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I have not posted for a time but I want to add to this discussion. I am a strong supported of a car-free or car-less lifestyle. I live in a suburbs of Denver and I have written much on this subject. Perhaps what I have written on this thread, that I started, may be helpful.
I am in my sixties and I need what all other seniors needs that is close good basic shopping, good public transportation and good access to healthcare.
I did live in NYC and Europe and I understand how it is to live with an excellent public transportation system. In the US, we do have cities that offer better public transportation and there is better public transit in the central core of many cities. However, one does not always have to live in the central core or necessarily in some of these larger cities.
One can create one's own good transportation “village” if one chooses wisely. You can easily pick many areas in the cities, towns, or the suburbs that are on a main bus route and have good basic shopping that is walkable nearby. What I mean by a main bus route is one that runs 7 days a week, from early morning to late evening, and runs frequently. You will find these bus routes more often on major roads and they will connect with other main routes. Also a main bus route would be a priority to run in bad weather or a labor strike.
You will will also find basic extensive shopping, on a main route, that is walkable nearby as stores tend to cluster together. A good basic large supermarket is important in a neighborhood. A large supermarket is many stores in one as you have the butcher, the baker and the candlestick maker (I never can resist saying that). You have a little walkable neighborhood of basic shopping in one store. It is even better if you live next to a large Super Walmart or Super Target.
With the main public transit route, one can easily get to needed healthcare as they tend to be along main bus routes. If not, then choose another healthcare provider. That is the main point, you have to choose wisely and have all your needs and wants available from Public transit. Of course, you cannot get to all destinations, so change your desires to fit the needs and wants that are necessary.
There are many such neighborhoods in all cities and suburbs that can provide a good “created village” of your own choosing. Many such neighborhoods can be found at the intersection of major roads where there will be more shopping, stores, healthcare and possibly more than one main bus route. You can easily choose to live on a side street in a nice house or an apartment. You will other amenities that serve these small neighborhoods such as parks, churches, recreational facilities, libraries, schools etc.
I have learned that many people do not leave their small “village” neighborhoods. They have all that they need. I have met people in NYC who never left their home borough, as in Brooklyn or Queens, and many who will not venture far from their neighborhood. It was the same in Europe and all places that I have lived. I have met people in towns and cities that never left their areas—and I mean never from the day of their birth. This attitude of being satisfied and happy in the smaller “village” becomes more prevalent as we age.
I live in a very walkable neighborhood with good basic shopping at the main road of a large King Soopers (Kroger) supermarket, a large Walgreen drug store, an Ace hardware store, a multiple movie theater, multiple restaurants, multiple care repair and fuel, banks, and assorted other shops and stores-- all within 1/3 mile from my house. There is a new Walmart, just 1 and 1/4 mile from house, just up this main road on this bus route and which has other stores clustered nearby.
The main bus is also right there and runs 7 days from early morning to late at night with service every 30 minutes. It connects with many other main routes and a large Park n' Ride, 3 miles north with multiple express and regional bus connections. Also, luck has shined my way, as a commuter rail station is now being built, 1/3 a mile from my house and will connect quickly with Downtown Denver and other rail lines.
I have a small park, just down the road, and a water reservoir with trails that is walkable from my house. There is a major creek trail that connects all over the region; more lake parks down the road that I biked to when I was younger and more able; now I have physical problems.
So, I live in my own “created” village in the suburbs of Denver that fulfills all my needs, wants and desires. It is helpful that Denver does have an excellent and improving Public transit. I own a car but for the last 25 years, I drove about 2500 miles a year, even when I was working, for I choose to use public transit. I want to eventually not own a car and not drive. I did choose wisely—you can do the same.
Livecontent
I'd imagine that living walking distance from light rail / Hwy 99 in an outer neighborhood or inner ring suburb of places like Portland, Seattle, or US 1 / US 30 / commuter rail lines near Philly, etc would fit right in with the scenario you've portrayed.
I have lived in such a "village" such as Live Content describes for over 25 years.
I moved to Portland OR 30 plus years ago from Chicagol. After living in various areas I finally settled in a neighborhood that at the time was considered "dicey" but there were lots of retirees living there because there was a Safeway and a Fred Meyer's (now Koger's) within a mile of each other. I chose an apartment two blocks from Safeway. Rent was cheap. A major bus line ran through the area and there are lots of shops and restaraunts about five blocks away.
The problem is, the neighborhood became gentrified over the years and rents are outrageous. The public transportation system is not nearly as good as it once was. I will be moving in the near future.
I will be looking for a new village in a different city. If the new neighborhood becomes gentrified over the next 30 years, I won't be around to see it.
The moral of the story is, I think, if you are looking for a "village" in which to live carless, don't choose a city with a lot of hype behind it to where everyone else is flocking.
I am hesitant about the Maine coast for public transport, other than Portland. Boston areas will have it but are quite upscale in terms of housing prices. You might check into Providence RI, or Carolina coastal areas.
Here's our short list for the East Coast, not necessarily in the named city, sometimes inner ring, depends on local crime situation, etc:
Richmond
Baltimore
Newark (DE)
Philly
Princeton
Providence
We're a bit gun shy about CT, it strikes us as the land of extremes, either mega wealthy IB / exec burbs or downtrodden wrecks like New Haven. Maybe that's just some sort of bias on our part. In any case we will also look at CT just to help decide.
Out West things a quite a bit more limited. Pretty much, we're talking Portland and maybe Seattle. Here in CA the issue is, to get to places that are low enough cost, in reality, such places have lousy transit and a significant set of social problems (white trash/meth, gangs, racial tension, etc).
Here's our short list for the East Coast, not necessarily in the named city, sometimes inner ring, depends on local crime situation, etc:
Richmond
Baltimore
Newark (DE)
Philly
Princeton
Providence
We're a bit gun shy about CT, it strikes us as the land of extremes, either mega wealthy IB / exec burbs or downtrodden wrecks like New Haven. Maybe that's just some sort of bias on our part. In any case we will also look at CT just to help decide.
Out West things a quite a bit more limited. Pretty much, we're talking Portland and maybe Seattle. Here in CA the issue is, to get to places that are low enough cost, in reality, such places have lousy transit and a significant set of social problems (white trash/meth, gangs, racial tension, etc).
Hmm, I'd scratch Baltimore off the list if you're looking for good, safe public transportation (outside of senior transit.) I can walk in my neighborhood at night and I can even walk to the grocery store, university, library, hospital, etc. But I hope to never board the regular transit bus that stops on the major thoroughfare that intersects with my street. Heck, I wouldn't even ride the light rail.
Out West things a quite a bit more limited. Pretty much, we're talking Portland and maybe Seattle. Here in CA the issue is, to get to places that are low enough cost, in reality, such places have lousy transit and a significant set of social problems (white trash/meth, gangs, racial tension, etc).
I'd also scratch Portland. Rents are outrageous and you have to pretty much live in the even more expensive neighborhoods to get good public transportation. Light rail is getting pretty scary with muggings and robberies being reported almost nightly on the news.
But if you like the Portland area, I would suggest the suburbs that are close to shopping malls. Or Vancouver WA where the cost of living is pretty moderate and there is bus service.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Minervah
I'd also scratch Portland. ...But if you like the Portland area, I would suggest the suburbs that are close to shopping malls. Or Vancouver WA where the cost of living is pretty moderate and there is bus service.
great bus service from Vancouver to Portland (~10 min, MUCH faster than MAX (and safer too)), save on your Income Taxes and live in WA. (Be sure to rent, as property taxes are adequate to 'choking') YMMV. Rentals are much cheaper in Vancouver, many are near / on bus line.
If you need a car for a trip to the beach or mtns, you can get one from enterprise for $9.95 / day, or priceline / hotwire. + there are Zipcars and some neighborhood 'loaners'.
Philly is huge and sprawling, and a lot of it is lousy neighborhoods- miles and miles of it. I think overall it's not a very safe city, and the downtown core of Center City is uber expensive. I never saw so much decorative ironwork in my life- including a house that had ironwork on door and windows, plus a huge decorative iron cage-like fence with a lock around the front.
I would not like to be an older person in Philly despite public transport.
Here's our short list for the East Coast, not necessarily in the named city, sometimes inner ring, depends on local crime situation, etc:
Richmond
Baltimore
Newark (DE)
Philly
Princeton Providence
We're a bit gun shy about CT, it strikes us as the land of extremes, either mega wealthy IB / exec burbs or downtrodden wrecks like New Haven. Maybe that's just some sort of bias on our part. In any case we will also look at CT just to help decide.
Forget Connecticut. It's bland and Hartford's prime is well past.
Providence, home of Brown University, has lots going on:
I'd also scratch Portland. Rents are outrageous and you have to pretty much live in the even more expensive neighborhoods to get good public transportation. Light rail is getting pretty scary with muggings and robberies being reported almost nightly on the news.
But if you like the Portland area, I would suggest the suburbs that are close to shopping malls. Or Vancouver WA where the cost of living is pretty moderate and there is bus service.
Realize we are going to be cashing out of one of the more expensive zip codes in the US (argh, yes, some of those people - ) so to us, anything that is on par with the better 2nd tier cities, cost wise, fits our roadmap. Our modeling suggests we could even live in NW, in a smaller place. Of course, this will not be happening for at least another 10 - 15 years, a lot can change in that time.
Afterwards, pretend you're H.P. Lovecraft. Go to Federal Hill to look at the fan lights. If you're really feeling Lovecraftian have crackers and sardines for dinner.
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) so to us, anything that is on par with the better 2nd tier cities, cost wise, fits our roadmap. Our modeling suggests we could even live in NW, in a smaller place. Of course, this will not be happening for at least another 10 - 15 years, a lot can change in that time.
