Thoughts on living near a busy street?

[Anonymous]

I'm curious for thoughts from those that live in a home that is on or very near a busy street. We are considering purchasing a place that borders a busy street. It has a backyard and otherwise great. I'm concerned that our kids couldn't play outside, learn to ride a bike there, that we would hear traffic often. And the potential resell of it. So I'm interested in thoughts from homeowners that live on or near a busy street....if you "made it work" (how?), or you regret living there, or are very happy, etc. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

We live on a busy street. At the time, we did not have kids, and it was what we could afford.

Cons: The neighborhood behind us does not have sidewalks, so I have to drive DD to the park. It can be noisy when we have the windows open and an ambulance or helicopter (we are near a hospital) go by. I will not allow DD to play in front of the house, I think it is too much traffic (we do have a big fenced backyard). My DD is pretty young, as she gets older the riding a bike thing will be a problem, we will have to drive somewhere for her to ride a bike -how silly is that?

Pro: When snowmageddon hit, we were one of the first streets plowed, and we got out pretty quick, which could not be said of the rest of the neighborhood. We also have easy acess to the beltway.

Would I do it again? The lack of sidewalks really sucks. If I could safely walk DD to the park and friends' houses I would consider it. As for resale, yes, it will impact it. But my house had alot of upgrades houses with better locations didn't, like double paned windows -no, I'm not one of the wealthy DCUMers

[Anonymous]

How old are your kids? We didn't buy because one of my friends talked about how much they had to do to be sure their two year old did not run out of the house into the street. But if you have four or five year olds then that could be less of a concern.

Also is the backyard fenced in?

[Anonymous]

OP here, yes, fenced backyard. I worry more about the noise than the safety. We can always put a fence around the front, and impose rule... the house is on a little, quiet side street (it just borders a busy street).

[Anonymous]

I would not with or without kids. I rented a place near a busy street and you hear the constant drone of cars speeding by. I like to keep my windows open during nice weather and not keep it closed because I hear car noises.

[Anonymous]

I lived on a street that was not super busy (only two lanes) but was a mile down the road from the main expressway exit into town. The car noise was not so bad but there were continually 18-wheelers driving by and they were so load, they'd drown out my TV, phone conversation, anything, if I had the windows open. So I never ever could have the windows open. Lesson: What kind of traffic is it? If a lot of trucks, think twice.

I'd also worry about air pollution from auto exhaust.

[Anonymous]

We just looked at a house with a backyard that was backing up houses on a busy road (artery into DC from MD). We decided not to put an offer on the house b/c of the noise and pollution. I didn't want to hear the noise or worry about the pollution everytime we were in the yard or opening the windows.

Just my opinion. I'm sure for others it wouldn't be a factor.

[Anonymous]

IME, you get used to the noise on a busy, well-traveled road; it becomes white noise and you don't notice it. But if it's incessant and intermittent like a circling helicopter, planes taking off or landing, emergency vehicle sirens or one car speeding by and then a pause and then another car, it can be irritating.

[Anonymous]

I live right on Conn Ave. and the noise, when inside the house is not that bad. If you are in the part of the house not facing the road, you don't hear anything. On most days I don't even notice the noise in the front of the house -- as someone said, it becomes white noise. You are more likely to notice the cars at night, when there are not many on the road and a single car is speeding.

The price of the house is less than the house one lot over true. But it the choice was more house for less money in a great school cluster vs smaller house in an ok school cluster, I'd choose this house again.

I should also mention that we have original single pane windows. I have a friend who lives on a street that is just as busy, but she has new double pane windows and you can't hear anything.

I second the point about getting out during snow.

[Anonymous]

Lived near corner of Connecticut and Nebraska. Would have worried constantly about the kids running to a busy street, and traffic went by FAST. Our street was also often used as a shortcut, so speeding cards trying to shortcut the wait on the larger street were also a hazard. It was surprisingly loud in our house if the windows were ever open. I would greatly prefer a quieter street with kids. Wouldn't have purchased that house myself (husband did so before we were married).

[Anonymous]

I prefer the activity of our busy street to the sleppyness of the streets behind us. I SAH and it makes me feel like people are around. Even during the blizzard we saw people quite often whereas my mom on a quiet neighborhood street thought the world had ended. I love it. Our front yard is fenced so we can play there too. I love it.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't. My parents live on a busy street which was only moderately busy in my childhood but is very busy now. The street is never going to get less busy, and will only get busier. People are not sympathetic because after all, you bought on an arterial road. Getting out of the driveway at rush hour can be hard.

[Anonymous]

This may not be helpful. We live on a dead-end street with sidewalks. The older kids set up nets and play hockey in the street as well as basketball and other games. No matter the weather, one sees people outside walking dogs and pushing strollers. The neighborhood is alive. Although I don't love our house, I've grown to love the neighborhood. It's not utopia, but I think it's a good place to raise children. And, you make the most of whereever you live. You have to live somewhere and there is no perfect street or neighborhood.

[Anonymous]

A bigger issue and related issue with a busy street that has truck and bus traffic is ground vibration. If the pavement is smooth, no worries, but if there is worbling on the surface or worse pot holes, it will shake the house potentially causing foundation cracking (especially with older houses), etc. That kind of shaking WILL keep you up at night.

That said -- with a fenced back yard I wouldn't worry to much.

[Anonymous]

Also, I think it depends on how busy we are talking -- like a Rockville Pike, or a busy secondary road like Democracy Blvd? I think as long as you are not on the busy road, it would be ok.