Friends of ours with kids (3,5,&7) may be moving to the area for a job in Temple. Any words of advice?

Good schools are important to them. Any areas to seek out or avoid? They want a great neighborhood.

Ohhhhhh.... Can of worms just got opened! I need the popcorn emoticon so I can sit back and watch the temple vs belton crowds.

stay away from ave g in temple. Belton schools are good, temple schools are good (I'm from belton, rib is from temple). Lots of great neighborhoods, some tougher areas but ave G is the worst IMO.

[This message has been edited by SoulSlaveAG2005 (edited 5/29/2013 9:51p).]

both Temple and Belton are fine schools.

if you want to live in a historic home in north Temple, I know a place.

Here we go!!!!

it all depends on how they define a great neighborhood.

in my view, a great neighborhood has big lots, mature trees, a nearby park, mix of older and younger families, and easy access to work, school and activities so that our family life revolves around the home, and not the car. I love neighborhoods in south Temple (Oak Creek, Canyon Creek, Willow Ridge) for these reasons. Our house is within one mile of church, a great public school (though we use private), work, HEB, the mall, Sam's, the hospital, etc.

most families i know are opting for newer construction in cookie cutter neighborhoods in west Temple with commutes of sometimes 25 minutes. so if that floats your boat, there's that.

Commute of 25 minutes from west Temple to where? West temple to downtown is about like that of canyon creek to downtown. To Scott and White, it's about 10 minutes from windmill or kasberg...

With kids that age I would live in Dawson ranch in Belton. Many families there with kids of similar ages and several culdesacs to live in. Elementary school is within walking distance. It's newer but not like the neighborhoods off of 2305. Of course housing budget is always an issue. With I 35 construction looming there's no best way to get to temple from Belton any more.

at 8 am it is definitely 25 minutes from Lakewood Ranch to Temple College. My friend can shave 10 minutes off by leaving for work 30 minutes early or 30 minutes late, but that's it. Similar heading west at 5 pm.

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Commute of 25 minutes from west Temple to where? West temple to downtown is about like that of canyon creek to downtown. To Scott and White, it's about 10 minutes from windmill or kasberg...

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I locked my keys in my Car outside of Grand Avenue last week. Drove to get them in North Temple and drove back. took 55 minutes.

Don't take me that long. Maybe I drive too fast...

Where are they gonna work? That's a big condideration

[This message has been edited by Captain Pablo (edited 5/30/2013 8:33p).]

317/Adams to 3rd/Central (Temple) is 6.0 miles and took me 9 minutes, and 15 seconds.

Wasn't rush hour, so yeah, I can see how that could double at 8am.

But, grand Ave. to north temple an hour round trip (I assume non rush hour since y'all were at a movie)? Really?

[This message has been edited by Captain Pablo (edited 5/30/2013 8:51p).]

I posted a similar thread a month or two ago. My wife and I looked at houses all over the Temple/Belton area and fell in love with one in Canyon Creek on a culdesac that backs up to a small creek.

The other finalist was a nice (but much more expensive) house out in Dawson Ranch.

I've got a nice 4 bedroom in Canyon Creek listed with Marc Mahler Remax.

[This message has been edited by Crusaders41 (edited 5/31/2013 5:44p).]

I posted the same thread about 5-6 months ago. Just now about to move down there (this weekend). Will be driving Saturday and Sunday.

For the reasons such as schools, close to daycare / preschool, close to work, and neighborhood we selected Dawson ranch. Hoping they get the neighborhood park in soon.

I live in West Temple off of 2305. I can be all the way to work in ROGERS in less than 25 minutes and I don't drive fast and have to make a difficult left turn on to 2305 with no light and sometimes have to stop and buy gas.

I love West Temple. There is a Scott and White pediatric center about two blocks from the house. Holy Trinity Catholic high school, a number of churches including the new First Baptist, a really nice walking/biking trail, and Belton elementary and middle schools very close. If you opt to transfer into Temple ISD, those schools are very close also, including Temple High.

I have fice choices instead of two for shopping and depending on what if needed have Temple and Belton Walmart (I hate Walmart but about once a month I need to go there). Belton is better. Temple and Belton HEB, and they to me are a tie, and the Target store that is about four minutes from the house.

If someone is taking that long to get in from the LAKE, they really must have issues. They have a flyover and a couple of lights?

The ONLY reason it takes ten minutes to the hospital is the traffic when you leave the loop and get on 31st street. While I love the Canyon Creek area, there are times of year it takes several light changes when you get to the area close to the mall.

If you are looking at 31 street, go a mile or so on out and those are nice looking subdivisions with Academy Schools.

Cameron. 30 minutes from Temple or Belton. Best football team in the area.

We are in Morgan's point. Love the quiet and proximity to the lake, but the cops can be dicks and there is a gang problem.

Gang problem in Morgan's Point? WTF?

Have you seen the deer out here!?!? Loitering on street corners and in people's yards. The teen pregnancy rate is killing our stats right now!!!

Oh. Gang = Deer?

Well alright then







[This message has been edited by Captain Pablo (edited 6/2/2013 5:51p).]

Gangsta deer.

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Wasn't rush hour, so yeah, I can see how that could double at 8am.

But, grand Ave. to north temple an hour round trip (I assume non rush hour since y'all were at a movie)? Really?

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really. well i say Grand Avenue. It was the CoC across the street but Grand Avenue was a better point of reference. Somebody driving 45 on 317 and hitting lights all across 2305.

317 is 55 mph. That someone must have had terrible luck with the lights. I usually cut over on the loop to industrial and I can be at my church small group in far north side (the addition by the cac in no time.

The only think that slows down 2305 is if you have the bad luck to hit the belton school bus traffic stops. That can make it take a long time.

Was later than usual today going to Rogers. School is out but I still had a few things to do so was aiming at an 8 am arrival. Made it on the nose. That said traffic on the look was really backed up where the turn to the left that leads to the va and tc is. That would be an issue for anyone, even South temple if they went that way.

If it is typical, I don't understand why the people don't take 31st to the light at the Churches and come into all of those places from the other direction.

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317 is 55 mph.

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That may be true but it sounds like he was stuck behind someone else going 45. 317 is horrible and dangerous. 2305 is an albatros that's only going to get worse. I avoid both but I am 1/2 a mile from 190 so I have many travel options. But from lake road in Belton there is no easy/quick way to shopping/dining in temple.

The 13th Street cut through off Charter oak in Belton isn't perfect, but that's how I sometimes go from Temple to Lake Road/Belton HS area..

I-35 South > midway exit > Charter Oak > 13th > Main > Lake Road.

Reverse it if you're going to Temple from Belton.







[This message has been edited by Captain Pablo (edited 6/3/2013 9:48p).]

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The 13th Street cut through off Charter oak in Belton isn't perfect, but that's how I sometimes go from Temple to Lake Road/Belton HS area..

I-35 South > midway exit > Charter Oak > 13th > Beal> Lake Road.

Reverse it if you're going to Temple from Belton.







[This message has been edited by Captain Pablo (edited 6/3/2013 9:48p).]

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FIFY

I appreciate all the thoughts. I'll share this thread with our friends.

What is their budget? I am over off of 2305 above Pea Ridge. I dont really like the new subdivisions since I would prefer to at least have some established trees.

2305 needs to have flyovers for the lights and 317 needs 4 lanes. Plain and simple.

Apparently the cost of rebuilding the bridge on 317 is a major factor. It's going to four lanes on the Belton side but the Temple sode may not happen for a while.

No to the flyovers sorry buddy. Without the light making some breaks in traffic, I would NEVER get out from my street and most of us that live along it would be in the same boat. Unless they go full controlled access with access roads to take us to where we can get in. I don't see that happening.

But there are not that many lights that I count between 317 and the loop Just three or four. One at pea ridge, one at the new cefco, one at the old cefco and if I remember correctly one at the donut shop. They could help by timing the lights so that if you make one and drive the speed limit, you make the next one, but even if they are timed, if you hit one, you would then most likely hit them all.

Until the construction finishes, no way is going to be really easy, but you can get to all the great shopping at Harker heights in a hurry from Belton. That to me is its main selling point. You can get to Temple and to Killeen in about the same time. Frankly I would look in one of the subdivisions out by Temple Christian. Or on the road from Belton to Little River or Holland if you like more rural property. Hartrick Bluff road lets you cut over to 31 street without getting on 35

i think flyovers with stops for the east/west traffic while north/south coming off old waco/s pea ridge etc would do the trick.

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Apparently the cost of rebuilding the bridge on 317 is a major factor. It's going to four lanes on the Belton side but the Temple sode may not happen for a while.

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Ugh. 2 lanes on main in belton, to 4 lanes, back to 2 lanes north of the Leon? Sounds like a bottleneck nightmare...