Commute and Neighborhood Questions (Denver, Highlands Ranch: apartment, to rent, neighborhoods)

[schultz]

My girlfriend and I are moving to Denver in a couple months. She has a job at University of Colorado Hospital (the new facility), and I will be working at a Lockheed Martin site southwest of Denver (just west of Chatfield State Park). We are looking into different neighborhoods that would allow her to take a bus to work but keep my commute time under a half hour or 45 minutes tops.

From looking at the forum, some areas we are interested in are Capitol Hill/Governors Park/Cheesman Park, Washington Park, Platt Park area, and Highlands. Being fairly close to Colfax, she should be able to take a bus to work from these areas. I am wondering what kind of commute time I would have. What would the traffic be like going from these areas out to Lockheed Martin, and what roads would be the best to take?

If anyone has other suggestions for areas to live that are fairly close to some restaurants, shopping, nightlife, etc. please let me know. We are just looking to rent an apartment. Thanks!

[SummerLovin0480]

Hi schulz, and welcome to Denver! I live very near the Lockheed facility. I think from the neighborhoods you've mentioned, you could keep your commute under 45 minutes each way. Highlands would probably be the longest, and Wash Park would probably be the shortest. You have an advantage in that all rush hour traffic flows into downtown Denver in the morning and out in the afternoon. If you lived in say Wash Park, you'd be going the opposite way as most everyone else, because you'd be going south while most others would be heading north.

Santa Fe runs north-south from Highlands Ranch up into the City. I'm not actually sure where it stops once you hit downtown. It's pretty busy, but Logan can be a good alternative. My hubby drives all over town for work and he loves Logan as a Santa Fe alternative. You'd eventually have to head west to get over to the Lockheed area.

I really don't think Denver traffic is that bad. You can get all the way from the southern part of the metro area to the northern part in about an hour, so nothing is too far from anything else.

Hope this helps! Enjoy your time in Denver, it's great city.

[vegaspilgrim]

I'm sure I'm gonna get flamed for saying this, but I would not personally feel comfortable taking the Colfax bus everyday. Especially at night. Another option might be to live close to the old CU hospital (Colorado and 9th ave vicinity) and take the inter-CU hospital shuttle bus to the Fitzsimmons campus. The neighborhoods all around the old CU hospital area (Hale, Park Hill, Congress Park, City Park, Cherry Creek North, Hilltop) are all nice areas, some a lot more expensive than others.

[Katarina Witt]

As someone pointed out on another thread, the shuttle is being phased out. There is not a whole lot left at the old UCHSC campus. I would not want to take the bus to University Hospital, but for a different reason than vegaspilgrim. The gf will be working 12 hr shifts. Why add any more time to a commute by taking the bus? If you want any time to yourself on work days, I'd advise driving.

I also disagree that all traffic funnels to downtown during rush hour, and out in the evening. The only times I worked downtown, it was just an office with an address (I was a visiting nurse). DH has had a number of jobs here in 28 yrs and has never worked downtown. In fact, for about 20 yrs he worked in high tech in an area that is not considered one of the big high tech areas: Jefferson County. I know people who live in Wash park and work in the suburbs, etc. So traffic is going all over the place.

[Augie Daugie]

The Colfax bus can be a bit a scary for any women riding solo. My wife stopped riding the colfax bus after a couple of creepy incidents. If I had to choose a convenient rtd ride to/from the University Hospital, I would ride on the #20. It goes along 23rd between Colorado and Quebec and along 17th/18th from Colorado to Downtown. It has several stops within the Anschutz Medical Center complex.

I also do not envy having to do a commute to the Chatfield area from anywhere within the City of Denver.

[steveco.]

It wouldn't be all that bad since you would be going oposite of most commuters. Santa Fe drops you off right in the area.

[tfox]

The Lockheed site is REALLY far out. I love Capitol Hill but I think that would be an insane commute for you, though pretty good for your wife. I'd look at Platt Park -- that would give you a straight shot reverse-commute down Santa Fe (no one commutes SOUTH on Santa Fe in the mornings, at least not until you get to Littleton.)

[koakai]

Living near colfax I agree that it is not the most asthetic route to travel out to UCH. There are some nice bike routes out there from the capitol hill area though. 12th street will get you very nearr the hospital on a bike without too much stress from vehicles. If you need to get to south east denver you can hop on the cherry creek trail with no cars to contend with. I figure the commute would only be about 10-20 minutes longer on a road bike than fighting traffic in a car. The cherry creeke trail will also meet up with the platte river trail which will take you very close to chatfield state park

[mikalabrynn]

Originally Posted by schultz

My girlfriend and I are moving to Denver in a couple months. She has a job at University of Colorado Hospital (the new facility), and I will be working at a Lockheed Martin site southwest of Denver (just west of Chatfield State Park). We are looking into different neighborhoods that would allow her to take a bus to work but keep my commute time under a half hour or 45 minutes tops.

From looking at the forum, some areas we are interested in are Capitol Hill/Governors Park/Cheesman Park, Washington Park, Platt Park area, and Highlands. Being fairly close to Colfax, she should be able to take a bus to work from these areas. I am wondering what kind of commute time I would have. What would the traffic be like going from these areas out to Lockheed Martin, and what roads would be the best to take?

If anyone has other suggestions for areas to live that are fairly close to some restaurants, shopping, nightlife, etc. please let me know. We are just looking to rent an apartment. Thanks!

I am looking to live in the same areas....which would be the best choice commuting wise if I worked in Centennial (cross my fingers that I get the job)....

[steveco.]

Centennial is on the other side of I-25 roughly and quite a bit south also. If you are looking at central denver it would be a pretty rough commute unless you are working close enough to take lightrail