Dilemma: Golden vs Boulder

[himain]

Originally Posted by livecontent

I want to say it is ridiculous to commute from Boulder to the Federal Center. There is really no good direct route. Going Down Hwy. 93 is not a good idea. Yes, it closed sometimes but not as much as some assume. However, even when it is not closed, in worsening weather it can be treacherous with wind and blowing snow; in good weather this hwy. is not designed for the heavy traffic with the narrow lanes, the hills and those who drive too fast. It makes sense to minimize your commute to be more safe and have more time for enjoyment of your life.

Many people who want to move here or only have experiences in Boulder as the OP, assume that that Boulder is the only place that offers good amenities. I think that is a narrow view.

Area in and around the Federal Center offers outstanding recreational outdoor venues. All areas of Denver have extensive parks, trails and open space. Many of these can be better than Boulder as many of Boulder areas are over subscribed by the density of the population.

In Lakewood we have Bear Creek Parks, Trails and Waterways. In Wheat Ridge there is the wooded trails along the Clear Creek Green Belt. Arvada is known for its extensive trail system. In addition all these city areas are supplemented by the extensive open space, trails and water resources of Jefferson County Open Space and Federal Forests which are nearby.

There are great housing and good urban venues nearer to the Federal Center than Boulder. Golden has been mentioned. There is Olde Town Arvada which is expanding fast with new restaurants, shops and soon a heavy rail station. Olde Town Littleton is also close with the Platte River Greenway. Adjacent to the Federal Center is urban amenities of Union Street.

Applewood has been mentioned where Wheat Ridge, Golden and Lakewood come together in about Youngfield and Simms. Take a drive down that areas--do a virtual drive from about West 26th south down Simms to Union and you will be very much surprised by the quality of the homes and the mountain and foothills view. This can easily be your very short commuter from great housing to the Federal Center and it will cost you much less than Boulder.

The West Suburbs and West Denver and North Denver have been attracting the elite professional class and as such eclectic restaurants and shops have been appearing. That fits nicely into the well established older areas of shops in EdgeWater, Wheat Ridge, Lakewood, Arvada and North Denver areas of West 38th, Tennyson Street, Highlands, West Highlands and Sloans Lake in West Denver. All these areas are very close and accessible.

Shall I also mention that these western suburbs of Denver are very close to the exciting attraction of Downtown Denver. It is even now easier to get to Downtown with The West Light Rail Line and soon to be opened Heavy Commuter Gold Line from Arvada and Wheat Ridge. Denver is becoming a very sophisticated and exciting place that is attracting the best and the brightest.

Being an ex-New Yorker, I can tell you that these best and brightest in history did not always come from the sterile schools of plasticized conformity of the pampered children of the well heeled. Jefferson County Schools offers much more and perhaps that much more of diversity and differences tempers and challenges one to succeed in the world where all is not perfection.

I moved to Boulder when I first moved here about 37 years ago. However, I soon realized that there was much more to the area than Boulder. I suggest you expand your horizon and point of view from your college years in Boulder. From what you described, you are well traveled and knowledgeable of other places; you have what it takes to see and appreciate more than Boulder in the Denver Metro Area. You can always visit Boulder. You are of the best and brightest and Denver and the Western Suburbs are inviting you-- répondez s'il vous plaît.

Livecontent

Live!! Weren't you my MiamiFL buddy???

Anyways, good post and I agree with everything he's saying

[MountainK]

Golden High School is not considered as one of the better JeffCo schools. Ralston Valley in Arvada (for example), is highly regarded but your original post did not reference Arvada. Here's a link to road construction projects in the city of Golden: Construction Projects | City of Golden, Colorado.

I would classify the brewery smell as intermittent.

The Colorado Mountain Club is based in Golden. Colorado Mountain Club | Colorado's leading organization dedicated to adventure, recreation, conservation and education

[JeffD in CO]

Originally Posted by MountainK

Golden High School is not considered as one of the better JeffCo schools.

I don't know what that means in practice. Only self-motivated or parent-supported kids succeed? The teachers are bad so he won't learn enough to succeed in college? Even with good grades he won't get into college? The other kids will beat him up?

I'm not sure whether it's better to be in a school where many of the kids are top-notch students and it's hard to be near the top of the class, or a more average school where a smart kid can stand out.

Here's a link to road construction projects in the city of Golden: Construction Projects | City of Golden, Colorado.

Thank you!

[jamesdenver]

Area in and around the Federal Center offers outstanding recreational outdoor venues. All areas of Denver have extensive parks, trails and open space. Many of these can be better than Boulder as many of Boulder areas are over subscribed by the density of the population.

Agree. I live east of downtown and occasionally bike to Golden on weekends - various route and trails. I always enjoy coming across new neighborhoods, fields, old homes and small farmhouses on big lots that are hidden between the major streets.

An aside to the Boulder Golden commute: An acquaintance in London didn't know anything about Denver (except Broncos and mountains) so I pulled it up on Google Earth to show him the general geographic area. He's works in transportation, and one question he asked was "Why isn't your ring road (beltway) completed?" And I explained the complications behind completing 470.

It made me wonder how much traffic the Golden/Boulder area would have if and when 470 is ever a full freeway.

[livecontent]

Originally Posted by jamesdenver

Agree. I live east of downtown and occasionally bike to Golden on weekends - various route and trails. I always enjoy coming across new neighborhoods, fields, old homes and small farmhouses on big lots that are hidden between the major streets.

An aside to the Boulder Golden commute: An acquaintance in London didn't know anything about Denver (except Broncos and mountains) so I pulled it up on Google Earth to show him the general geographic area. He's works in transportation, and one question he asked was "Why isn't your ring road (beltway) completed?" And I explained the complications behind completing 470.

It made me wonder how much traffic the Golden/Boulder area would have if and when 470 is ever a full freeway.

Excellent observation about wonderful areas and neighborhoods that are not seen!

I have often pointed out if people only take the highways and the main routes, miss out in really seeing and appreciating this area with its small farms, semi-rural areas, larger properties with horses with the still remnants of rural life in the past. These areas are often just a block off a main road and close to the city of Denver. In addition, there are parks, trails and water resources that are not as well known and not seen easily because they are in the hidden byways in the area.

Too many people make the assumption that being near Denver and its suburbs, you have less of an opportunity to enjoy the great outdoors of Colorado--that is so wrong!

I live about 6 miles from Union Station. In my immediate area, there is a reservoir with trails, a State Wildlife preserve, Clear Creek and its trails that go to the Platte or West to Golden, a neighborhood Park, a new 80 acre park being built with expansive water resources. I live within a few miles which are even closer to Denver to the large city parks and lakes of Rocky Mountain Lake, Berkeley Lake, Sloans Lake, Inspiration Point and many more parks.

People tout Boulder but Boulder is very dense with too many people and too much traffic as compared to many suburbs contiguous with Denver where one can find more open space with less people.

Livecontent

[Cloudship]

My sister in law commutes from Golden to Boulder. About an hour, but she takes the bus as she doesn't want to drive all the time. I have driven it myself, it is not that bad. Denver Federal Center is close to the southeast side of Golden, so it is not much farther. Coming from New England, that traffic is not bad at all.

Suggestion is to put more emphasis on where you want to live than where you work. A longer drive to a place you want to be will still be better than a shorter drive to a place you don't.