Denver to Boulder commuter advice (Arvada, Westminster: subsidized, living in, buses)

[gottagetmovin]

Hello all,

I will be starting a new job in Boulder in a couple weeks and am trying to find a place to live (it's so hard!). Since I will be living in between Boulder and Denver, I'm trying to figure out the best route to take. 36 is not an option I've heard unless you just want to sit in bumper to bumper traffic. I will likely be living in north arvada, Westminster, or Broomfield. If any of you commute to Boulder from that area, can you provide the route you take and roughly how long it takes you. I'm changing from a work environment where it took me 3 minutes to get to work, so this will be an adjustment! Thanks!

[Mays Pierre]

I commute from Denver (just NW of downtown) to Boulder every day. I use 36 almost exclusively because there is no other good, continuous way to get from where I am to Boulder. I have a later schedule to try to avoid traffic, going in at 9 or 930 and leaving at 6. Doing this helps a lot, especially in the mornings, when the commute is usually only about 35 minutes (goes to more like 45 in the evening). The real issue is when it snows, that can make for terrible drives. From northern Arvada, you may have better options. You could go Wadsworth to 36. You'd still spend significant time on 36 but you really won't be going that far on it (about half my commute). You should also try taking either 70 or 6th Ave (depending on which you live closer to) to 93 and going up 93. 6th Ave is great, and I'd imagine 70 is also pretty free on most weekdays, as its traffic issues are more related to skiing on the weekends. A warning that 93 is only one lane each way so if anything happens you could have problems, but I've used it a good bit recently to get to Golden or Arvada from Boulder and it has been great.

[livecontent]

I have lived in Colorado 36 yrs and about 34 years in Arvada. I lived in many areas of Arvada. The most direct route to Boulder from Arvada is North and you can avoid Hwy. 36. You could go west to 93 and head north but I always hated that road. I have always liked to take Indiana, west on 128 for a short bit and then North on McCaslin. This will take you through Superior and then you can catch South Boulder Road west to Boulder. However, any of these roads are very problematic during winter with drifting snows and wind and sometimes 93 is closed.

Or, you can take the most relaxing way and take public transit by taking buses to Broomfield Park-n-Ride or Westminster Park-n-Ride and taking the Regional Bus into Boulder. With the opening of the Bus Rapid Transit in 2016, it will take less time on the bus. However, it will still be a long commute by Public transit but have less stress and less chance to be staled in traffic.

Your best bet would be to live close to work in Boulder. However, if that is not the case then I would live next to one of the BRT stations along 36 in Broomfield or Westminster at Church Ranch or the Westminster Park-n-Ride. Then your commute on Public Transit will be less and you will save money and have less stress. Keep in mind many Employers in Boulder provide a subsidized or free bus pass--one of the big advantages of that liberal enclave. With many circular and feeder buses in Boulder, you may be able to reach your work with public transit.

Or if you really like a long public transit trip, you could live near one of the station on the Gold Line (opening in 2016) and take the train to Union Station and catch the regional bus, B, to Boulder.

OR you could live in Golden (which is very interesting) and catch Regional Bus GS direct up 93 to Boulder.

As you can tell, I am a public transit fanatic and I know the system well and have used all the buses I have mentioned. However, I am retired and my life in not measured by time and when I get there is not as important as how I enjoy the trip.

Livecontent