Hwy 287 from Longmont to Lafayette?

[kozamel]

Hi everyone! I've been lurking around here for a while and finally decided to post.

I am moving to Longmont, CO in March from Charlotte, NC. I AM SO EXCITED!

I found out that the company I will be working for is moving to Lafayette...I haven't had a commute over 10 minutes in 5 years...but the view will be worth it.

Anyway - I was wondering if anyone here was familiar with the amount of traffic on Hwy 287 from Longmont to Lafayette. Google maps says 30 mins commute time - but I know that is only if traffic is light.

Any help you can offer will be most appreciated.

Toggle Side Panel

Thanks!

[teshadoh]

It's not quite 30 minutes - 287 is a big highway with allowed speeds of 65 for several of the miles between longmont & lafayette. Most of the commuters will be on I-25, so you will only deal with Lafayette / Louisville & the US 36 commuters - not too bad.

[kozamel]

Thank you!!

[teshadoh]

Sure - and as a native to the neighboring state of NC, South Carolina - welcome to Colorado. You'll love it - but you will miss southern food here, there is very little of it, especially good BBQ & slaw dogs.

[colin]

You'll love it - but you will miss southern food here

[teshadoh]

That is about all that is good here in Longmont. Oops - sorry kozamel, don't mean to scare you off. But a lot of people love Longmont, for me though - it reminds me too much of my hometown Rock Hill, SC.

[RestedTraveler]

That is about all that is good here in Longmont. Oops - sorry kozamel, don't mean to scare you off. But a lot of people love Longmont, for me though - it reminds me too much of my hometown Rock Hill, SC.

[teshadoh]

Longmont is too far from Denver anyways, I work in Boulder but we had to find someplace cheaper & bigger to rent (still own in Atlanta). But I would say I get a vibe that is far too familiar to Rock Hill & does prove that these small cities like Rock Hill, Cartersville GA, Murfreesboro TN are all interchangeable. Except Longmont does have places to go to in downtown & of course it is in Colorado which is a great state to live in.

Food does even out but I still do get homesick. Colorado is a beef state, awesome steaks & quite surprisingly some of the best burgers - check out Cherry Cricket when you are back in Denver.

[kozamel]

deleted by poster

[kozamel]

been here a few months now...and having lived in Rock Hill (Winthrop grad!) I don't find the two alike at all. But to each his own.

We actually LOVE Longmont. We are 45 mins from downtown Denver, 20 mins from Boulder and 45 mins from Ft. Collins - and for us that is perfect. We head down to Denver 8-9 times a month for shows, Rockies games and other stuff, but can do most everything we need either here or in Boulder and we can visit all the breweries in Ft. Collins and be home in decent time.

Sure, we'd love to be downtown Denver, but then my commute would be 45mins 1w, my dh's an hour 1w, and Ft. Collins and Boulder would just be too far to bother with - not to mention the price of homes/rent in downtown.

Plus - every magazine you pick up these days has an article in it about how great Longmont is (there are a TON of great restaurants!!).

[teshadoh]

Ok - maybe I was a bit hard on Longmont & I admit I've lightened up since living here. I do love all the parks here, we walk our baby to at least 3 of them around our home & my wife takes advantage of some of the shops on Main Street (particularly the consignment shop) & of course the library is nearby. Also, I've figured out the easier routes to bicycle around to stores. Also of course I agree with the location - we are a short drive away from hiking in the most beautiful areas of the country & Longmont has most what we need, otherwise Boulder is 30 minutes away & the shopping along the I-25 sprawl corridor in Weld County provides plenty of options.

But - I'll still stick to my 'vibe' comparison, living here & especially after visiting Greeley & other remote towns has convinced me you can find rednecks almost anywhere in the nation. Just as the case was in Rock Hill, there is a distinct local hick vibe I get from some people, particularly those who don't like the Boulderites.

I have to admit - as much as I criticize Boulder & the 'ites', I wish we could afford to live there, especially since that is where I work. Longmont isn't bad, it is more walkable than RH, has a much better downtown - but I can at least say I would 'prefer' not to live here.