Question about commute from Longmont vs Lafayette (Denver, Boulder: home, transfer)

[kbsd614]

Happy Saturday! My husband just accepted a transfer for his job to downtown Boulder. When we knew this was coming up, we began researching Louisville but after reading some of the threads, I'm curious about the commute from Longmont and Lafayette into Boulder. Also, where is downtown Longmont? We are looking to buy...budget is $650K. Thanks!

[Sobe Itsavized]

It'll make a difference what times he's commuting to and from between Boulder and Lousville/Lafayette. The usual morning rush hour has a ton more traffic going into Boulder rather than out. It's the other way around during the afternoon rush hour. Diagonal Highway heading northeast from Boulder into Longmont is usually always packed around 5:00 PM MST to 6:00 PM MST.

[DressageRider]

My commute from old town Longmont (near downtown) into Boulder (it was south Boulder, just off Foothills) was 30 minutes. As quick as 25 minutes and as long as 35 minutes.

"Downtown Longmont" is Main Street between 3rd and 9th.

[reed303]

Longmont to Boulder is apprx. 4 miles longer commute than Lafayette. However, CO Hwy 119, aka the Longmont Diagonal, is mostly 4 lane divided with fewer intersections than CO Hwy 7 from Lafayette. 7 is mostly 2 lane undivided, (some multi-lane close to Boulder) with lots of cross traffic, and hills that can be interesting in winter.

https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=L...=h&mra=ls&z=12

https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=L...=h&mra=ls&z=12

[kbsd614]

Thank you! That is very useful information!

[suzco]

Originally Posted by reed303

Longmont to Boulder is apprx. 4 miles longer commute than Lafayette. However, CO Hwy 119, aka the Longmont Diagonal, is mostly 4 lane divided with fewer intersections than CO Hwy 7 from Lafayette. 7 is mostly 2 lane undivided, (some multi-lane close to Boulder) with lots of cross traffic, and hills that can be interesting in winter.

https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=L...=h&mra=ls&z=12

https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=L...=h&mra=ls&z=12

To add, there are also other parallel roads between Lafayette and Boulder besides Baseline; depending on where you're starting and where you're ending, you might choose to use South Boulder Road, or Arapahoe, or Valmont, all of which connect Lafayette and Boulder.

[reed303]

BTW, if as you say the job is in downtown Boulder, does employer provide parking ? Parking downtown can be $$$$ in Boulder.

If job is anywhere near the RTD Transit Center at 14th and Walnut, consider using RTD from a Park-N-Ride near home. Most are free parking, some are not.

RTD

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=1800+...ado+80304&z=17

[Meowen]

My commute from Longmont to central Boulder takes about 20-25 minutes most mornings and I leave between 8am and 830am and I use the diagonal. Longmont is pretty big though and you can add 10-15 minutes to that if you live in Northeast Longmont. I live in southwest Longmont.

It's silly to say Diagonal is "packed" from 5 to 6 pm. I frequently head home during those hours and normally it is fairly free flowing except for the stretch between 63rd st and Highway 52.

[Sobe Itsavized]

Originally Posted by Meowen

My commute from Longmont to central Boulder takes about 20-25 minutes most mornings and I leave between 8am and 830am and I use the diagonal. Longmont is pretty big though and you can add 10-15 minutes to that if you live in Northeast Longmont. I live in southwest Longmont.

It's silly to say Diagonal is "packed" from 5 to 6 pm. I frequently head home during those hours and normally it is fairly free flowing except for the stretch between 63rd st and Highway 52.

Someone from New York City would say "it's nothing" and someone from Kansas could probably say "it's completely jammed up." It's all relative.

Is it packed? Yes. Is it busy? Yes. Is it packed compared to I-25 around Denver? Thankfully no.

[kbsd614]

Don't know about the parking...good point about RTD. And yes, traffic is relative. Just spent the week in Northern California and the roads there are very packed!