Fastest Route from DTC to Broomfield (Denver, Arvada: insurance, house, neighborhoods)

[NKP]

I just recently started a job in Broomfield, right off the 36 (at 287) but live in the DTC area at the moment. I am taking I25 to 36 and it takes me 45-50 minutes each way. Besides highway 470 is there another faster route I can take? My work hours are a bit flexible, but I prefer not to go in early, but rather later (leave the house around 8am).

Any feedback is greatly appreciated.

[bullfish15]

You are already traveling the most feasable route.

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by bullfish15

You are already traveling the most feasable route.

Agreed. You could do google maps or mapquest, but I don't think you'll find a better one. Move up to Broomfield.

[zionvier]

Originally Posted by Katiana

Move up to Broomfield.

Option 2:
Instead of buying a new luxury car, buy this guys plane located in englewood for $62k. 1977 PIPER TURBO ARROW III: Single Engine Prop Aircraft - AeroTrader.com

1. Park it at Centennial Airport
2. drive to the airport in the morning
3. fly to the Broomfield Airport.

But on second thought, when you factor in the cost of the plane, maintenance, fuel costs, parking costs, and needing another vehicle stored at the Broomfield airport it might not be that cheap.

Not to mention that it would probably take longer during the transition periods of getting out of the car, doing the preflight check, and getting cleared for departure.

Of course, then there's that added expense of having to actually get your license.

So (long story short) unfortunately, there really is no other feasible route that will take less time.

[Pilot1]

Originally Posted by zionvier

Option 2:
Instead of buying a new luxury car, buy this guys plane located in englewood for $62k. 1977 PIPER TURBO ARROW III: Single Engine Prop Aircraft - AeroTrader.com

1. Park it at Centennial Airport
2. drive to the airport in the morning
3. fly to the Broomfield Airport.

But on second thought, when you factor in the cost of the plane, maintenance, fuel costs, parking costs, and needing another vehicle stored at the Broomfield airport it might not be that cheap.

Not to mention that it would probably take longer during the transition periods of getting out of the car, doing the preflight check, and getting cleared for departure.

Of course, then there's that added expense of having to actually get your license.

So (long story short) unfortunately, there really is no other feasible route that will take less time.

Ha! I'm always looking for an excuse to fly my plane, but commuting from Centennial to Broomfield via Jeffco (Rocky Mountain Metro ) would not be one of them. Heck by the time you drive to the airport, get the plane out of the hangar and preflight its 45 minutes right there.

You were joking, right?

[Dreaming of Hawaii]

OP, you are lucky that you can do that commute in 45-50 minutes! I commute from the DTC to downtown during the middle of rush hour, and it usually takes 35-40 minutes.

[livecontent]

Why seek out only the fastest route??? Try thinking about the most interesting route; the safest route. Take a route that will give you a chance to explore the metro area; get exercise; meet people; do some shopping and have a good meal. That Route would be any way, on a side road, street, parkway, to from your destination.

I lived in Arvada; many years ago I worked at Inverness Park. Now, I did take the Highway occassionally but it was such a hassle and sometimes not the safest of experiences. Also, I missed so much about the Denver that I wanted to know. I would pick different routes through different neighborhoods; near parks I wanted to visit; near restaurants and bars I wanted to try. Many times I took my bicycle, changed clothes at work and biked along the South Platte, Highland Canal; or Chatfield.

I would get to visit interesting neighborhoods like along South Prince Street, Downing Street, Asian Area on South Federal, Antiques and Restaurants on Broadway-the Baker neighborhood and Old Englewood.

My commute was more about the journey than the destination. Of course most of my sojourns occurred after work because I would have the time to idly drive home. It was a great way to unwind from the office tension and I was less in the mood to take my aggression out on my fellow drivers.

However, on a nice morning, I would get up early, choice a park to walk, and a new greasy spoon restaurant on the way. Many times, I took a bus--just to explore bus routes and neighborhoods. One time, I biked to work, all to way from Arvada to Inverness but I was too tired to bike back and got a ride.

Now I realize that some people have to get home quickly; pick up the kids; make dinner; have activities, but most of the time--I am willing to bet most people, it is just a rush to sit in front of the TV. I have met people who grew up in Denver Metro who do not know about the neighborhoods, street, towns and other amenities that exist off the highway--all they know is what they see flashing by as they speed home. That is a real shame.

I was always amazed at the amount of co-workers who would ask me about alternate routes home when the highways where jammed--and they lived here for years. That is one reason, I am able to contribute opinions about many areas in Denver--I have been there, on foot, on the bike, on public transit or driving casually to see and know the great areas in which we live.

Driving off the highways is sometimes the fastest because I can avoid traffic backups very quickly by taking another route. It is also much safer, especially during severe winter weather because you can stay on the main routes that are plowed and avoid the people who speed home to nothing.

Just my thoughts... I no longer drive on the highways; I am never in a hurry; I am getting to old to fight the aggressive driver--It is better for me and them, if I stay out of their way. Maybe this is just one of many ways to
Livecontent

[vegaspilgrim]

Originally Posted by livecontent

Driving off the highways is sometimes the fastest because I can avoid traffic backups very quickly by taking another route. It is also much safer, especially during severe winter weather because you can stay on the main routes that are plowed and avoid the people who speed home to nothing.

Wrong. Driving on surface streets is WAYYY more dangerous than freeways, statistically. This is actually proven with data from the NHTSA:
FARS Encyclopedia: Crashes - Location

If you look at the tab titled, "Fatal Crashes by Speed Limit and Land Use - State : USA, Year : 2007" under the urban land use columns (as opposed to rural), you'll see that roads with speed limits of 35-40mph (ie, most surface arterial streets) represent the single largest number of fatalities, followed by 45-50mph speed limit roads. In fact, there are more fatal urban crashes on roads with 30mph or less speed limits (ie-- neighborhood streets) than on roads with 60mph or more speed limits (freeways).

Also, if you look at the tab titled, "Fatal Crashes by Number of Lanes and Trafficway Flow - State : USA, Year : 2007," you'll see that two, three, and four lane roads have exponentially more fatal crashes than roads with more than four lanes (which would represent most freeways in Denver).

You may not personally feel comfortable driving on freeways, and so for you staying off freeways probably is a good idea. But statistically your claim is not substantiated for the overall US population.

Second, regardless of which type of roads you choose to drive on, urban driving is NOT the time or place to be looking around and smelling the roses. Certainly not on a weekday when people have to show up to work on time. Driving is serious business, a means to an end. Freeways are the most efficient means of accomplishing that task.

[livecontent]

VegasPilgrim,

You are misreading this data and it does not say what you are stating in your post. I am not going to get into a discussion or educated you about reading statistics; I will allow you to believe what you believe.

Driving, reasonably, on a road, other than a high speed motorway is significantly safer than and this data does not take in all the variable; size of measured population, it only addresses speed; it says nothing about the type of highway, only lanes, which can be applied to all highways and roads.

Urban driving is what you as an individual desire to do safely; not what you define per your way of driving. I said nothing about driving around looking at everything and not paying attention; I meant to say that idling driving slow and stopping to see the sights along the way---is that not what recreational driving and motoring is all about--it does not always have to be in the country.

I am not going to get on a nitpicking tangent. I was just stating my reflections. My point was that the journey, to and from work, can be a time to do other activities on the way and become familiar with the city and the environment vs. driving quickly home and going out again. It is more energy efficient and also staggers the traffic and allows people to relax.

I have driven much more and farther than you on many roads, obviously because I am older, and I am not afraid or a danger to drive on the highways--I just choose not too. If I have to take a highway; I am very relaxed and in control vs. the young fast drivers who think that they will live forever. That is why my insurance is extremely low and my driver record is the best and has always been good. You should be happy there are drivers, like me, who maintain excellent safety records and allow other people to go on their way, unmolested. I do hope that you can arrive, alive, at my age and experience.

I do not always post as I have many activities; even being older and ill. I am now sitting in a house and it is very chilly outside, so it is a good time for me on the computer. My posts are minimal over the many years I have been on this forum and I have see much in Denver. Also I am retired, housebound, ugly, not as talented as you; I can be allowed some stupid activities.

You, on the other hand, are sitting in sunny, warm, southern California-an area you probably have not explored, and you are new there, and yet you have extreme amounts of posts, over a short period, at all hours.

When I was your age and in college, I was not about to be sitting in front of a computer terminal at all hours, (no PCs, no internet)---I was out exploring life with my fellows or studying or often chasing girls---not always successfully, but again it was the journey, not the destination, that made it a pleasure.

Get out and explore your environment and do not take these forums too seriously; you are getting too excited about my observation, which are mine to be accepted or rejected. You are certainly young, good looking and very intelligent--you have more to offer to others, and benefits to obtain, than sitting in front of a dumb machine.

Livecontent

[vegaspilgrim]

Actually I've done a lot of exploration here, Denver and Phoenix-- and places I've travelled. Exploration is my middle name. You must not have seen my dozens of photo tours. Most of the photo tours were done by driving to some parking lot and then walking from that point on for several miles. The other ones were my friends driving while I took pictures out of the window as a passenger. First two years when I lived in Phoenix, starting college there, I didn't even have a car, and explored the whole city on bicycle. In any case, I'm not really sure what you're saying or what you're trying to argue, (I think we're both arguing here for the sake of arguing) but have it your way...

Back to the OP, 45-50 minutes from DTC to Broomfield is good time, considering the distance! I think realistically you either have to accept that or move up to the north side of the metro.