Commute from Monument to DTC area (Denver, Colorado Springs: appointed, construction, quality of life)

[jvarga77]

Good afternoon, all...first time poster, long time lurker...I currently live in central NJ and work in NYC, with a commute of just under two hours, door to door...

I just accepted a position on Park Meadows Drive, located right around the intersection of 470 and I-25. I'm curious if anybody is familiar with the commute from Monument/Larkspur area up 25. Google Maps puts it at about 40 minutes from Monument, but I'd like to know how accurate that is during commuting hours.

I've been doing quite a bit of research and I'm looking for a minimum 3 bed/2 bath with a cap of around $2250 per month. Based on what I've seen, I can go quite a bit lower if I head south, but more than an hour commute is not something I want to do, as part of the reason for our move is more family time. My best friend lives in Roxbourough Park, so I'm trying to stay within a reasonable drive to him, as well as work.

Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

regards,

James

[2bindenver]

James,

Take a look around Parker, Castle Rock, Highlands Ranch, Centennial, Littleton first.

You will be disappointed and LATE the first time they close the highway either at Monument or 1-25 & Lincoln.

Welcome to Denver (and her suburbs)

[jvarga77]

Thank you, 2bindenver...those are certainly my top picks, just toying with the idea...is I-25 & Lincoln a common location for highway closure? I got stuck in I-25 traffic that was horrendous, closer to the city center, but was hopeful about it south of 470...

[2bindenver]

Monument Hill is the high elevation point, and gets more weather and more closures.

Do not drive to you qualify, if quality of life is why you moved.

[jvarga77]

Originally Posted by 2bindenver

Monument Hill is the high elevation point, and gets more weather and more closures.

Do not drive to you qualify, if quality of life is why you moved.

Great point...thank you for your thoughts!

[davidv]

I have driven I-25 south from the DTC during rush hour. It's ugly.

The road is congested by 3 pm and it is absolutely miserable by 5 pm. My niece had a basketball game in Pueblo that started at 7:30 pm. We left at 4 pm. We got to Castle Rock around 4:45, to Larkspur around 5:20, to Monument at 5:50, to Colorado Springs by 6:30. We barely made the start of the game.

The slow drive was all congestion, there was not a construction project nor any accidents along the way, just too much traffic for the roads. Even Roxborough would be much easier.

[Phil P]

I would say don't. No traffic time is about 45 mins (which isn't bad) but with traffic it's like 1 hour on a good day, 1.5 on an average day, and 2 on a bad day. That means 2 hour commute daily if your lucky, and that could stretch up to 4 hours a day on crappy days, which happen more often than you would think. I hated when I drove down to the springs on weekends, I couldn't imagine it every day. Traffic is rarely bad in the north Springs near monument.

I say no unless you get a job on the south side with weird hours (like 11am and 8pm) where you could theoretically make it 35 mins.

[jamesdenver]

It's also very congested on weekends. Springs folks coming up for Denver events (sports, shopping at Park Meadows/Castle Rock) - or returning from mountains via 285/470 and funneling back south.

It's a beautiful drive, but not one I'd want to make every day.

[Gorges]

If the purpose of your move is to increase family time, commuting from Monument isn't the way to do it.

[Pequeño_Bonsai]

Originally Posted by jvarga77

Good afternoon, all...first time poster, long time lurker...I currently live in central NJ and work in NYC, with a commute of just under two hours, door to door...

I just accepted a position on Park Meadows Drive, located right around the intersection of 470 and I-25. I'm curious if anybody is familiar with the commute from Monument/Larkspur area up 25. Google Maps puts it at about 40 minutes from Monument, but I'd like to know how accurate that is during commuting hours.

I've been doing quite a bit of research and I'm looking for a minimum 3 bed/2 bath with a cap of around $2250 per month. Based on what I've seen, I can go quite a bit lower if I head south, but more than an hour commute is not something I want to do, as part of the reason for our move is more family time. My best friend lives in Roxbourough Park, so I'm trying to stay within a reasonable drive to him, as well as work.

Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

regards,

James

Hi OP:

I probably wouldn't go any further south than Castle Rock. The winter can increase drive times when there's ice/snow and for whatever reason there are always accidents on I-25, especially between Castle Rock and Monument.

Having also originated from the east coast, lived in DC and CT, I know what you're facing with traffic and can say that while the roads can be congested it's nothing like what you're currently experiencing. (Read: you'll go slow but it's not a parking lot in the majority of cases.)

I semi-regularly commute from CR to the DTC and the drives times are not bad - especially if you can leave a little early or a little late. There are also back roads you can take should the highway have an issue.

Good luck and welcome!