Ballwin Families Find Ways Around Health-Harming Commutes

ABC News reports a recent study done by Washington University here in greater St. Louis looked at over 4,000 commuters in Texas and found that those whose commute more, exercised less.

In addition to weight being correlated to commute time, blood pressure was also increased in groups with commutes over 30 minutes, despite exercise level. Both of these factors are predictors for leading morbidity and mortality causes like diabetes and heart disease.

As a suburb of St. Louis, many Ballwin and Ellisville residents commute to work. Some choose to carpool and park at commuter lots such as the lot at I-44 and 141, others choose to use sparse public transportation, and others come with different creative solutions to deal with their own daily drive.

Most people in Ballwin average a 30-minute commute. 

Dr. Colleen Noe, 25, and Kevin Noe, 30, are a Ballwin couple, deals with both sides of the commute coin. Colleen travels an average 30-minute one-way commute to her office. Kevin, however, is a short distance from his work as a Ballwin police officer. 

Colleen finds that setting a purpose to her commute helps her maintain the positive aspects. 

"Spending an hour each day commuting definitely increases my stress levels but I try to use my drive home as a way to decompress and reflect on my day," said Dr. Noe. "Unfortunately my commute will most likely continue for a while but it’s worth it because I truly enjoy going to work every day." 

The Noe's evening starts a little later than they would like, but in all, their commute is worthwhile for their family. 

Heather Hill, and Jake Geeseman, both 26, of Ballwin, had their son recently had their son Gavin. Both parents commute towards the west, with Hill as a guidance counselor for the St. Charles school district. Over 50 miles round trip, she said the drive can be exhausting, but that she also tries to make the best of it. 

'The long drive is stressful when you are running late or hit traffic and it is exhausting after a long day at work," said Hill. "I try to make the best of it by catching up on phone calls and getting some quiet time to myself."

In addition to the emotional and physical drain, Hill notes that commuting can cause strain in another department- financially, with gas prices. Hill has chosen a vehicle with better mileage and goes for bulk store memberships to get gas deals.

Still, its the best decision for her family.

"I plan on commuting for as long as I have to in order to stay in either the Rockwood or Parkway School District," said Hill. 

For those looking for different ways to get around the car commute, the Metro Bus service has a lot in Ohlendorf Park, which is schedule to remain during the construction of a new communications center. 

Cycling, a sport popular in the area, has offered enthusiasts an alternative to the daily grind while increasing their training time. a 10-mile commute can take about an hour, so work commutes may need some training and dedication. 

However, Karen Karabell of Commute St. Louis points out that 25% of trips we take in the car are under one mile, and half of trips are under three miles. 

After an hour drive home in the car, families could perhaps get in exercise and personal time by biking instead of jumping back in the vehicle that was part of their daily stress. 

"If we could encourage people to leave their cars at home for these short trips, we'd change the world," said Karabell. 

For those who don't feel comfortable riding next to traffic, Commute St. Louis has started a program, CyclingSavvy, to encourage safe cycling commute.