Commute advice from Windsor to Denver (Fort Collins, Erie: renting, how much, home) - Colorado (CO) - City-Data Forum

cyn2222 · 05-19-2007, 04:19 PM

Can anyone give me advice or information regarding the commute between Windsor and Denver? People I have asked have varying opinions on when to leave Windsor and what to avoid, etc.

I will be commuting to Denver for my last 18mos of college and will probably need to be there by 8:00AM. Any advice or opinions would be sincerely appreciated. I plan to purchase the HOV pass, but I am not sure how much that will help me. My school is downtown around 19th Street.

Thanks.

Cynthia

Dreaming of Hawaii · 05-19-2007, 07:09 PM

Why not just live downtown or closer to school? The drive during the moring "rush hour" is probably going to be at least an hour. That's in good weather with no accidents stopping up traffic. You would want to leave home by 6:30 at the latest to give yourself plenty of time. There are lots of accidents on I-25, and since it is a four-lane highway it stops up really quickly.

2bindenver · 05-20-2007, 09:22 AM

I don't think it is worth the time, travel, wear and tear or the hassle, let alone the money from Windsor to Denver on a daily basis.

Why put yourself in a stressful situation first thing in the morning? Take it easy on yourself. Put yourself in the best possible position to learn and grow...remove hassles from your life. Resist making your life more complicated than it needs to be.

cyn2222 · 05-20-2007, 09:32 PM

Thank you for the responses. I agree, if I did not have to I would not commute from Windsor to Denver. But, my school is in Denver and it is only for 18mos.

We are moving to Windsor in June, and I didn't want to uproot my family twice by living in Denver for 18mos and then move to Windsor, which is where we want to be.

Hopefully, everything will work out. Thanks again.

Cynthia

rya700 · 05-21-2007, 04:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2bindenver

I don't think it is worth the time, travel, wear and tear or the hassle, let alone the money from Windsor to Denver on a daily basis.

Why put yourself in a stressful situation first thing in the morning? Take it easy on yourself. Put yourself in the best possible position to learn and grow...remove hassles from your life. Resist making your life more complicated than it needs to be.

I agree.....my DH commuted to Thorton from FC for classes for a couple months....he got into a 4 car wreck (totaled our car) during a snow storm and decided it wasn't worth it anymore....not to mention the bumper to bumper traffic during the 'rush hours.' It is a horrible commute, esp. in the winter.

BlueWillowPlate · 05-21-2007, 06:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rya700

It is a horrible commute, esp. in the winter.

I agree.
I've made that drive during snowstorms; visibility can be really bad.
Even in good weather the traffic can be brutal.

sunsprit · 05-21-2007, 08:18 AM

Winter months driving on this road can be very treacherous.

Especially the North facing downhill portions of I25 on the rolling hills in the stretches past north Denver, worst on the areas by Erie up to Fort Collins. These portions form "black ice" and it's not unusual for traffic coming over the crest of a hill at a reasonable and prudent speed to have a completely blocked road in front of them, with cars all over the place and numerous fender benders. There's no place to go except to join in the pile-up or head off the roadway ... if there's enough control on the ice to even head off the road. You'll see people doing 360's/720's and sliding sideways all over the place before they crash.

The commute times you'll be driving are the worst for this problem. An AWD vehicle would be best for the winters (NOT a 4-wheel drive, like a Jeep or a SUV based on a truck or a 4x4 truck), but once you're sliding on this ice, you're really out of control and looking for an accident. The season for this ice condition can be anytime during October through April. Despite mag chloride and sanding the road, the ice build-up can be dangerous and totally unexpected.

On dry roads, with good traffic flow, it'd still be a difficult drive to make from Windsor to parked in Denver ... within an hour. At peak traffic times, I'd allow at least one and a half hours for the drive ... with any adverse condition, weather or traffic accident, it'll be a lot more.

sosobroke · 05-21-2007, 12:53 PM

The speed limit is 75 MPH but traffic slows are around 120th north of Denver. It is then stop and go for the next 15 milies and takes 30 mins to get through this strerch. The gas is getting close to $3.50 a gallon so firgure 300 plus bucks a month to get to scholl and back.

ColoradoHomefinder · 05-22-2007, 01:58 AM

I have to agree with the rest of the bunch. I have a friend who lives in Fort Collins with his wife, and she worked 3 12-hour days a week in Denver (as a Nurse). Even though she only worked 3 days a week, they ended up renting a room from a friend for her to stay at most nights she worked.

They were miserable, and the second she got an opportunity to workin FC, she took it, but if they had it all to do again, he would have moved to Denver, of she would have looked for a job in FC (even if it didn't pay as well).