Interstate 70 in Colorado
Route information | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Maintained by CDOT | ||||
Length | 449.589 mi[1] (723.543 km) | |||
History | Designated in 1956 Completed in 1992 | |||
NHS | Entire route | |||
Restrictions | No hazardous goods allowed in the Eisenhower Tunnel | |||
Major junctions | ||||
West end | I-70 / US 6 / US 50 at Utah state line | |||
East end | I-70 / US-24 at Kansas state line | |||
Location | ||||
Country | United States | |||
State | Colorado | |||
Counties | Mesa, Garfield, Eagle, Summit, Clear Creek, Jefferson, Denver, Adams, Arapahoe, Elbert, Lincoln, Kit Carson | |||
Highway system | ||||
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Interstate 70 (I-70) is a transcontinental
The United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) lists the construction of I-70 among the engineering marvels undertaken in the Interstate Highway System and cites four major accomplishments: the section through the Dakota Hogback, Eisenhower Tunnel, Vail Pass, and Glenwood Canyon. The Eisenhower Tunnel, with a maximum elevation of 11,158 feet (3,401 m) and length of 1.7 miles (2.7 km), is the longest mountain tunnel and highest point along the Interstate Highway System. The portion through Glenwood Canyon was completed on October 14, 1992. This was one of the final pieces of the Interstate Highway System to open to traffic and is one of the most expensive rural highways per mile built in the country. The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) earned the 1993 Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement Award from the American Society of Civil Engineers for the completion of I-70 through the canyon.
When the Interstate Highway System was in the planning stages, the western terminus of I-70 was proposed to be at Denver. The portion west of Denver was included in the plans after lobbying by Governor
Route description
Colorado River
I-70 enters Colorado from
I-70 exits the valley through
Glenwood Canyon
East of the city of Glenwood Springs, the highway enters Glenwood Canyon. Both the federal and state departments of transportation have praised the engineering achievement required to build the freeway through the narrow gorge while preserving the natural beauty of the canyon.[4][5] A 12-mile (19 km) section of roadway features the No Name Tunnel, Hanging Lake Tunnel, Reverse Curve Tunnel, 40 bridges and viaducts, and miles of retaining walls.[6] Through a significant portion of the canyon, the eastbound lanes extend cantilevered over the Colorado River and the westbound lanes are suspended on a viaduct several feet above the canyon floor.[5][7] Along this run, the freeway hugs the north bank of the Colorado River, while the Central Corridor of the Union Pacific Railroad (formerly the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad) occupies the south bank.[2]
To minimize the hazards along this portion, a command center staffed with emergency response vehicles and
Rocky Mountains
The highway departs the Colorado River near Dotsero, the name given to the railroad separation for the two primary mountain crossings, the original via Tennessee Pass/Royal Gorge and the newer and shorter Moffat Tunnel route.[9] I-70 uses a separate route between the two rail corridors. From this junction, I-70 follows the Eagle River toward Vail Pass, at an elevation of 10,666 feet (3,251 m). In this canyon, I-70 reaches the western terminus of US 24, which meanders through the Rockies before rejoining I-70. US 24 is known as the Highway of the Fourteeners, from the concentration of mountains exceeding 14,000 feet (4,300 m) along the highway corridor.[10] Along the ascent, I-70 serves the ski resort town of Vail and the ski areas of Beaver Creek Resort, Vail Ski Resort, and Copper Mountain.[2]
The construction of the freeway over Vail Pass is also listed as an engineering marvel. One of the challenges of this portion is the management of the wildlife that roams this area. Several parts of the approach to the pass feature large fences that prevent wildlife from crossing the freeway and direct the animals to one of several underpasses. At least one underpass is located along a natural migratory path and has been landscaped to encourage deer to cross.[1][11]
The highway descends to
Clear Creek
The freeway follows Clear Creek down the eastern side of the Rockies, passing through the Veterans Memorial Tunnels[13] near Idaho Springs. Farther to the east, I-70 departs the US 6 corridor, which continues to follow Clear Creek through a narrow, curving gorge. The Interstate, however, follows the corridor of US 40 out of the canyon. The highway crests a small mountain near Genesee Park to descend into Mount Vernon Canyon to exit the Rocky Mountains.[2] This portion features grade-warning signs with unusual messages, such as "Trucks: Don't be fooled", "Truckers, you are not down yet", and "Are your brakes adjusted and cool?".[14][15] Runaway truck ramps are a prominent feature along this portion of I-70,[4] with a total of seven used along the descent of either side the Continental Divide to stop trucks with failed brakes.[1]
The last geographic feature of the Rocky Mountains traversed before the highway reaches the Great Plains is the Dakota Hogback. The path through the hogback features a massive cut that exposes various layers of rock millions of years old. The site includes a nature study area for visitors.[4][16]
Great Plains
As the freeway passes from the Rocky Mountains to the
I-70 has one official branch in Colorado,
Leaving Denver, the highway serves the redevelopment areas on the former site of Stapleton International Airport; runway 17R/35L crossed over the Interstate at the runway's midsection.[2] East of Aurora, I-70 rejoins the alignment of US 40 at Colfax Avenue. The freeway proceeds east across the Great Plains, briefly dipping south to serve the city of Limon, which bills itself as Hub City because of the many rail and road arteries that intersect there.[20] I-70 enters Kansas near Burlington, a small community known for having one of the oldest carousels in the United States.[21]
History
In 1944, a report to the United States Congress outlined several interregional highways, among which was a freeway from the east along the US 40 corridor that ended in Denver. After Colorado officials lobbied successfully, the designation was extended west over the Rocky Mountains following US 6.[11] The origins of both the US 40 and US 6 predate the United States Numbered Highway System, using established transcontinental trails.[22]
Earlier routes
Before the formation of the US Highway System, the country relied on an informal network of roads, organized by various competing interests, collectively called the auto trail system. The surveyors of most trails chose either South Pass in Wyoming or a southern route through New Mexico to traverse the Rocky Mountains. Both options were less formidable than the higher mountain passes in Colorado but left the state without a transcontinental artery. When the planners of the Lincoln Highway also decided to cross the Rockies in Wyoming, officials pressed for a loop to branch from the main route in Nebraska, enter Colorado, and return to the main route in Wyoming. When the Lincoln Highway opened in 1913, it was routed this way, but the loop proved impractical and was removed in 1915.[22]
After losing the connection to the Lincoln Highway, in 1922 officials convinced planners of the
While US 6 was also one of the original 1926 US Highways, the road originally served the portion of the country east of the Rocky Mountains. The highway was not extended to the Pacific coast until 1937, mostly following the Midland Trail.[24] Around the time the U.S. Highway system was formed, the portion of the Midland Trail through Glenwood Canyon, known as the Taylor State Road, was destroyed by a flood.[22] When US 6 was extended, the Works Progress Administration was rebuilding the road through the canyon and the Public Works Administration was nearing completion of a new highway over Vail Pass.[11][22] In western Colorado, US 6 was routed concurrent with US 50 from the Utah state line to Grand Junction and eventually replaced US 24 from Grand Junction to near Vail.[25] To keep these routes over the Rockies competitive with alternatives in other states, the Colorado Department of Highways relied on ingenuity to keep the roads safe. The department pioneered new machines to clear snow and various bridge and culvert designs to protect the roads from flooding.[22]
Interstate Highway planning
Governor Edwin C. Johnson, for whom one of the tunnels along I-70 was later named, was a primary force in persuading the planners of the Interstate Highway System to extend the highway across the state. He stated to the Senate subcommittee in 1955:
You are going to have a four-lane highway through Wyoming. You are going to build two four-lane highways through New Mexico and Arizona. Colorado needs to be able to compete with our neighboring states. We do not want to take anything away from them. We do not want them to get way out ahead of us, either, because these interstate highways are going to be very attractive highways for the East and West to travel on.[11]
Colorado held several meetings to convince reluctant Utah officials they would benefit from a freeway link between Denver and
Congress approved the extension of I-70; however, the route still had to be approved by the representatives of the military on the planning committee. Military representatives were concerned that plans for this new highway network did not have a direct connection from the central part of the country to
Construction
The first Colorado portion of I-70 opened to traffic in 1961. This section bypassed and linked Idaho Springs to the junction where US 6 currently separates from I-70 west of the city. The majority of the alignment through Denver was completed by 1964. The Mousetrap reused some structures that were built in 1951, before the formation of the Interstate Highway System. The last piece east of Denver opened to traffic in 1977.[4]
Eisenhower Tunnel
Planning on how to route the freeway over the Rocky Mountains began in the early 1960s. The US 6 corridor crosses two passes:
Construction on the first bore of the tunnel was started on March 15, 1968.
The tunnel construction became involved in the
Vail Pass
While designing the Eisenhower Tunnel, controversies erupted over how to build the portions over Vail Pass and Glenwood Canyon. The route of US 6 over Vail Pass has a distinctive "V" shape. Initially, engineers thought they could shorten the route of I-70 by about 10 miles (16 km) by tunneling from Gore Creek to South Willow Creek, an alternative known as the Red Buffalo Tunnel.
Glenwood Canyon
Glenwood Canyon has served as the primary transportation artery through the Rocky Mountains, even before the creation of U.S. Highways. Railroads have used the canyon since 1887, and a dirt road was built through the canyon in the early 20th century.[8] The first paved road was built from 1936 to 1938 at a cost of $1.5 million (equivalent to $25.5 million in 2023[27]).[22]
With the Eisenhower Tunnel finished, the last remaining obstacle for I-70 to be an interstate commercial artery was the two lane, non-freeway portion in Glenwood Canyon. Construction had started on this section in the 1960s with a small section opening to traffic in 1966.[4] The remainder was stopped due to environmentalist protests that caused a 30-year controversy.[11] The original design was criticized as "the epitome of environmental insensitivity". Engineers scrapped the original plans and started work on a new design that would minimize additional environmental impacts.[31] A new design was underway by 1971, which was approved in 1975; however, environmental groups filed lawsuits to stop construction, and the controversy continued even when construction finally resumed in 1981.[22] The final design included 40 bridges and viaducts, three additional tunnel bores (two were completed before construction was stopped in the 1960s), and 15 miles (24 km) of retaining walls for a stretch of freeway 12 miles (19 km) long.[6] The project was further complicated by the need to build the four-lane freeway without disturbing the operations of the railroad. This required using special and coordinated blasting techniques.[32] Engineers designed two separate tracks for the highway, one elevated above the other, to minimize the footprint in the canyon.[8] The final design was praised for its environmental sensitivity. A Denver architect who helped design the freeway proclaimed, "Most of the people in western Colorado see it as having preserved the canyon." He further stated, "I think pieces of the highway elevate to the standard of public art."[31] A portion of the project included shoring up the banks of the Colorado River to repair damage and remove flow restrictions created in the initial construction of US 6 in the 1930s.[33]
The freeway was finally completed on October 14, 1992, in a ceremony covered nationwide.[34][35] Most coverage celebrated the engineering achievement or noted this was the last major piece of the Interstate Highway System to open to traffic. However, newspapers in western Colorado celebrated the end of the frustrating traffic delays. For most of the final 10 years of construction, only a single lane of traffic that reversed direction every 30 minutes remained open in the canyon. One newspaper proudly proclaimed "You heard right. For the first time in more than 10 years, construction delays along that 12-mile [19 km] stretch of Interstate 70 will be non-existent."[36]
The cost was $490 million (equivalent to $956 million in 2023
Realignments
In 2022, CDOT replaced a 1.8-mile (2.9 km) viaduct that formerly carried I-70 between Brighton Boulevard and Colorado Boulevard in Denver with a below-grade highway. The $1.2 billion project, financed through a
Incidents
On August 1, 1984, a truck carrying six
In 2014, mile-marker 420 was altered by CDOT to read "Mile 419.99" following repeat thefts of the original sign due to the significance of the number 420 in cannabis culture.[50]
In 2019, a fiery crash killed four people and injured dozens. A previous, non-fatal accident in Wheat Ridge had resulted in backed up traffic for several miles. At the time of the second collision, the backup extended into Lakewood past the Colorado Mills Parkway exit. A semi-trailer truck descending the grades as the freeway entered the greater Denver area, driven by Rogel Aguilera Mederos, attempted to downshift, but he was unable re-engage the transmission.[51] This resulted in the vehicle rapidly increasing in speed, with witnesses seeing the truck out of control near the Genesee exit, nine miles (14 km) from where the accident would occur. Witnesses also testified seeing the brakes smoking while the truck descended the hill. The driver passed at least one runaway truck ramp without entering, as well as four other exits where he could have exited the freeway. As the truck approached the backed up traffic, the driver attempted to swerve to the side of the road to avoid a collision but was unable as other trucks had already blocked this path while similarly attempting to avoid a collision. The truck collided with the backup and exploded. Over a dozen other vehicles were involved in the collision and four people died. The driver was charged with numerous offenses, including assault and vehicular homicide and initially sentenced to 110 years. This was controversial, due to the length of the sentence and the opinions of some victims and witnesses that the owner of the truck bore more responsibility. The company had previously been fined and cited for numerous brake-related violations as well as employing inexperienced truck drivers who were not fluent in English.[52] Aguilera testified through an interpreter in his own defense and pleaded for mercy saying, "I ask God too many times why them and not me? Why did I survive that accident?".[51] He also blamed his employer, testifying he was instructed to take back roads from the trip's origin in Wyoming and avoid the more commonly used road from Wyoming, I-25.[53] Shortly after the accident, CDOT announced a location for an additional runaway truck ramp in this area.[54][55]
After the 2020 Grizzly Creek Fire, I-70 was closed in Glenwood Canyon in August 2021 due to significant damage by debris from the fire, causing large detours.[56] The damage after the 2021 landslides required lengthy reconstruction of the road; the highway partially reopened on August 14, 2021.[57][58][59]
Legacy
When first approved, the extension of I-70 from Denver to
The freeway is credited with enhancing Colorado's ski industry. The ski resort town of Vail did not exist until I-70 began construction, with developers working in close partnership with CDOT.[22] By 1984, the I-70 corridor between Denver and Grand Junction contained the largest concentration of ski resorts in the country. The towns and cities along the corridor have experienced significant growth, luring recreational visitors from the Denver area. As one conservationist lamented, I-70 "changed rural Colorado into non-rural Colorado".[22]
Exit list
County | Location[61] | mi[61] | km | Exit | Destinations | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mesa | | 0.000 | 0.000 | I-70 west (US 6 / US 50 west) – Salina | Continuation into Utah | |
| 1.814 | 2.919 | 2 | Rabbit Valley | ||
Mack | 11.106 | 17.873 | 11 | Mack ( US 6 / US 50 east) | Eastern end of concurrency with US 6/US 50 | |
| 15.081 | 24.271 | 15 | SH 139 north – Loma, Rangely | Southern terminus of SH 139 | |
Fruita | 19.444 | 31.292 | 19 | SH 340 to US 6 (US 50) – Fruita | ||
Diverging diamond interchange; Grand Junction appears only on eastbound signage | ||||||
27.570 | 44.370 | 28 | 24 Road Redlands Parkway | |||
31.351 | 50.455 | 31 | Horizon Drive | |||
| 36.644 | 58.973 | 37 | Delta appears only on eastbound signage; US 6 and Grand Junction appear only on westbound signage | ||
Palisade | 41.578 | 66.913 | 42 | To US 6 – Palisade | US 6 appears only on eastbound signage | |
| 43.682 | 70.299 | 44 | US 6 west – Palisade | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance; western end of concurrency with US 6 | |
45.332 | 72.955 | 45 | Cameo | |||
46.867 | 75.425 | 47 | port of entry | |||
49.015 | 78.882 | 49 | Grand Mesa, Collbran | |||
50.381 | 81.080 | Beavertail Tunnel | ||||
61.648 | 99.213 | 62 | De Beque (US 6 east) | Eastern end of concurrency with US 6[62] | ||
Dumbbell interchange; opened October 31, 2012[63] | ||||||
74.661 | 120.155 | 75 | Parachute, Battlement Mesa | |||
| 81.236 | 130.737 | 81 | Rulison | ||
Rifle | 86.850 | 139.772 | 87 | West Rifle (US 6) | ||
90.422 | 145.520 | 90 | SH 13 north – Rifle, Meeker | Eastbound entrance ramp includes direct entrance from Airport Road | ||
| 93.991 | 151.264 | 94 | Garfield County Regional Airport | ||
I-70 BS north – Silt | ||||||
| 105.260 | 169.400 | 105 | New Castle | ||
Chacra | 109.000 | 175.418 | 109 | Canyon Creek (US 6 west) | Western end of concurrency with US 6 | |
111.328 | 179.165 | 111 | South Canyon | |||
Glenwood Springs | 114.295 | 183.940 | 114 | West Glenwood (US 6 east) | Dumbbell interchange; eastern end of concurrency with US 6 | |
116.380 | 187.295 | 116 | SH 82 east (Grand Avenue) / US 6 west – Glenwood Springs, Aspen | Partial dumbbell interchange; western end of concurrency with US 6[64] | ||
| 118.640 | 190.933 | 119 | No Name | ||
120.954 | 194.657 | 121 | Grizzly Creek to Hanging Lake | Hanging Lake appears only on westbound signage | ||
| 122.660 | 197.402 | 123 | Shoshone | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance | |
125.061 | 201.266 | 125 | Hanging Lake | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance | ||
125.269 | 201.601 | Hanging Lake Tunnel | ||||
128.317 | 206.506 | 129 | Bair Ranch | |||
Eagle | | 133.384– 134.053 | 214.661– 215.737 | 133 | Dotsero | |
Gypsum | 139.533 | 224.557 | 140 | Gypsum (US 6 east) | Eastern end of concurrency with US 6 | |
Eagle | 146.648 | 236.007 | 147 | Eagle | ||
| 156.547 | 251.938 | 157 | SH 131 north – Wolcott, Steamboat Springs | ||
| 162.782 | 261.972 | 163 | I-70 BS south – Edwards | ||
Avon | 166.635 | 268.173 | 167 | Avon | ||
168.157 | 270.622 | 168 | William J. Post Boulevard – Avon East Entrance | |||
Eagle-Vail | 168.758 | 271.590 | 169 | US 6 – Eagle-Vail | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance | |
| 171.105 | 275.367 | 171 | US 6 west / US 24 east – Minturn, Leadville | Western end of concurrency with US 6; western terminus of US 24 | |
Vail | 173.319 | 278.930 | 173 | West Vail | ||
176.057 | 283.336 | 176 | Vail Ski Area – Vail Museum | |||
179.866 | 289.466 | 180 | East Vail | |||
Vail Pass | 189.981 | 305.745 | Elevation 10,662 feet (3,250 m) | |||
Summit | | 190.095 | 305.928 | 190 | Shrine Pass Road – Vail Pass rest area | |
195.298 | 314.302 | 195 | SH 91 south – Copper Mountain, Leadville | |||
197.854 | 318.415 | 198 | Officers Gulch | |||
Frisco | 200.995 | 323.470 | 201 | Main Street – Frisco, Breckenridge | Breckenridge appears only on eastbound signage; Main Street appears only on westbound signage | |
202.352 | 325.654 | 203 | SH 9 south – Frisco, Breckenridge | Western end of concurrency with SH 9; Breckenridge appears only on westbound signage | ||
Silverthorne | 205.423 | 330.596 | 205 | SH 9 north (Blue River Parkway) / US 6 east – Silverthorne, Dillon | Eastern end of concurrency with US 6/SH 9 | |
Continental Divide | 213.651– 215.340 | 343.838– 346.556 | Eisenhower Tunnel | |||
Loveland Pass | Western end of concurrency with US 6 | |||||
218.346 | 351.394 | 218 | (no name) | Connects to Herman Gulch Road[65] | ||
221.297 | 356.143 | 221 | Bakerville | |||
Silver Plume | 225.719 | 363.260 | 226 | Silver Plume | ||
Georgetown | 227.910 | 366.786 | 228 | Georgetown | ||
| 231.889 | 373.189 | 232 | US 40 west – Empire, Granby | Western end of concurrency with US 40 | |
233.047 | 375.053 | 233 | Lawson | Eastbound exit only | ||
234.209 | 376.923 | 234 | Downieville, Dumont, Lawson | Dumont appears only on eastbound signage; Lawson appears only on westbound signage | ||
235.005 | 378.204 | 235 | Dumont | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance | ||
237.660 | 382.477 | 238 | Fall River Road | |||
I-70 BL east – Idaho Springs | No eastbound entrance; I-70 Bus. appears only on eastbound signage | |||||
239.652 | 385.683 | 240 | Mt. Evans | |||
241.125 | 388.053 | 241 | I-70 BL west – Idaho Springs | I-70 Bus. appears only on westbound signage | ||
242.292 | 389.931 | Veterans Memorial Tunnels[13] | ||||
242.980 | 391.038 | 243 | Hidden Valley, Central City | |||
| 244.260 | 393.098 | 244 | US 6 / US 40 east – Golden | Left exit eastbound; left entrance westbound; no eastbound entrance; eastern end of concurrency with US 6/US 40 | |
246.602 | 396.867 | 247 | Beaver Brook, Floyd Hill | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance | ||
Jefferson | | 247.604 | 398.480 | 248 | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance | |
250.769 | 403.574 | 251 | El Rancho | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance | ||
| 251.318 | 404.457 | 252 | SH 74 (Evergreen Parkway) / US 40 west | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance; western end of concurrency with US 40 | |
252.244 | 405.947 | 253 | Chief Hosa | |||
253.528 | 408.014 | 254 | US 40 east – Genesee Park | Eastern end of concurrency with US 40 | ||
255.974 | 411.950 | 256 | Lookout Mountain | |||
| 258.722 | 416.373 | 259 | US 40 east – Golden, Morrison | Eastbound signage | |
CR 93 – Morrison | Westbound signage | |||||
Golden | 259.803 | 418.112 | 260 | SH 470 – Boulder, Colorado Springs | SH 470 exit 1; no westbound exit or eastbound entrance from SH 470 EB | |
| 261.030 | 420.087 | 261 | US 6 east (6th Avenue) | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance | |
261.630 | 421.053 | 262 | I-70 BL (Colfax Avenue) to US 6 | I-70 Bus. appears only on eastbound signage; US 6 appears only on westbound signage | ||
Lakewood | 262.571 | 422.567 | 263 | Colorado Mills Parkway – Denver West | ||
Wheat Ridge | 264.341 | 425.416 | 264 | Youngfield Street / 32nd Avenue | ||
265.343 | 427.028 | 265 | SH 58 west – Golden, Central City | |||
265.726 | 427.645 | 266 | SH 72 (Ward Road) / 44th Avenue | |||
267.402 | 430.342 | 267 | SH 391 (Kipling Street) | |||
Arvada | 269.005 | 432.922 | 269A | SH 121 (Wadsworth Boulevard) | ||
269.242 | 433.303 | 269B | I-76 east – Fort Morgan | Eastbound left exit and westbound entrance; western terminus of I-76 | ||
Wheat Ridge–Lakeside line | 270.000 | 434.523 | 270 | SH 95 (Sheridan Boulevard) / Harlan Street | SH 95 (Sheridan Blvd.) not signed westbound | |
Denver line | 270.496 | 435.321 | 271A | SH 95 (Sheridan Boulevard) | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance | |
City and County of Denver | 271.549 | 437.016 | 271B | Lowell Boulevard / Tennyson Street | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance | |
272.005 | 437.750 | 272 | US 287 (Federal Boulevard) | |||
273.015 | 439.375 | 273 | Pecos Street | |||
274.062 | 441.060 | 274 | US 87) – Fort Collins, Colorado Springs | The Mousetrap; western end of concurrency with US 6/US 85; exit 214A on I-25 | ||
274.607 | 441.937 | 275A | Washington Street | Eastbound access is part of exit 274 | ||
275.252 | 442.975 | 275B | Brighton Boulevard (SH 265 north) / York Street | York St. signed eastbound only | ||
275.545 | 443.447 | 275C | York Street / Josephine Street | Closed; was eastbound exit and westbound entrance | ||
276.080 | 444.308 | 276A | US 6 east / US 85 north (Vasquez Boulevard) | Eastern end of concurrency with US 6/US 85; westbound access via exit 276 | ||
276.572 | 445.099 | 276B | SH 2 (Colorado Boulevard) / Dahlia Street | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance | ||
276 | SH 2 (Colorado Boulevard) to US 6 east / US 85 north (Vasquez Boulevard) | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance | ||||
276.797– 278.319 | 445.462– 447.911 | 277 | Holly Street / Monaco Street / Dahlia Street | Monaco St. signed eastbound only, Dahlia St. signed westbound only | ||
278.548 | 448.280 | 278 | SH 35 (Quebec Street) / Monaco Street | Monaco St. signed westbound only | ||
279.086 | 449.145 | 279A | I-270 west (US 36 west) – Fort Collins, Boulder | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance; western end of concurrency with US 36 | ||
279.591 | 449.958 | 279B | Central Park Boulevard | |||
280.567 | 451.529 | 280 | Havana Street | |||
281.560 | 453.127 | 281 | Peoria Street | Westbound access is part of exit 282 | ||
Denver–Aurora line | 282.271– 283.180 | 454.271– 455.734 | 282 | I-225 south – Aurora, Colorado Springs | Exit 12 on I-225 | |
Adams | Aurora | 283.532 | 456.301 | 283 | Chambers Road | |
283.623 | 456.447 | 284 | Peña Boulevard – Denver International Airport | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance | ||
284.627 | 458.063 | 285 | Airport Boulevard | |||
285.727 | 459.833 | 286 | Tower Road | |||
north (Colfax Avenue) | Left exit westbound; no westbound entrance; I-70 Bus. appears only on westbound signage; western end of concurrency with US 40/US 287 | |||||
289.028 | 465.145 | 289 | E-470 – Fort Collins, Colorado Springs | Exit 20 on E-470 | ||
292.128 | 470.134 | 292 | SH 36 east (Airpark Road) | Former US 36 east | ||
| 295.256 | 475.168 | 295 | I-70 BS north – Watkins | ||
299.328 | 481.722 | 299 | Manila Road | |||
Bennett | 304.360 | 489.820 | 304 | SH 79 north – Bennett | ||
305.259 | 491.267 | 305 | Kiowa | Eastbound exit only | ||
305.784 | 492.112 | 306 | No eastbound signage; no eastbound entrance; former US 36 | |||
Arapahoe | | 310.165 | 499.162 | 310 | Strasburg | |
315.913 | 508.413 | 316 | SH 36 west – Byers | Eastern end of concurrency with US 36; unsigned SH 36 is former US 36 west | ||
322.086 | 518.347 | 322 | Peoria | |||
I-70 BS south – Deer Trail | ||||||
Elbert | | 336.787 | 542.006 | 336 | Lowland | |
340.354 | 547.747 | 340 | I-70 BS west – Agate | |||
348.731 | 561.228 | 348 | Cedar Point | |||
352.340 | 567.036 | 352 | SH 86 west – Kiowa | |||
354.537 | 570.572 | 354 | (no name) | |||
Eastbound signage | ||||||
US 24 – Colorado Springs | Westbound signage | |||||
361.743 | 582.169 | 361 | SH 71 appears only on eastbound signage | |||
| 363.025 | 584.232 | 363 | US 40 east / US 287 south – Hugo, Kit Carson | Eastbound signage; eastern end of concurrency with US 40/US 287 | |
Westbound signage; western end of concurrency with US 24 | ||||||
| 371.482 | 597.842 | 371 | Genoa, Hugo | Hugo appears only on westbound signage | |
376.520 | 605.950 | 376 | Bovina | |||
Arriba | 383.496 | 617.177 | 383 | Arriba | ||
Kit Carson | | 394.564 | 634.989 | 395 | Flagler | |
Seibert | 405.065 | 651.889 | 405 | US 24 east / SH 59 – Seibert | Eastern end of concurrency with US 24 | |
| 411.961 | 662.987 | 412 | Vona | ||
419.311 | 674.816 | 419 | SH 57 – Stratton | |||
428.824 | 690.125 | 429 | Bethune | |||
I-70 BL / US 385 (Lincoln Street) | I-70 Bus. appears only on eastbound signage | |||||
438.225 | 705.255 | 438 | I-70 BL / US 24 (Rose Avenue) | I-70 Bus. appears only on westbound signage; western end of concurrency with US 24 | ||
| 449.589 | 723.543 | I-70 east / US-24 east – Goodland, Salina | Continuation into Kansas | ||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
|
See also
References
- ^ a b c Colorado Department of Transportation (n.d.). "Segment Descriptions for Highway 070: From RefPoint 0 To RefPoint 500". Colorado Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on May 26, 2012. Retrieved February 16, 2008.
- ^ OCLC 52156345.
- ^ Grand Junction Visitor & Convention Bureau. "Grand Junction Colorado: Trip Planning". Grand Junction Visitor & Convention Bureau. Archived from the original on February 6, 2009. Retrieved February 22, 2009.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Colorado Department of Transportation. "The History of I-70 in Colorado". Colorado Department of Transportation. Retrieved April 1, 2008.
- ^ a b Weingroff, Richard F. (Summer 1996). "Dwight D. Eisenhower System of Interstate and Defense Highways Engineering Marvels". Public Roads. 60 (1). Washington, DC: Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved February 15, 2008.
- ^ a b c d Colorado Department of Transportation. "CDOT Fun Facts". Colorado Department of Transportation. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
- ^ Flat Iron Construction Company. "Glenwood Canyon Corridor". Flat Iron Construction Company. Retrieved April 20, 2009.
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External links
- I-70 Road conditions, construction updates, traffic cameras, and traveler alerts by Colorado Department of Transportation
- I-70 Guide by AARoads
- Glenwood Canyon: An I-70 Odyssey – History of the Canyon and Construction of I-70 by Matthew E. Salek
- Truckers, You Are Not Down Yet – Unnerving highway signs on eastbound I-70 approaching Denver by Dale Sanderson