Hmmm...safe is relative, I suppose...

I've been driving this route (see previous reply) for about 6 months, and I've developed enough situational awareness of the area that I don't feel very unsafe. Some parts aren't very well maintained, but I haven't seen any behavior that seemed threatening. I doubt I'd want to do it after dark, though.

I've abandoned some other routes, though...a number of years ago, I was driving a different route from work, and I think I was about 4 cars behind a drive-by shooting...didn't take that route too often after that, and every time I did I was hyper-aware.