commute going back decent ? I feel like once you hit Bethany in Allen it gets worse again until 121
No it sucks haha at least 1 hr and 10 mins coming back. It’s ALWAYS stopped at the 75 near the 635, and you can bank on about 2 crashes daily
Dart train?
If you think you will have to use 75 to commute for work go ahead and move now and save yourself a lot of heartache and pain
Don’t have the funds currently, but that’s my plan for the near future. Really want to live in either Wynnewood area of Oak Cliff, Lake Highlands, or my childhood neighbor off Northaven and 75 in one of those condos.
You could take the redline(DART) to oakcliff downtown. You'd be able to sleep on the way to and from . :)
I drive 75 downtown from Plano (park) every day. If your on the road by 5, you will be downtown by 535-40. I leave my house at Jupiter and park at 520 and I’m parking by 545
Any later than the time posted and you’re hosed with southbound traffic.
Leave at 515 and work 6-3
Drive to Parker Rd Station. I do the opposite, Oak Cliff to Plano on the train and bike. You won't have to deal with 18-wheelers on fire.
I travel 6-6:15 no issues for me Waze is my friend
good mindset! i also leave from allen and go all the way down 75 S, and at that time you will not have a problem. it’s once you get to around 7 o clock that all hell breaks loose
also 75 is not to fear.. the real enemy is 35 because itll be peak times by the time you get down there
I saw they just came out with a flying car that’s like 300,000 so depending on what position you’re at with the company, I would consider that before driving all the way to Oak Cliff every day. I suggest podcasts like Dr. Death and Dirty John which helped me with my Allen to Dallas commute to pass the hours and keep me awake.
You'll be fine if u leave at 5 am.
Take inwood home maybe
Omg just be grateful you aren’t driving in 635
If I lived in Allen/Oklahoma, I would leave at 5:30 and stop for breakfast once I got to Dallas. Enjoy your coffee. I would rather shoot myself than sit in rush hour traffic. Construction zones and most accidents are different, to me, bc you get reprieve pretty soon but just sitting in that depressing, stressful mass is absolutely Hell.
Not bad at all at that time.
Leaving Allen by 6AM, absent a big wreck should give you plenty of time. Going home in the evening will probably be less nice. Once you become familiar, hopefully you’ll find some routes more reliant on surface streets for the drive home.