Parents are retiring, what's the safest area in Albuquerque?

[mortimer]

jrod2828 said:

> ... can only guess that the difference is due to different routes ...

My first guess was that the difference was due to different times.

There's rush hour traffic at 6 am.
There's more of it at 7 am.

Sometimes, leaving 10-15 minutes earlier makes for a 20-30 minute variation in time for lots of folks.

You can probably drive from deepest darkest Rio Rancho to anywhere in Albuquerque in less than 30 minutes if you are doing it at 2 am.

It might take you more than 30 minutes just to go from I-25 to Coors at other times (you pick the bridge).

[ManzanoWolf]

Originally Posted by VRW87114

My wife and I live in Ventana Ranch - West. It takes my wife 25 to 30 minutes to get to work at UNMH.

Yeah, my wife worked at Lovelace Medical Center on Gibson and it took her 45 minutes or less (depending on traffic) to commute during rush hour. That is well past UNMH.

[VRW87114]

Originally Posted by jrod2828

Honu and VRW..

I'm confused. Honu, it took your friend 1 hour to get to UNM during rush hour and it only takes VRW's wife 25-30 minutes from Ventana Ranch West. I'm confused. I guess I'll have to make this drive myself on my next visit. What roads are you guys taking? Paseo.. Almaeda? Something is odd about the huge difference in the 2 commute times from the same general area.

My wife takes Ventana Ranch West Parkway, heads west on Paseo, then south on Universe heads down the hill, continues on Unser, west on Western Trail, south on Coors, I-40 west, takes the last exit before the Big-I, stays on the frontage road to University, then heads south on University.

May sound complicated, but the drive really isn't to bad during rush hour. Also to avoid Coors. She sometimes takes Atrisco off of Western Trail to Quail or Ouray to hit Coors closer to the Coors - I40 interchange. I took the same route this morning at 7 am to head out of town and was past Moriarity in an hour.

[abqsunport]

don't you mean I-40 east, and probably paseo east???

[jrod2828]

Thanks for all the info. If I had a nickel for everytime I've typed that on CD forum I'd be able to pay for my moving expenses.

Mortimer.. you make a good point. Time of departure could also be the difference. And I'm looking for worst case scenario commutes. Not accidents but bad rush hour times. Also, it sounds like different routes are being taken. It seems that heading south to take 40 over is much quicker than cutting across the city.

Again, I'm going to make this drive on my next visit which will give me some idea but I'm not sure if I'm going to get enough of a sample size.. I might hit all the lights or there might be an accident, etc.

That's why I'm very interested in how long it takes people who have done the commute over a long period of time.

All that being said, great info everyone.. now where's my nickel?

[VRW87114]

Originally Posted by abqsunport

don't you mean I-40 east, and probably paseo east???

Exactly, my mistake.

[Billygoat the Kid]

Originally Posted by simpsonsrule

My parent's are planning on coming down to Albuquerque to retire. What's the absolute safest area for them to look for housing in? They are older, and I'm a little unsettled after hearing of the recent drive by shooting at the Embassy Suites last month.

If you ask me, I think that the Four Hills area is probably the safest in the metro area. There is only one way in and out (Four Hills Rd.) and you're surrounded by mountains and Kirtland Air Force Base, has a nice country club in the middle, nice and pricey houses, very low crime and it has more elderly and middle-aged people. Last 'big' crime I heard about Four Hills was a drug dealer running drugs and guns from his home there. That has probably been the only major bad thing that I have heard about in all my life living in Albuquerque that has come out of Four Hills.