Player Roles

Player 1

YOUR ROLE

You are a 19-year-old college student in your second year. You live in an apartment in this neighborhood because you cannot afford to live downtown.

Marriage and children are far into the future for you. You want to enjoy your life and have a good time while you are a university student. Most of your friends live in downtown Boulder. You really like to go with them to parties on the University Hill, or meet them regularly for some beers. You also enjoy going often to the movies with them. Therefore, most of your activities are on campus, around it, or in the City.

In order to pay for your studies and buy a car and you work on some of your free days for a company located between Boulder and Denver. To get there you have to go downtown and catch one of the Denver busses. It is sometimes really difficult to get to town from Gunbarrel, especially as it is quite a way from your apartment to the bus stop. Getting home is often difficult, as there are few busses in the evenings.

On this map there is an X on the spot where you live.

Player 2

YOUR ROLE

You are 25 years old and work at an office in Boulder. It is a 9 to 5 job, leaving some opportunity for shopping or other things after work.

Your spouse works in Denver and usually takes the only car you own as a couple, and works late hours so you often do the grocery shopping. When you need the car, this forces her/him to leave very early as the trip to work takes over an hour requiring several bus transfers. This is the reason why you seldom use the car.

Since she/he works late hours you often do the grocery shopping. Luckily the bus route is in acceptable distance to your home. But if you have been to the groceries and bring bags, it is a long walk and you’d wish the bus stop was closer to your home. In winter you hate walking to and waiting for the bus, or when you stay in town to meet with friends, walking in the dark is just a bit spooky.

On this map there is an X on the spot where you live.

Player 3 (single parent)

YOUR ROLE

You are a 33 year-old single parent. You do not own a car.

Your son Ben is now 3 years old and will hopefully go to kindergarten soon. A neighbor takes care of him while you are working. She has children the same age. Also, sometimes your Mom comes to take care of him.

You work half days in downtown, usually in the mornings. Then, you hurry back home to be able to have lunch with your son. In the afternoons you take care of other home responsibilities such as shopping, taking Ben to the playground, etc.

The bus route is really not close to your home. Sometimes walking to the bus stop feels farther and you wish it was closer. This is specially a problem when you have been to the grocery store and carry bags, or when you take Ben on trips, or when you return home late.

On this map there is an X on the spot where you live.

Player 4

YOUR ROLE

You are 35 years old and single. You want to be successful and really love your job, so you invest most of your energy into your work.

The company you work for is in the South Boulder, on Broadway. Often you need to drive to customers, as you are in the consulting business. Sometimes this includes troubleshooting, when machines do not run as they should or employees need to be shown how to handle them. This makes travel difficult to predict – you never know where the consulting is or how long it takes to get there!

You do your groceries in Gunbarrel. Occasionally you meet with friends downtown for some cocktails, or for the movies, usually directly after work

As the bus route is very far from your home, you usually take your car to work although you have a bad conscience, because you are aware of the impacts automobiles cause on the environment

On this map there is an X on the spot where you live.

Player 5 (married male)

YOUR ROLE

You are 50 years old and married to your spouse for 20 years. You stopped going to work after the children came. When they are both in high school you might start working again.

You have two children. The 15-year-old girl is going to high school in Boulder and participates in several of the afternoon activities the school offers. The boy is now 10 years old and also goes to school in Boulder.

Your family owns two cars. Your spouse usually takes the new car, as she works out of town. In addition to doing groceries for 4 people, you sometimes have to drive the children around to various activities. Your boy needs some extra classes for dyslexia. In addition, there are sports and music events at the high school that your daughter participates in or likes to see. On weekends your boy likes to go to Denver zoo and other attractions.

On this map there is an X on the spot where you live.

Player 6 (retired and married)

YOUR ROLE

You are 73 years old and married to your spouse since you were both in your twenties. Both of you are retired. You do not like to drive. However, the bus stop is so far away from your home that you seldom feel like taking the bus.

You have raised three children, and are happy to have four grandchildren. One lives in a suburb of Boulder with his parents, two in Denver, and the youngest grandchild lives on the East Coast of the US. You really like to see your grandkids often.

It is difficult for both of you to walk long distances because you feel insecure and easily tired when walking. You are afraid of tripping and falling down. Therefore, in the winter, when it is snowy and icy, you do not like going out of house. So, even going to the grocery store is getting difficult.

On this map there is an X on the spot where you live.

Player 7 (married)

YOUR ROLE

You are 40 years old and married to your spouse since your twenties. Both of you go to work. Your office is in downtown Boulder. Sometimes you can work from home, using the computer. Your wife works at the university.

Your daughter Ann is now 18 and will soon start college in Boulder. Since rent for housing is high in Boulder, she will continue living with you.

There is one car for the whole family. It is mostly used for evening activities or buying groceries. Sometimes when one of you decides to drive to work (s)he will drop the other one at its place of work. Ann is getting fond of using the car, so this is getting to be a problem.

On this map there is an X on the spot where you live.

Player 8

YOUR ROLE

You are 52 years old and commute on alternate weeks to the East Coast for your successful professional practice. Your home in Gunbarrel is a retreat for you from the hectic life you lead back east.

When you are in Boulder your primary concern is that you be able to rest, relax, and recharge. You only go out for occasional dining at your favorite restaurants. Your major concern is that your immediate neighborhood remain quiet and peaceful. You recently challenged a transportation district decision to place a bus stop next to your house because of the noise the bus made accelerating from the stop and the commotion that passengers made while waiting for the bus.

On this map there is an X on the spot where you live.