Interstate 70 in Colorado

Major cities; Bolded cities are officially-designated control cities for signs
	Green River, Utah; Grand Junction; Glenwood Springs; Vail; Denver; Aurora; Limon; Goodland, Kansas; Hays, Kansas;

	Interstate 70; Main route of the Interstate Highway System
	Maintained by Colorado Department of Transportation
Length:	449.589 mi (723.543 km)
Formed:	1956 (completed in 1992)
West end:	I-70 / US-6 / US-50 at Utah state line
Major; junctions:	US 50 in Grand Junction; US 24 near Vail; US 40 near Empire; SH 470 near Golden; I-76 in Arvada; I-25 / US 87 in Denver; I-225 in Aurora; I-270 / US 36 in Denver; US 40 / US 287 in Aurora; US 24 in Limon
East end:	I-70 / US-24 at Kansas state line
	Colorado State Highways
< SH 69	SH 71 >

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This article is about the section of highway in Colorado. For the entire length of highway, see Interstate 70.

Interstate 70 is a transcontinental Interstate Highway in the United States, stretching from Cove Fort, Utah to Baltimore, Maryland. In Colorado, the highway traverses an east–west route across the center of the state. In western Colorado, the highway connects the metropolitan areas of Grand Junction and Denver via a route through the Rocky Mountains. In eastern Colorado, the highway crosses the Great Plains, connecting Denver with metropolitan areas in Kansas and Missouri. The construction of I-70 is listed as one of the engineering marvels of the Interstate Highway system by the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) due to four major feats: the portion through the Dakota Hogback, Eisenhower Tunnel, Vail Pass and Glenwood Canyon.

With an elevation of 11,158 feet (3,401 m), the Eisenhower Tunnel was, at the time of construction, the highest vehicular tunnel in the world. This tunnel is both the longest mountain tunnel and the highest point along the Interstate Highway System. Several government and engineering organizations have stated portion through Glenwood Canyon is both one of the most scenic and challenging pieces of the system to build. 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 highways per mile built in the United States. The construction achievement earned 30 awards for the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) including the 1993 Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement Award from the American Society of Civil Engineers. Though bicycles and other non-motorized vehicles are normally prohibited on Interstate Highways, the USDOT has made an exception for the portions of I-70 through the Rockies where no other through route exists.

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 into the plans after lobbying by senator Edwin C. Johnson, for whom one of the tunnels along I-70 is named. East of Idaho Springs, I-70 was built along the corridor of U.S. Highway 40, one of the original transcontinental U.S. Highways. West of Idaho Springs, I-70 was built along the route of U.S. Highway 6, which was extended into Colorado during the 1930s.

[edit] Route description

Westbound I-70 on a viaduct inside Glenwood Canyon paralleling the Colorado River and former Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad main line

[edit] Colorado River

I-70 enters Colorado concurrent with US 6 and US 50 from Utah on a plateau between the north rim of Ruby Canyon of the Colorado River and the south rim of the Book Cliffs. The plateau ends just past the state line and the highway descends into the Grand Valley, formed by the Colorado River and its tributaries.^[3] The Grand Valley is home to several communities that form the Grand Junction Metropolitan Statistical Area, locally known as the Western Slope. The highway directly serves the communities of Fruita, Grand Junction and Palisade. Grand Junction is the largest city between Denver and Salt Lake City and serves as the economic hub of western Colorado and eastern Utah.^[4] The freeway passes to the north of downtown, while US 6/50 retain their original routes through downtown. US 6 rejoins the path of I-70 east of Grand Junction, however US 50 departs on a course towards Pueblo.^[3]

I-70 exits the valley through De Beque Canyon of the Colorado River. The river and its tributaries provide the path for the ascent up the Rocky Mountains. In the canyon resides Beavertail Mountain Tunnel, the first of several tunnels used by the freeway to traverse the Rockies. This tunnel design features a curved sidewall for added strength. This technique is not common in the United States; the engineers borrowed a European design to meet the challenges of this tunnel.^[5] After exiting the canyon, the highway follows the Colorado River through the communities of Parachute and Rifle.^[3]

[edit] Glenwood Canyon

Approaching the city of Glenwood Springs, the highway enters Glenwood Canyon. This portion has been recognized by both the federal and state agencies as an engineering marvel and one of the most scenic features of the Interstate Highway System.^[5]^[6] 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.^[7] Through a significant portion of the canyon, only one of the eastbound lanes is at surface level, with the other eastbound lane suspended on a half viaduct above the Colorado River and the westbound lanes suspended on a full viaduct several feet above the canyon floor.^[8] Along this run, the freeway hugs the north bank of the Colorado River, while the main line of the former Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad (now part of Union Pacific) occupies the south bank.^[3]

The western portal of the Hanging Lake Tunnel, at this point in the canyon both the river and railroad are directly below the freeway viaducts

Through Glenwood Canyon, I-70 is not compliant with Interstate Highway standards for curvature, shoulder width, and maximum grade. To minimize these hazards, a command center staffed with Colorado State Patrol officers and tow trucks on standby monitors cameras along the tunnels and viaducts in the canyon. Traffic signals have been placed at strategic locations to stop traffic in the event of an accident, and variable message signs equipped with radar guns will automatically warn motorists exceeding the design speed of the next curve.^[9] Usually prohibited along Interstate Highways, bicycles and other non-motorized vehicles are allowed to use the portions of I-70 through the canyon where no other path exists.^[10]

[edit] Rocky Mountains

The highway departs the Colorado River near Dotsero, the name given to the railroad separation for the two primary mountain crossings, via Tennessee Pass/Royal Gorge and the Moffat Tunnel route. I-70 uses a separate route between the two older rail corridors. From this junction I-70 follows the Eagle River towards Vail Pass, at an elevation of 10,666 feet (3,251 m). In this canyon I-70 reaches the western terminus of U.S. Highway 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.^[11] 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.^[3]

Entrance to the Eisenhower Tunnel

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 overpass has been designed as a deer crossing.^[1]^[12]

The highway descends to Dillon Reservoir, near the town of Frisco, and a final push to the Continental Divide through the Eisenhower Tunnel. At the time of dedication, this tunnel was the highest vehicular tunnel in the world, at 11,158 feet (3,401 m).^[7] The tunnel is still the highest automotive tunnel in the world, but has been exceed by more recent railroad tunnels, such as the Fenghuoshan Tunnel.^[13] The Eisenhower Tunnel is also the longest mountain tunnel and highest point along the Interstate Highway System.^[14] The tunnel also has a command center, staffed with 52 full time employes, to monitor traffic, control signals at each entrance, adjust speed limits, remove stranded vehicles, and maintain generators to keep the tunnel's lighting and ventilation systems running in the event of a power failure.^[14] There are several active and former ski resorts in the vicinity of the tunnel, including Breckenridge Ski Resort, Keystone Resort, Arapahoe Basin, Loveland Ski Area, Berthoud Pass Ski Area and Winter Park Resort.^[3]

Unusual warning sign stating "Trucks: Don't be fooled"

[edit] Clear Creek

The freeway follows Clear Creek down the eastern side of the Rockies, passing through the Twin Tunnel near Idaho Springs. Farther to the east, I-70 departs the US 6 corridor, which continues to follow Clear Creek through a narrow, curvy 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 down the last few miles of the Rocky Mountains.^[3] This portion of the freeway is known for grade warning signs that are not compliant with the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. The signs feature attention getting phrases such as "Trucks: Don't be fooled", "Truckers, you are not down yet" and "Are your brakes adjusted and cool?" Runaway truck ramps are a prominent feature along this portion of I-70, with a total of seven used along the descent of either side the Continental Divide to stop trucks with failed brakes.^[5]

The last geographic feature of the Rocky Mountains traversed before the highway reaches the Great Plains is frequently called the Hogback. The path through the Hogback features a massive cut that exposes a rock formation 50 to 80 million years old. The site now includes a nature study area for visitors.^[5]

[edit] Great Plains

Downtown Denver near the Mousetrap

I-70 enters the Denver metropolitan area, called the Front Range, as this is where the Rocky Mountains meets the Great Plains. The freeway arcs around the northern edge of the LoDo district, the common name of the downtown area of Denver. Through the downtown area, US 40 is routed along Colfax Avenue, which served as the primary east–west artery through the Denver area before the construction of I-70. US 6 is routed along 6th Avenue before joining the route of Interstate 76 on a northeast course towards Nebraska.^[3] The freeway meets Interstate 25 in an intersection frequently called the Mousetrap. Leaving Denver, the highway serves the redevelopment areas on the former site of Stapleton International Airport.^[3] East of Aurora I-70 rejoins the alignment of U.S. Highway 40 at Colfax Avenue. From this point east the freeway proceeds due east across the Great Plains. The freeway briefly dips south to serve the city of Limon. The highway enters Kansas near Burlington.^[3]

I-70 has one official branch in Colorado, Interstate 270 which connects the interstate with the the Denver–Boulder Turnpike. While Colorado State Route 470 and E-470 are not officially branches of I-70, they are remnants of plans for an Interstate 470 beltway around Denver that were cancelled when the allocated funds were spent elsewhere.^[15]

[edit] History

[edit] Earlier routes

Prior to the formation of the U.S. Highway System, the U.S. relied on an informal system of roads, organized by various competing interests, collectively called the auto trail system. The surveyors of most trails chose either South Pass in Wyoming to traverse the Rocky Mountains, or a southern route through New Mexico. 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 enter Colorado. While the Lincoln Highway was briefly routed this way, the loop proved impractical and was soon removed.^[16]

I-70 crossing the Rocky Mountains

After losing the connection to the Lincoln Highway, officials convinced planners of the Victory Highway to traverse the state. The highway entered Colorado from Kansas along what was previously called the Smoky Hill Trail. The highway crested the mountains at Berthoud Pass; named for a railroad surveyor and captain in the American Civil War that blazed the path.^[16] After a round of political infighting between Utah and Nevada, the Victory Highway would become the Lincoln Highway's main rival for San Francisco–bound traffic.^[17] When the U.S. Highway system was unveiled in 1926, the Victory Highway was numbered U.S. Highway 40.^[16]

In the western United States, U.S. Highway 6 was mostly derived from the Midland Trail. Through central Colorado, the trail was not given a U.S. Highway designation until 1937.^[18] While the U.S. Highway system was being formed, a portion of the trail through Glenwood Canyon, known as the Taylor state road, was destroyed by a flood.^[16] The US 6 designation was extended after the Works Progress Administration had rebuilt the road through the canyon and the Public Works Administration was nearing completion of a new road over Vail Pass that bypassed the trail over Shrine Pass.^[12]^[16] In western Colorado, US 6 was routed along the Midland Trail. It was concurrent with US 50 from the Utah state line to Grand Junction and eventually replaced US 24 from Grand Junction to near Vail.^[19] 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.^[16]

[edit] Interstate Highway planning

Interstate 70 descending into Clear Creek Canyon

[edit] Construction

View from Loveland Pass, showing both a hairpin turn along the US 6 alignment, and the more straight I-70 emerging from the Eisenhower Tunnel below

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 east of the city. The majority of the alignment through Denver opened in 1964, although the Mousetrap reused some structures built in 1951. The last piece east of Denver opened to traffic in 1977.^[5]

[edit] Eisenhower Tunnel

Main article: 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, Loveland Pass at an elevation of 11,992 feet (3,655 m), and Vail Pass at 10,666 feet (3,251 m).^[3] Engineers recommended tunneling under Loveland Pass to bypass the steep grades and hairpin curves required to navigate US 6. The project was originally called the Straight Creek Tunnel, after the waterway that runs along the western approach, but was later renamed the Eisenhower-Johnson Memorial Tunnel, after U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower and Senator Edwin C. Johnson.^[14]

Construction on the first bore of the tunnel was started on March 15, 1968.^[14] Construction efforts suffered many setbacks and the project went well over time and budget. One of the biggest setbacks was the discovery of fault lines in the path of the tunnel that were not discovered during the pilot bores.^[14] These faults began to slip during construction and emergency measures had to be taken to protect the tunnels and workers from cave-ins and collapses.^[16] Despite the best efforts of engineers, a total of nine workers were killed during the construction of both bores. Further complicating construction was that the boring machines could not work as fast as expected at such high altitudes, and the productivity was significantly less than planned. The frustration prompted one engineer to comment, "We were going by the book, but the damned mountain couldn't read".^[14] The first bore was dedicated March 8, 1973. Initially this tunnel was used for two way traffic, with one lane for each direction. The amount of traffic through the tunnel exceeded predictions, and efforts soon began to expedite construction on the second tube (the Johnson bore) which was finished on December 21, 1979.^[14]

Rest Area along Interstate 70 at the top of Vail Pass

The tunnel construction became unintentionally involved in the women's rights movement when Janet Bonnema was given a position in the construction of the Straight Creek Tunnel project. However, after 18 months on the job she had still not entered the tunnel. There was opposition to a woman entering the construction site: one supervisor stated that if she entered, "Those workers would flat walk out of that there tunnel and they'd never come back". Emboldened by the passage of an equal rights law in Colorado, she finally entered the tunnel on November 9, 1972. Several workers did walk off the job, but most returned the next day.^[12]

[edit] Vail Pass

While designing the Eisenhower Tunnel, controversies erupted over how to build the portions over Vail Pass and Glenwood Canyon. The route over Vail Pass has a distinctive "V" shape. Initially engineers thought they could shorten the route by about 10 miles (16 km) by tunneling from Gore Creek to Straight Creek, an alternative known as the Red Buffalo Tunnel.^[16] This alternative sparked a nationwide controversy as it would require an easement across previously declared protected lands, what is now called the Eagles Nest Wilderness. After the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture refused to grant the easement, the engineers agreed to follow the existing "V" shaped route across Vail Pass. The engineers agreed to additional infrastructure to accommodate wildlife, and have significant portions of the viaducts constructed offsite and lifted in place, to minimize the environmental footprint.^[16]

[edit] Glenwood Canyon

I-70 in Glenwood Canyon as seen from the California Zephyr

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 primitive road was built through the canyon in the early 1900s.^[9] The first paved road was built from 1936 to 1938 at a cost of $1.5 million (equivalent to $23 million today).^[16]

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.^[5] The remainder was stopped due to environmentalist protests that caused a 30-year controversy.^[12] 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.^[22] The final design would be one of the most complicated and expensive roads built in the US, including 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.^[7] 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.^[23] Engineers designed two separate tracks for the highway, one elevated above the other, to minimize the footprint in the canyon.^[9] 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."^[22] 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.^[24]

Department of Transportation drawing showing how re-using the existing footprint of US 6 combined with elevating two lanes helped minimize the environmental impact of the freeway on Glenwood Canyon

The freeway was finally completed on October 14, 1992 in a ceremony covered nationwide. 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 stretch of Interstate 70 will be non-existent."^[25]

With a cost of $490 million (equivalent to $800 million today) to build 12 miles (19 km), this was one of the most expensive roads per mile to build in the Interstate System. The construction of I-70 through Glenwood Canyon earned 30 awards for the Colorado Department of Transportation,^[9] including the 1993 Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement Award from the American Society of Civil Engineers.^[26] At the dedication it was claimed that I-70 through Glenwood Canyon was the final piece of the Interstate Highway System to open to traffic. For this reason, the system was proclaimed to be complete.^[7]^[9] However, as of 2009 two small gaps still exist in the original freeways of the Interstate Highway System: one on Interstate 95 in central New Jersey,^[27] and another on I-70 at Breezewood, Pennsylvania.^[28]

[edit] Legacy

When first approved, the extension of I-70 from Denver to Cove Fort was criticized as a "road to nowhere";^[29] one U.S. Department of Transportation employee in Baltimore, Maryland – the eastern terminus of I-70 – asked "did we think Baltimoreans were so desperate to get to Cove Fort that we were willing to pay $4 billion to get them there?"^[12] However, other department employees have called the extension the "crown jewel" of the Interstate Highway System.^[9] In Colorado, the freeway helped unite the state, despite the two halves being separated by the formidable Rocky Mountains. The Eisenhower Tunnel alone is credited with saving up to an hour from the drive across the state.^[16] Prior to I-70's construction, the highway through Glenwood Canyon was one of the most dangerous in the state. With the improvements, the accident rate has dropped 40%, even though traffic through the canyon has substantially increased.^[9] The Colorado Department of Transportation has announced their intent to nominate various portions of I-70 as a National Historic Landmark, even though the freeway will not qualify as historical for several decades.^[16]

The freeway is also credited with significantly enhancing Colorado's ski industry. The ski-resort town of Vail did not even exist until I-70 began construction, with developers working in close partnership with the Department of Transportation. By 1984, the I-70 corridor between Denver and Grand Junction contained the largest concentration of ski resorts in the United States. The towns and cities along the corridor have experienced significant growth, luring visitors from the Denver area for weekend recreation opportunities. As one conservationist lamented, I-70 "changed rural Colorado into non-rural Colorado".^[16]

[edit] Exit list

County	Location	Mile	#	Destinations	Notes
Mesa		1.814	2	Rabbit Valley
		11.106	11	US 6 east – Mack	East end of US 6 overlap
		15.081	15	SH 139 north – Loma, Rangely
	Fruita	19.444	19	SH 340 – Fruita, Colorado National Monument
	Grand Junction	25.563	26	I-70 Bus. east / US 6 / US 50 / 22 Road – Grand Junction	East end of US 50 Overlap
		27.570	28	24 Road, Redlands Parkway
		31.351	31	Horizon Drive – Walker Field Airport
		36.644	37	I-70 Bus. west – Clifton, Grand Junction, Delta
		41.578	42	Elberta Ave. – Palisade
		43.682	44	US 6 west – Palisade	Westbound exit and eastbound entrance West end of US 6 overlap
		45.332	46	Cameo
		46.867	47	Road E	former Port of Entry
		49.015	49	SH 65 east – Grand Mesa
		61.648	62	De Beque
Garfield	Parachute	75.152	75	Parachute, Battlement Mesa
		81.236	81	Rulison
		86.850	87	US 6 east – Rifle	East end of US 6 overlap
	Rifle	90.422	90	SH 13 north – Rifle, Meeker
		93.991	94	Garfield County Regional Airport
		97.427	97	I-70 Bus. north – Silt
		105.260	105	New Castle
		109.000	109	US 6 west – Canyon Creek	West end of US 6 overlap
		111.328	111	South Canyon Creek Road
	Glenwood Springs	114.295	114	West Glenwood
	Glenwood Springs	116.380	116	SH 82 – Glenwood Springs, Aspen
		118.640	119	No Name
		120.954	121	Grizzly Creek – Hanging Lake
		122.588	123	Shoshone Access Road	Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
		124.970	125	Hanging Lake	Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
	Hanging Lake Tunnel
		128.314	129	Bair Ranch Road
Eagle		133.384	133	Dotsero
		139.533	140	US 6 east – Gypsum	East end of US 6 overlap
	Eagle	146.648	147	I-70 Bus. south – Eagle County Regional Airport
		156.547	157	SH 131 north – Wolcott, Steamboat Springs
		162.782	163	I-70 Bus. south – Edwards
		166.635	167	Avon
	Avon	168.157	168	William J. Post Boulevard
		168.758	169	US 6 – Eagle	Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
		171.105	171	US 6 west / US 24 east – Minturn, Leadville	West end of US 6 overlap
	Vail	173.319	173	West Vail
		175.872	176	Vail Ski Area – Vail Museum
		179.866	180	East Vail
Summit		190.095	190	Vail Pass, Shrine Pass Road
		195.298	195	SH 91 south – Copper Mountain, Leadville
		198.254	198	Officers Gulch
	Frisco	200.995	201	Main Street
	Frisco	202.352	203	SH 9 south – Frisco, Breckenridge	West end of SH 9 overlap
	Silverthorne	205.423	205	US 6 east / SH 9 north – Dillon, Silverthorne	East end of US 6/SH 9 overlap
	Eisenhower Tunnel
Clear Creek		216.583	216	US 6 west – Loveland Pass	West end of US 6 overlap
		218.346	218	Herman Gulch Road
		221.297	221	Bakerville
	Silver Plume	225.719	226	Silver Plume
	Georgetown	227.910	228	Georgetown
		231.889	232	US 40 west – Empire, Granby	West end of US 40 overlap
		233.047	233	Lawson	Eastbound exit only
		234.209	234	Downieville, Lawson
		235.005	235	Dumont	Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
		237.660	238	Fall River Road
	Idaho Springs	238.885	239	I-70 Bus. east – Idaho Springs
		239.652	240	SH 103 south – Mount Evans
		241.125	241	I-70 Bus. west	Eastbound marked 241A – BL70, 241B – E Idaho Springs Road
		242.980	243	Hidden Valley, Central City
		244.260	244	US 6 east (US 40) – Golden	East end of US 6 overlap Unsigned east end of US 40 overlap No eastbound entrance
		246.602	247	Beaver Brook, Floyd Hill	Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
Jefferson		247.604	248	Beaver Brook, Floyd Hill	Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
		250.769	251	SH 74 (Evergreen Parkway, US 40) – El Rancho	Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
		251.318	252	SH 74 (Evergreen Parkway, US 40)	Unsigned west end of US 40 overlap Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
		252.244	253	Chief Hosa
		253.528	254	US 40 east – Genesee Park	East end of US 40 overlap
		255.974	256	Lookout Mountain
		258.722	259	SH 26 south – Golden, Morrison
	Golden	259.803	260	SH 470 – Colorado Springs, Golden
	Golden	261.060	261	US 6 east	Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
	Lakewood	261.630	262	I-70 Bus. east (Colfax Avenue) / US 40 west	Westbound also signed to US 6
	Lakewood	262.571	263	Colorado Mills Parkway
	Wheat Ridge	264.341	264	Youngfield Street, 32nd Avenue
		265.343	265	SH 58 west – Golden, Central City	Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
		265.726	266	SH 72 (Ward Road)
		267.402	267	SH 391 (Kipling Street)
	Arvada	269.002	269A	SH 121 (Wadsworth Boulevard)
	Arvada	269.242	269B	I-76 east – Fort Morgan	Eastbound left exit and westbound entrance
	Wheat Ridge	270.000	270	Harlan Street	Eastbound also signed as SH 95(Sheridan Boulevard)
Denver		270.496	271A	SH 95 (Sheridan Boulevard)	Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
		271.549	271B	Lowell Boulevard, Tennyson Street	Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
		272.005	272	US 287 (Federal Boulevard)
		273.015	273	Pecos Street
		274.062	274	I-25 / US 6 west / US 85 south / US 87 – Fort Collins, Colorado Springs	West end of US 6/US 85 overlap
		274.607	275A	Washington Street	Eastbound signed exit 274
		275.200	275B	SH 265 north (Brighton Boulevard)
		275.550	275C	York Street / Josephine Street	Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
		276.080	276A	US 6 east (Vazquez Boulevard) / US 85 north	East end of US 6/US 85 overlap
		276.572	276B	SH 2 (Colorado Boulevard)
		277.024	277	Dahlia Street
		278.548	278	SH 35 (Quebec Street)
		278.920	279	I-270 west / US 36 west (Denver–Boulder Turnpike) – Boulder	West end of US 36 overlap Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
		280.567	280	Havana Street
		281.560	281	Peoria Street	Westbound exit splits from exit 282
Adams	Aurora	282.550	282	I-225 south – Aurora, Colorado Springs
		283.532	283	Chambers Road
		284.300	284	Peña Boulevard – Denver International Airport	Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
		284.627	285	Airport Boulevard
		285.727	286	Tower Road
		288.219	288	I-70 Bus. west / US 40 west / US 287 north / Colfax Avenue	West end of US 40/US 287 overlap No westbound entrance
		289.028	289	E-470 – Fort Collins, Colorado Springs, Denver International Airport
		292.128	292	SH 36 east (Airpark Road)
	Watkins	295.256	295	I-70 Bus. north – Watkins
		299.328	299	Manila Road
		304.360	304	SH 79 north – Bennett
		305.370	305	Kiowa	Eastbound exit only
Arapahoe		305.784	306	Kiowa, Bennett
		310.160	310	I-70 Bus. north – Strasburg
		316.000	316	US 36 east – Byers	East end of US 36 overlap
		322.086	322	Peoria
	Deer Trail	328.329	328	I-70 Bus. south – Deer Trail
Elbert		336.787	336	Lowland
		340.354	340	I-70 Bus. west – Agate
		348.798	348	Cedar Point
		352.340	352	SH 86 west – Kiowa
		354.537	354	(no name)
Lincoln	Limon	359.499	359	I-70 Bus. west / US 24 south / SH 71 – Limon
	Limon	361.150	361	Limon
		363.025	363	I-70 Bus. west / US 24 south / US 40 / US 287 – Hugo, Kit Carson, Limon	West end of US 24 overlap East end of US 40/US 287 overlap
		371.482	371	Genoa, Hugo
		376.520	376	Bovina
		383.496	383	Arriba
Kit Carson		394.564	395	Flagler
		404.065	405	US 24 east / SH 59 north – Seibert	East end of US 24 overlap
		411.961	412	Vona
		419.311	419	SH 57 – Stratton
		428.824	429	Bethune
	Burlington	436.788	437	US 385 north (Lincoln Street)
	Burlington	438.225	438	US 24 east (Rose Avenue)	West end of US 24 overlap
Source:Colorado Department of Transportation, Highway Reference Data^[1]