i may be moving up to Chicago in the next year, and i wanted to know how driving/parking is in the city and around the city (possibly Aurora). i like driving, and don't want to sell my car. is it as bad as people are telling me. keep in mind they don't live there, haha.

just wanted some input or advice.

thanks!

 

Well Aurora is 45-50 mi from Chicago. Do you really know where you are going to be if you move here?

There are a lot of S2000 owners who live IN Chicago. Parking can be a PITA, or at least expensive. If you live in the suburbs, public transport can get you into downtown Chicago pretty easliy, and it is cheaper to live there.

There are areas where traffic is a biatch, but once you learn the ways to avoid you can easily get where you want. There are plenty of back roads to go play on, and quite a few road courses in the area.

Good luck.

 

BTW -- I just read your sig. Nice cars. I have a 2004 Z06. Great car. on your '02.

 

yeah, aurora's quite far from chicago. if you're in any suburb that's like not right next to the city you'll need a car to get around. in chicago, you don't need a car, but it's fine driving around. i have to commute out to NW suburbs everyday from chicago, it's not that bad. parking is pretty bad, but you'll need a garage anyway if you're keeping your current car.

 

Aurora is like the outskirts of Vegas... no fun, pretty much like the desert, except without the sand and cactii... more like grass and... well, that's about it. (j/k)

The city can be a bitch, personally, I would take the train or bus everywhere if I lived downtown... i'm there all the time for school, I take the train to get around, it's not bad.

Parking - EXPENSIVE in the city

If you are moving to the suburbs and are going to work downtown... your best bet is northeast... close to I-94, nice neightborhoods, 20 minutes to downtown in normal traffic.

Oh, and if you are a smoker, stay out of cook county! they are charging over $7 a pack! ****ING NUTS!!!

...that's about it

 

thanks for all the help guys! yeah upon closer examination of a map, Aurora is too far out there for me, i'd most likely end up on the Northside of Chicago, or somewhere close to Buckland. i'm just glad i wouldnt have to totally give up driving



ruexp67. nice car to you as well! Z06s are fun as hell arent they!? i do miss my S2000 sometimes though.

 

Yep. They are fun. Thankfully I was also able to keep my S2000.


N of the City can be pretty expensive, and despite what ChicagoS2k assures me, everytime I go near Evenstan it's like a parking lot trying to get around. The Western suburbs, Like Naperville area, have some deals going now with new construction. You would be further from the city (and closer to the backroads) there with a decent trainride to the city. NW, near Schaumburg, is less congested than the N side and a little cheaper to live in, but without any new construction to speak of, there are not as many "deals" to be had.

Quite a few of the S2000 Meets have been happening in the Schaumburg area. A lot of the 'vette meets are a little further south, Downer's Grove, St. Charles, etc. So take your pick from that.

If I were moving to the area, didn't know anyone, and worked downtown, I would probably look along the Metra Train line that goes through Naperville and try to live somewhere close to that line. Check out http://www.metrarail.com for information on the commuter trains. There is a second light rail system here we call the EL. It goes out into some of the suburbs, but not very far. It is good for getting around once you are in the city.

 

 

uhh.... that's in Lake Michigan. Ha ha ha...

 

I live on the Northside of the City... right by Wrigley Field. I don't drive ANYWHERE. I always take a bus, train, taxi... or walk. The only time I drive is when I'm going out to the suburbs or to a race.

2 parking spots = $200/mth