Looking for info on drive from Woodland Park to Schriever AFB (Colorado Springs: house, neighborhoods)

[Navypilotwife]

We have orders to Colorado Springs and are looking to live in an area with at least a 1/2 acre (more would be better) lot and trees. When I went on the house hunting trip a couple of weeks or so ago, I learned that being in Colorado Springs is probably not where we want to be. I am looking at the Woodland Park or Black Forest/Monument areas. My parents live in Woodland Park and, of course, are pushing us to live there too. They are telling me the drive from WP to Schriever will be much better than driving to Schriever from Monument. They say Monument always gets the worst of the snowfall. Can anyone give me an unbiased opinion? Does anyone out there drive from WP to Schriever for work everyday? If so, how long does it really take. Mapquest and Google have it at approximately 1 hour, but I don't know what the real time is with morning traffic.

Thanks! Any information is very much appreciated.

[captain_hug99]

I think Black Forest would be better than Monument or Woodland Park. You can then jump on Mark Scheffel or 24 to get to Schriever. From Woodland Park, you'd have to go 24 east and across Colorado Springs. There is NO good east/west corridor that won't make you lose brain cells every time you drive it.

If I had to rank in order the towns with the better commutes I would say, Black Forest, Monument (stay on the southern side) then Woodland Park.

As far as what you are looking for, there are some treed neighborhoods with 1/2 acres, but it won't be a lush forest like Black Forest and Woodland Park. These are usually older neighborhoods. CSprings is funny, you have developed neighborhoods around annexed city portions. Many of the annexed portions have larger lots and more trees.

[md21722]

To get from anywhere in WP to anywhere in COS you have to take US 24 through Ute Pass. Though parts of US 24 are similar to an expressway, it also has plenty of red lights and traffic to slow you down. Is it acceptable to come in late or work from home when the roads are bad from weather? I think Black Forest is your best bet, especially if you are looking on the West side of WP.

[GreenScoutII]

Yeah, if you're going to be stationed at Peterson or Schriever, you're not going to want to make the commute from Woodland Park every day...

The reasons why aren't so much related to distance as much as they concern not having any kind of efficient route from point A to point B. You'd have to deal with Ute pass every day, not much fun in the Winter. Trust me on this. Then, once you get to Colorado Springs you'll be on the extreme west side and having to get to the extreme east side. One of the biggest transportation problems CS has is the lack of east-west mobility. Count on a minimum of 1 hour in good weather and light traffic. It could take much, much longer.

Seriously, I think you'll be much happier in Black Forest or even the southern part of Monument (as others have suggested).

Just my two cents worth though!

Good luck and welcome to Colorado!

[ladyjag45]

My husband is an officer in the USAF and makes the commute from Monument to Schreiver every day. It takes him approximately 50 minutes, but he says it's a pretty drive with little traffic. He does not take the interstate, but goes a back way to Powers blvd. We do get lots of snow, but WP surely gets it's share according to the weather reports. We live in a large subdivision with 3/4 acres called Woodmoor. All of the homes are custom built, so no cookie cutter look. We really like it here, moving to the area in June. We also looked in Black Forest. where the homes are on 5-6 acre lots, but could not find a home we liked that also had a lot we liked. We like the feel of Monument, which is very small town and friendly. The schools here are excellent as well. Black Forest is either District 20, which is another very good school district, or District 49, which is less desirable. I don't know very much about WP, except that is is a pretty little mountain town. It seems much farther removed from things, but that's just my opinion. Good luck with your move!

[Marcy1210]

You do not want to commute from Woodland Park to Schriever every day. Woodland Park usually gets much more snow than the Springs and that makes Hwy 24, the only road out of town (so to speak) slippery and slow. It's a 4 lane divided highway, with no lights between Woodland Park and Cave of the Winds, but it can be nasty when it snows. Having lived in Divide with hubby working in Woodland Park for 35 years, I could drive down the pass blindfolded, but I wouldn't want to commute to Schriever from there. I agree that either Monument or Black Forest would be better. Good Luck and welcome to Colorado!

[Terytee]

Agree with other posters here.....Woodland Park to SAFB is driving from one extreme to the other, across town. Not so bad in the summer, but I wouldn't want that commute in the winter.

If Woodland Park and Ute pass weren't hard enough, when you get toward the East side of COS where SAFB is located, it's all flat prairie and the weather gets rough out there as well. High, high winds and it's just a 2 lane country road. Black Forest, Falcon, etc....not as scenic, perhaps, but much easier.

Save yourselves some headaches and find a location with a short commute. No reason to intentionally have a long one.

[Arrby]

Originally Posted by Terytee

If Woodland Park and Ute pass weren't hard enough, when you get toward the East side of COS where SAFB is located, it's all flat prairie and the weather gets rough out there as well. High, high winds and it's just a 2 lane country road.

I make that drive about once a month each way. Every time I have been across there during a snow storm the big problems were all out east on 94. Ute Pass gets to be slow going at times, but the wind and drifts out on the plains gets pretty scary.

[Marcy1210]

NavyPilotWife, I know you said you wanted land with trees, but there are ranchettes out east where you can get a house with land. It will not have trees, most likely, but you will be close to Shriever and you'll have beautiful views of the mountains. You might look into Falcon or Ellicot to the east of Schriever, or Security/Widefield to the west. The commute would be much shorter, and much easier.

[otowi]

A lot of people like to live in Colorado Center or the new housing developments on Marksheffel if they work at Schriever, due to proximity. I don't know if I'd like it, but some folks sure do.