can you live in Denton without a car? (Dallas, Fort Worth: apartment complex, transporting)

[maryp3177]

Hi, my husband and I are planning to start graduate school next fall and UNT in Denton is one of our options. We're doing our relocation research early (we now live in Albuquerque, NM).

Currently we live about 2 miles from the University of New Mexico, where we both work. I walk most places or take the bus and my husband is a bike commuter, so we want a place where he can ride more than 6 months out of the year. We have lived in Albuquerque for 11 years without a car (and Albuquerque's public transit is pretty bad) and would like to know if we can do the same in Denton?

Are there decent (clean) apartments for rent around the university? Is the closest grocery store accessible by bike or walking? How about general "things to do" - do you need to have a car to do them?

Any help you can offer is appreciated! Thanks in advance!

[pfw]

There is a nice apartment complex near UNT but there's not a lot of them. Weather wise your husband will be able to bike more than 6 months of the year and there will be a few places that are walking or biking distance. However for many things to do you will need another form of transportation.

As for the bus system I stand corrected...it is possible to get around the city and to Dallas without a car. However there are many spots within the metroplex that don't have public transportation. If you decide to visit Grapevine, Southlake, Arlington, Gainesville, etc you will benefit from a car. Do you need one no and I too have lived without a car and was able to survive just fine.

[artsyguy]

Yes my friend doesn't have a car. He rides a bus.

[aceplace]

Denton has a bus system and also express buses to downtown Dallas. If you plan your residence around the bus system, you bike, and you live near the university, you can probably live in Denton as you lived in Albuquerque, with the added advantage of the Dallas-Fort Worth metro available to you. Once the express bus puts you in downtown Dallas, you have many more urban (and urbane) experiences accessible to you than you had in Albuquerque.

For example, Dallas has a couple of art film houses next to rail stations. The Magnolia has 5 art screens, and the Angelika has 8. Both are accessible via the DART light rail network. Yes, there are a couple of other art film houses, but not as convenient to transit, unfortunately. Museums in Dallas are accessible by DART rail or bus, and the Fort Worth museums are accessible via the Trinity Rail Express, another rail line.

Many people are so used to driving everywhere, they cannot imagine a life without a car. They will sincerely tell you that you cannot survive without one. They never explain or qualify their conclusions, howewver, so you cannot really trust them, or take them at face value. In my case, I'm something of a a transit wonk, and I understand how life without a car can be convenient, with a little planning.

Actually, I lived in Denton without a car for three years, as a college student. I'd occasionally borrow my mon's car, but only to impress the girls I wanted to get to know. It was a red convertible.

Here's a map of Denton's bus routes: http://www.dcta.net/Documents/DCTAdenton.pdf (broken link)

This is local transportation within the cities of Denton and Lewisville: Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA) (http://www.dcta.net/Connect.asp - broken link)

Here's a page describing the commuter routes to downtown Dallas: Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA) (http://www.dcta.net/CommuterExpress.asp - broken link)

Sometime late in 2010 or early 2011, the Denton County Transportation Authority will have a rail line connecting downtown Denton to the DART system in Dallas. You will be able to make the transition much better.

[ibgresearch]

The climate here certainly means that you can safely be outside the vast majority of the year. I have family in Alamogordo, New Mexico and they can't take our summers. I am strongly in favor of walking and biking but it is not easy. I hope it will improve in coming years.

I can tell you that riding a bike here is strongly affected by the humidity outside and the temperature inside. It is very easy to saturate clothing with sweat, then hit an instant 40 degree temperature drop when entering a building. We often keep our buildings at 60 degrees in the summer and 80 degrees in the winter.

Please understand that high-tech fabrics are not terribly affective in a humid climate. Moisture transporting base layers quickly saturate and won't prevent rashes. Waterproof breathable membranes feel like PVC.

A variety of rentals are available in Denton. Multifamily buildings range from large to small and old to new. Single family houses are easy to rent and the quality varies. A few properties from 1900 still stand. There are authentic lofts above the shops around the Square. A new "lofts" condo building will be built there in about 6 months. I hear that 2 bedrooms will sell for $160,000+ which is a bit high for the area. Talk to an apartment locator or realtor.

Central Denton has plenty of restaurants and bars around the Square and just north of UNT. UNT and TWU have a variety of sports and visual and performing arts to offer entertainment. Shopping is not so good though perhaps the city bus or a university shuttle may go to grocery stores as well as Golden Triangle Mall.

Look up the addresses of the major grocery stores in Denton, such as Kroger and Albertsons. View them on an aerial map such as google earth or dfwmaps.com and see if you like the path. I find that University Blvd, Carroll, and Bell are significant edges to cross.

[honu1]

I used to live in ABQ and currently live just outside Denton and attended UNT. Denton is not as bike friendly as ABQ. ABQ encourages biking to work and has those fabulous bike trails. Denton has few of these. Occasionally you'll see a bike lane but locals use them as turning lanes. That said, a friend of mine biked to school nearly every day and has survived without injury.

Now, before jumping on a bike, take the time to adjust to the humidity here. Its not as humid as say, New Orleans, but it is still quite humid compared to ABQ. It took me at least a month to go outside and feel like I could still breathe. Now I can play tennis in the 100+ degree summer days, but it is an adjustment period.

There are lots of apartments/duplexes near campus including at least one recently built but the majority of newer apts are away from campus. The local bus transit is improving and its possible to get around Denton via bus, but by and large, the public transit system in TX in general is not great. I don't think its worse than ABQ, but it still leaves a lot to be desired. The closest grocery store to UNT is the Sack and Save on I-35. Its right next to campus.

Best Wishes on your graduate school decision. Its a hard one to make (believe me!). UNT was the best grad decision of the places I applied due to the wide variety of job and training experiences available in the DFW metroplex. Also, UNT is part of a federation with TWU and I was able to cross over and take classes here in town without having to register separately at another school. This may or may not be relevant for your major.

[whitechocolate86]

Albertson's is the closest...and I think if you trasporting many items...a bike wouldn't be a good idea...however most UNT students go to Kroger from what I have seen...if you need any info about my town...I might be able to help you out...congrats on your grad school endeavors...

[socelizabeth]

I agree with honu1. I work at one of the universities. One of my student employees has no car. She has a hard time grocery shopping- She would have to go every couple of days as she can't carry more than 2 or three bags. And she like frozen veggies, so sometimes bussing doesn't work out. I take her to the store a couple of times a month so that she can stock up. Also, she finds getting to Dr appts difficult. Busses do not come as frequently as she would like. Do you know anyone in Denton? Would you be able to find a ride if you needed one? If so, then you will be okay.

[jabbit]

Originally Posted by whitechocolate86

Albertson's is the closest...and I think if you trasporting many items...a bike wouldn't be a good idea...however most UNT students go to Kroger from what I have seen...if you need any info about my town...I might be able to help you out...congrats on your grad school endeavors...

sack and save is closer.

[whitechocolate86]

Originally Posted by jabbit

sack and save is closer.

Very true...I never go there...sorry, but yes its closer