Phoenix, AZ vs. Denver, CO (living, people, Chicago, cons)

[annie_himself]

Originally Posted by MaricopaCountyResident

I'm not sure why transients are choosing Denver over Phoenix. Me personally, I can't stand Denver, mainly because it's so freezing cold and snowy. I want to visit Denver, but I'd do so in the summer, when there is no snow. Phoenix for me because there is no snow and the heat is better than cold.

That's because that's you personally.

[Tall Traveler]

Originally Posted by annie_himself

That's because that's you personally.

And most people that don't like the cold feel the same. My SIL has lived in Denver and Ft. Collins for 20 years and can't wait to leave the cold behind....she just sold her house and is moving to Florida. I will avoid Denver and Colorado until the summer also.

Wife and I love the Phoenix climate with sun and low humidity after years in the PNW.

[Mezter]

Originally Posted by Tall Traveler

And most people that don't like the cold feel the same. My SIL has lived in Denver and Ft. Collins for 20 years and can't wait to leave the cold behind....she just sold her house and is moving to Florida. I will avoid Denver and Colorado until the summer also.

Wife and I love the Phoenix climate with sun and low humidity after years in the PNW.

Okay, and some people prefer or don’t mind the cold. People literally visit and move to Colorado for the cold/snow.

[Prickly Pear]

Originally Posted by boomtown boi

Interesting observations! I think you're thinking of Colfax, and yes light rail or even BRT would make a ton of sense there. Unfortunately the local govt is just throwing more money at feasibility studies for a Colfax line, meanwhile our much smaller neighbor Albuquerque already has the ART line built and running on their equivalent thoroughfare, Central Ave. Awesome for them, embarrassing for us.

EDIT: I see you meant Speer - that also would be a smart place for light rail, as it would connect downtown with Cherry Creek plus dense areas between, but sadly that isn't even a proposed route yet. Not an RTD priority.

This is where Phoenix and Denver mostly differ. Phoenix has chosen to take some of our busiest bus routes (Central Avenue, Washington/Jefferson, and Apache/Main) and combine and lengthen one very strong, powerful line. Once our South Central extension is completed, which will be soon, we will have two light rail lines. Weak for a city our size but, I'm glad they are doing it this way rather than get a bunch of "commuter" light rail lines in that do nothing to actually reduce car dependency. I will admit the RTD lines that go north of Union Station tend to be much better planned than the ones headed south. My favorite RTD line - based on what little I know of Denver - appears to be the W line.

Another interesting thing about the RTD is the division between the ones that go to Union Station and the ones that go to Downtown. Y'all connected them with a free streetcar which is a good idea. When Phoenix resurrects our Union Station where our heavy rail/Amtrak will go, it will be approximately three blocks from any light rail station (north or east of the union station). Ours is not bad in theory but, a streetcar would be very beneficial.

Cherry Creek looks like a nice area, kind of reminds me of the neighborhood I live in here in Phoenix, Uptown/Biltmore area.

[annie_himself]

Originally Posted by Tall Traveler

And most people that don't like the cold feel the same. My SIL has lived in Denver and Ft. Collins for 20 years and can't wait to leave the cold behind....she just sold her house and is moving to Florida. I will avoid Denver and Colorado until the summer also.

Wife and I love the Phoenix climate with sun and low humidity after years in the PNW.

Congratulations

Originally Posted by Prickly Pear

This is where Phoenix and Denver mostly differ. Phoenix has chosen to take some of our busiest bus routes (Central Avenue, Washington/Jefferson, and Apache/Main) and combine and lengthen one very strong, powerful line. Once our South Central extension is completed, which will be soon, we will have two light rail lines. Weak for a city our size but, I'm glad they are doing it this way rather than get a bunch of "commuter" light rail lines in that do nothing to actually reduce car dependency. I will admit the RTD lines that go north of Union Station tend to be much better planned than the ones headed south. My favorite RTD line - based on what little I know of Denver - appears to be the W line.

Another interesting thing about the RTD is the division between the ones that go to Union Station and the ones that go to Downtown. Y'all connected them with a free streetcar which is a good idea. When Phoenix resurrects our Union Station where our heavy rail/Amtrak will go, it will be approximately three blocks from any light rail station (north or east of the union station). Ours is not bad in theory but, a streetcar would be very beneficial.

Cherry Creek looks like a nice area, kind of reminds me of the neighborhood I live in here in Phoenix, Uptown/Biltmore area.

Why do you prefer the lines going north? They are badly planned in my opinion. I used to live by the Federal Station on the G line, I was in biking distance although very uncomfortable and dangerous to ride to it. I drove there once just for the sake of going to a Pelicans game, I had to pay to park and then pay to ride, which is understandable if you're 20 miles out of the city, but this stop is only one stop away from Union Station. The G line also abruptly stops, when current freight lines run straight into downtown Golden, leaving the G line incredibly short and useless. The new B line is a joke for the foreseeable future, until its extended to Boulder, maybe Broomfield. The N line just makes no sense as far as a transit corridor. It bisects completely suburban and industrial neighborhoods, with plans to extend it further into suburbia.

The lines that run south actually go to areas where alot of people work and live, more densely than up in Arvada or Thornton. Centennial and DTC are major job centers, Englewood and Littleton are denser suburbs with street grids so they are far better connected to each station than anyone in Arvada or Thornton.

Now that I live in walking distance to Union Station, I wouldn't want to use the G, B, or N lines because I'd have to worry about a bus or uber at the station, as opposed to getting off near Broadway and being able to walk to my destination more safely.

[Tall Traveler]

Originally Posted by Mezter

Okay, and some people prefer or don’t mind the cold. People literally visit and move to Colorado for the cold/snow.

Hard for me to understand but that is correct.

[FirebirdCamaro1220]

Originally Posted by Mezter

Okay, and some people prefer or don’t mind the cold. People literally visit and move to Colorado for the cold/snow.

People who like to ski and/or snowboard. That ain't me...

[deepblue38]

Originally Posted by FirebirdCamaro1220

People who like to ski and/or snowboard. That ain't me...

How about snow in the middle of April? Rockies game snowed out yesterday in downtown Denver. More snow early next week. I've lived here over 12 years and definitely did not come here for the snow. I know some people do, but not my thing. I love the outdoors here, but prefer warm weather things over winter sports.

Last year, I left on a trip to the Midwest over Labor Day weekend. It was in the 90's in Denver when I left. It was 100 on the eastern plains of Colorado. I came back 5 days later with temperatures in the 30's and snow on the ground in the Castle Rock area (South Metro Denver). Talk about a shock to the system.

You literally have an 8 month snow season here most years (Oct-May), with some mild sunny days in between. It gets frustrating, because a lot of us, are ready for warmer weather. Every year I get older, it gets a little tougher to deal with. The Phoenix area is calling me.

[mhays25]

That probably does come with age. Or in my case, I'm just realizing how much I hate cold over time?

Working from home has been awesome weatherwise. No going outside unless I want to!

As a city traveler, I'd hesitate to go to either of these cities because of the weather (have been to both, mostly Denver a handful of times). Phoenix heat and my preference for shade and walking everywhere make it a hard sell, though I might go back in the dead of winter sometime. Denver is too hot in the summer and either too cold or too questionable for most of the rest. Maybe late May or early June?

[deepblue38]

Originally Posted by mhays25

That probably does come with age. Or in my case, I'm just realizing how much I hate cold over time?

Working from home has been awesome weatherwise. No going outside unless I want to!

As a city traveler, I'd hesitate to go to either of these cities because of the weather (have been to both, mostly Denver a handful of times). Phoenix heat and my preference for shade and walking everywhere make it a hard sell, though I might go back in the dead of winter sometime. Denver is too hot in the summer and either too cold or too questionable for most of the rest. Maybe late May or early June?

I think late May is the most beautiful time of year in the Denver area. It's about as green as it's going to get during that time, and you still see snow in the mountains. Temperatures are usually warmer, but that changes year to year.