How has Fort Collins changed over the past 15 years? (The Good and the Bad) (Denver: how much)

[BonsoirLittleLuna]

My husband lived near Fort Collins about 15 years ago and he really liked it there at that time. I have only been to Denver. My husband is now looking at a job opportunity right in Fort Collins and we are trying to get some information about how much it might have changed over the past 10 or 15 years. I know housing is more expensive and it has become a very popular place. Here are the types of questions we have:

• Does it feel a lot more congested/crowded overall?
• Is traffic bad/worse?
• Have amenities improved? What are your favorite parts of the area now?
• Is it hard to "get away" from people when doing things like outdoor activities (camping, hiking, etc.) since the population has increased?

Thank you for any thoughts!

[wilberry]

Yes , yes, yes, yes

[Shuffler]

^^^
Agree with above. Projections show 10M people in CO by 2050, no doubt mostly crammed in along the Front Range between CO Springs and FC. Have fun with that.

[Mike Weber]

As a Fort Collins resident most of the past 45 years, I have been noticing the changes most in the past few years.

The traffic in town seems to have become more tedious in the past year or two, but still nothing compared to major metro areas I have visited. The drive to Denver has become miserable almost all of the time, so I find myself avoiding it when I can. If flying out of DIA, we like to schedule early flights and drive to Denver super early in the morning.

There are still places to get away for recreation, but they are a bit harder to find. The parking at local trail heads is often full by early morning on weekends and holidays. I encountered 38 hikers and 9 mountain bikes on my trail ride during lunch yesterday (Thursday) on the trails along the front side of the reservoir. Weekday recreation is great, if you can fit it into your schedule. Instead of camping in the lower Poudre Canyon, I find it is easier to find available spots in the Red Feather area and in the mountains outside of Laramie.

In spite of the changes, I still love the proximity of recreational opportunities and the weather / distinct seasons. The town is still not very culturally diverse, but seems to be getting a little better. The dining options seem to be getting a bit more diverse, as well. Seems like more stores are popping up, but we are not into shopping, so I don't know about quality.

We travel extensively nationally and internationally, and I always enjoy coming home to Fort Collins.