Possible?: More millenials want liveable neighbourhoods, more transit, etc.

[colorisnt]

I'm a millenial, I guess, and I can't forsee myself living long-term in an area sans-public-transit. I really hate driving and don't if I don't have to. I've just returned from being abroad first in Rwanda and then for three weeks in the UK. I used to live in the UK and very much missed the bus system. I was in Manchester, a relatively large city, and never had an issues getting around. There's a big bike culture there and if I lived there, I would bike everywhere. It's a very accessible city.

I currently live in an area where public transit is basically a big joke - buses don't run at night when I come home from work/school. Buses don't run mid-day at regular intervals. In fact, the buses don't even get within a mile of where I need to go and are not very reliable. I gave up trying to take the bus after the 3rd time I took it and they randomly changed the bus route for two weeks without alerting customers. I ended up walking a mile and a half to get where I needed to go in the heat. No thanks. I would have rather ridden there - it's only a 2 mile ride from where I lived! I hate the driving.

That said, the city tries to be bike friendly. They put bike lanes up everywhere, of course, but you can park in them, so I end up finding the ones close to where I lived were dangerous to go in and out of in times of heavy traffic. Other lanes are so narrow and go between two separate lines of traffic, so I try to avoid them and would rather take the lane for my own personal safety. The best thing we have is the MKT/Katy trail. I am moving right up behind it this year and will commuting to and from town as often as I can. I'm still not sure how much more friendly the city is than my hometown, though. And at least at home, I can take the South Shore/Metra to get into Chicago proper. I can't get to a major city safely at all sans-car where I live. STL and KC are both 2/2 and a half hours away by car. There is a bus to STL, but it drops you in a super sketchy part of town which I am not comfortable navagating on my own. I miss living in a metro area.

I really am a city girl. I honestly would have a better quality of life in a huge city than out in the boonies just because driving stresses me out that much. I have OCD and the lack of control of other drivers causes me to stress out. If I get an offer abroad, I'm likely to take it because I don't really have much to keep me here and most of Western Europe is far better with public transit than is most of the States.

[shootingstar]

Hope at least your commuting by bike works out well for now.

There might 4-5 big cities that would fit cycling/transit needs very well with their infrastructure, culture, support in the U.S. Be at least open to that.

[colorisnt]

Oh I would be, but health care is another huge concern for me as well as politics. I just don't feel like I fit in in the states much anymore. It'd have to be a big northern city. The heat in MO kills me. I have determined I could never live any place that hot again haha. Minneapolis would be an awesome place to be. I hear nothing but good things about their transit/bike infrastructure.

I'm happy not to have to worry about being hit by a car while climbing a very steep hill on the way home. I had a close call last year that made me scared to do it anymore.

[Eden]

You would probably like Seattle. Very little hot weather, OK bike infrastructure (but you have to resign yourself to hill climbing), decent public transportation that is growing, and relatively liberal politics.

[shootingstar]

Originally Posted by Kiwi Stoker
I really don't undertstand people who commute for an hour or more to get to work.

Try this for a simple situation:

My husband's job is in Provo.
My job is in Salt Lake City.

Living in either of those places means an hour long commute for one of us.

(I can't even write anything about living in Provo--I just end up shaking my head and laughing.)

I did have up to 1 hr. long commute one way either by subway (maybe faster by only 10 min. or the same) or by cycling when I lived in Toronto for 14 years. I worked for several different employers in different parts of the city. (Yea, I switched employers..)

It's simple kiwistoker:
a person doesn't always have ideal work locations for the job that they really want that fits their career /salary needs. I accept that. At least I didn't have the stress of driving for that period of time. I could zone out on the subway ride or relax (abit more) on a bike route that was 80% bike path /bike lane for a 30 km. daily round trip between home and work.

Color: If I didn't say it earlier in this post: I am also a city gal. I'm not going to kid myself....after staying with friends living in small Canadian towns, population under 10,000 or even less for a few days over the past few decades while on vacation, I know cannot live in these areas beyond several months to 1 year. Unless it did have public transit/under 1 hr. commute to a city.

I just found out that a sister is now at least having her 14 yr. old son take the transit bus himself from swimming lessons. They live in mid-town Toronto, in a semi-surban area but a 10 min. walk to closest transit bus stop.

I noticed her daughter a 10 yr. old and now into competitive gymnastics who also plays non-competitive ice hockey, complained whenever we walked beyond 15 min. when I vacationed with them this summer. How ironic, her enthusiasm for her chosen, planned sports but she is chauffered to her activities (because there's no choice for parents) yet she hates walking. To me, that is not a good state of affairs. (Her parents are aware of this since both parents are physically active themselves.)

My niece is a trim, muscular slim girl --for now.

[indysteel]

Try this for a simple situation:

My husband's job is in Provo.
My job is in Salt Lake City.

Living in either of those places means an hour long commute for one of us.

(I can't even write anything about living in Provo--I just end up shaking my head and laughing.)

This is similar to our issue. We work in opposite directions so we moved to a point halfway between. We each drive 50 miles a day. There are no public transport options for either of us. Welcome to Middle America. When I lived in downtown Indy, I often walked to work and was able to ride nearly everywhere, although I was not car free. I miss that very much, but some things just can't be helped. One of would have to change jobs fir this situation to change.

[malkin]

When I was 20, I knew perfectly well what I wanted.
Looking back, I guess I didn't exert enough control over some of the variables.

[colorisnt]

Eden,

Yeah, that or Portland. My Aunt lives there and it is apparently a huge bike city Living in a town of less than a million is really just not in the cards for me. I a biding my time until I can get the heck out of where I live now (2.5 years). Even just being within an hour of a larger city would be a good compromise, but again, there would have to be public transit.