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Hello All! I'm a disabled Veteran and contemplating a move to the Santa Fe area from Colorado Springs and wondering if ya'll could be so kind to answer a couple of questions, you know the good bad ugly type real answers. I know it's a lot to ask but if you have just one answer from all of these questions that would be greatly appreciated!!!
How is the public transportation in Santa Fe? Is it a rough city to get around without a car for daily errands and commuting? Are the wait times horrible? Are the busses clean and safe? Little quick background I have been on public trans my whole life NY, CHicago, LA, Hawaii, Colorado Springs, overseas so I am used to varying degrees of it
How are the bike lanes in the area? Is the city bike and walk friendly for daily errands and commuting? Are drivers aggressive making it unsafe to bike?
Does one have to live close to downtown to make all of the above easy or can one live more outside of downtown.
Can one get to the forest areas or nature easy enough by bike, bus, or on foot without trekking for hours to do so?
How are the VA services as the ABQ Veteran hospital and veteran satellite clinics? Colorado Springs is so bad I have to find another place. I would love to hear all the great and horrible experiences and if its improving?
I have read a lot about how there are all sorts of initiatives to clean up the streets. How is crime there? Is there a large homeless/transient/meth problem?
Are locals stand offish to new comers? Is it a welcoming community to new comers? How do you feel the community has changed over the last couple years?
Lastly how are the local politics? Are ya'll fighting for your rights and issues in the community? Is the local council helping shape the community or destroying it through corruption.
Thank you so much for taking some time to read all this and have a blessed day!!!
Quick response: I get the feeling public transport is okay within the city, and I've not heard any complaints about cleanliness or safety. Like anywhere, the walkability scores vary depending on where you live - so plan your living either within walking/biking distance or near a bus line. There is a commuter busline from Eldorado into Santa Fe, so you could live out of town in that community; I'm not aware of bus lines running in from other nearby, more rural communities. I see lots of people on bikes, and there are some good bike routes to places around town, but drivers here can be aggressive. The VA medical center in Albuquerque has a very good reputation; not sure about the Santa Fe CBOC. Go on to the county sheriff's website to check out crime stats in different parts of town; then compare them to the area around where you live now so you can compare. I don't think local politics are noticeably corrupt here in Santa Fe - but this is New Mexico after all. The folks here seem to be very friendly and welcoming - but I think it tends to be dependent on how friendly and welcoming newcomers are to those they meet. I have the impression of Colorado Springs as being a primarily right-wing, Evangelical community - but I may be wrong. If that is something important to you, then while there may be a small clique of that ilk here, you could find this town too liberal/progressive. I think it's fair to say most of us support gay rights, women's reproductive rights, don't wave our guns around, and keep our religious views to ourselves.
I wish you well in your search.
The Vet Admin is building a new hospital and Vet center that's supposed to have all kinds of bells and whistles, and a variety of treatments for PTSD, including treatments compatible with the tribal traditions in the area. It's said to be an innovative new program.
The main thing with public transit and biking is the heat. Winters aren't as cold and snowy as they used to be, so you're in some luck, there, but summers are getting hotter. Also, in a good summer, there are sudden rainshowers (this is a good thing, as it breaks the heat a little, and provides needed moisture), which could be inconvenient for a biker. But there are bike lanes around town.
As for walkability, it depends on where you live. The grocery stores aren't very conveniently-located, depending. So you'd want to locate yourself strategically. The more affordable rents are in the south end of town, and there are a couple of shopping centers there; one on the west side and one around the east side of the south end. There really aren't neighborhood grocery stores; it's not walkable in that sense, unless you're near downtown.
The buses are fine, air-conditioned, comfortable, safe. You'll want to avoid the barrio parts of town. Maybe someone could post a map outlining those areas.
"Forest areas and nature". Hmm..... there's an audubon center in town, located on the edge of the "national forest", however, in this high desert environment, what passes for forest is a bit different than what people in other parts of the country are used to. Mostly scrubby little desert junipers. But there are hiking trails around town, so you could get a map of those, and some of those areas are served by the transit system.
Great santa fe and Ruth4Truth. Thank you so much for your detailed accounts and helps solidify what we thought. Looking forward to a pre-move visit to see it will be a good fit for us. Have a wonderful day.
Great santa fe and Ruth4Truth. Thank you so much for your detailed accounts and helps solidify what we thought. Looking forward to a pre-move visit to see it will be a good fit for us. Have a wonderful day.
Check in with us re: what parts of town are more affordable while still safe, and near grocers, when you're ready.
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