Inspiration
As a renter who’d repeatedly miscalculated commute times for new apartments, I saw a gap: generic maps don’t account for peak-hour traffic or real costs. I wanted a tool that helps people make data-driven housing choices—no more surprise long commutes eating into work-life balance.
What it does
CommuteTime Calculator lets users input a property address and 1-2 work destinations, select transit modes (driving, transit, walking, biking), and choose time periods (peak/off-peak/weekend). It delivers precise commute time ranges (min/avg/max) and cost breakdowns (daily/weekly/monthly) with traffic condition indicators.
How we built it
I started by mapping core user needs (dual commute support, cost transparency) then built a React single-page app. Integrated Google Maps API for address autocomplete and base route times, added logic to adjust times for peak hours (15-35% longer) and calculate costs (fuel/parking for driving, transit fares). Designed a responsive UI for mobile/desktop.
Challenges we ran into
Calibrating peak-hour time adjustments to reflect real regional traffic patterns took trial-and-error—balancing accuracy with simplicity. Also, ensuring seamless recalculation when users edit inputs (no page reloads) required optimizing state management in React.
Accomplishments that we're proud of
The tool prioritizes usability: no login, instant results, and side-by-side comparisons for dual commutes or multiple transit modes. Users can see at a glance which housing option offers the fastest/cheapest commute—exactly the clarity I wanted to deliver.
What we learned
I deepened my skills in API integration and dynamic data rendering, and learned to prioritize user validation (e.g., required address fields) to reduce friction. Most importantly, I realized how small, user-centric tweaks (like saving recent locations) make a tool far more valuable.
What's next for this project
I plan to add regional cost customization (local fuel/parking/transit fares), integrate real-time traffic data, and build a feature to compare multiple properties side-by-side. Eventually, I want to partner with real estate platforms to embed the tool directly into listing pages.
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