NY Times: Fuel Prices Shift Math for Life in Far Suburbs

[marmar]

Fuel Prices Shift Math for Life in Far Suburbs

By PETER S. GOODMAN
Published: June 25, 2008


ELIZABETH, Colo. — Suddenly, the economics of American suburban life are under assault as skyrocketing energy prices inflate the costs of reaching, heating and cooling homes on the distant edges of metropolitan areas.

Just off Singing Hills Road, in one of hundreds of two-story homes dotting a former cattle ranch beyond the southern fringes of Denver, Phil Boyle and his family openly wonder if they will have to move close to town to get some relief.

They still revel in the space and quiet that has drawn a steady exodus from American cities toward places like this for more than half a century. Their living room ceiling soars two stories high. A swing-set sways in the breeze in their backyard. Their wrap-around porch looks out over the flat scrub of the high plains to the snow-capped peaks of the Rocky Mountains.

But life on the edges of suburbia is beginning to feel untenable. Mr. Boyle and his wife must drive nearly an hour to their jobs in the high-tech corridor of southern Denver. With gasoline at more than $4 a gallon, Mr. Boyle recently paid $121 to fill his pickup truck with diesel fuel. In March, the last time he filled his propane tank to heat his spacious house, he paid $566, more than twice the price of 5 years ago.

Though Mr. Boyle finds city life unappealing, it is now up for reconsideration.

“Living closer in, in a smaller space, where you don’t have that commute,” he said. “It’s definitely something we talk about. Before it was ‘we spend too much time driving.’ Now, it’s ‘we spend too much time and money driving.’ ”

Across the nation, the realization is taking hold that rising energy prices are less a momentary blip than a change with lasting consequences. The shift to costlier fuel is threatening to slow the decades-old migration away from cities, while exacerbating the housing downturn by diminishing the appeal of larger homes set far from urban jobs. ......(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/25/business/25exurbs.html?_r=1&partner=yahoofinance&oref=slogin

[leftchick]

1. duh!

my husband and I saw this coming six years ago and moved our children to the city where we walk them to school. There are days I never get into my car. It is a huge stress reliever as well, as I am an awful commuter.

[Warpy]

2. I bought in an inner city neighborhood with a bad reputation

12 years ago. I knew what would come down the line eventually, and it certainly has. I'm also a reluctant commuter. I was also slowly going blind, and knew I'd need to be able to walk to amenities if I had to.

The north-south exurbs here will be OK. We just got a north-south commuter train and there's every reason to expect it will be extended in the future. People who live in the boonies in the far east and west burbs are going to be in serious trouble unless light rail is developed at some point.