Interstate 70 in Colorado

Interstate 70
Interstate Highways in Colorado with I-70 in red
Route information
Maintained by Colorado Department of Transportation
Length:	449.589 mi[1] (723.543 km)
History:	Designated in 1956 Completed in 1992
Major junctions
West end:	I-70 / US-6 / US-50 at Utah state line
	US 50 in Grand Junction US 24 near Vail US 40 near Empire I-76 in Arvada I-25 / US 87 in Denver I-270 / US 36 in Denver I-225 in Aurora US 40 / US 287 in Aurora E-470 in Aurora US 24 in Limon
East end:	I-70 / US-24 at Kansas state line
Highway system
Interstate Highway System Main Auxiliary Suffixed Business Colorado State Highways Interstate U.S. State ← SH 69 SH 71 →

Interstate 70 (I-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. Bicycles and other non-motorized vehicles, normally prohibited on Interstate Highways, are allowed on those stretches of I-70 in the Rockies where no other through route exists.

The U.S. 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 United States. 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 into the plans after lobbying by Governor 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.

Route description

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

Colorado River

I-70 enters Colorado from Utah, concurrent with US 6 and US 50, 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.^[2] The Grand Valley is home to several towns and small cities that form the Grand Junction Metropolitan Statistical Area, the largest conurbation in the 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 the area.^[3] The freeway passes to the north of downtown, while US 6 and 50 retain their original routes through downtown. US 6 rejoins I-70 east of Grand Junction; US 50 departs on a course toward Pueblo.^[2]

I-70 exits the valley through De Beque Canyon, a path carved by the Colorado River that separates the Book Cliffs from Battlement Mesa. The river and its tributaries provide the course for the ascent up the Rocky Mountains. In the canyon, I-70 enters the Beavertail Mountain Tunnel, the first of several tunnels built to route the freeway across the Rockies. This tunnel design features a curved sidewall, unusual for tunnels in the United States, where most tunnels feature a curved roof and flat side-walls. Engineers borrowed a European design to give the tunnel added strength.^[4] After the canyon winds past the Book Cliffs, the highway follows the Colorado River through a valley containing the communities of Parachute and Rifle.^[2]

Glenwood Canyon

Approaching 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 main line of the former Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad (now part of Union Pacific) occupies the south bank.^[2]

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

To minimize the hazards along this portion, a command center staffed with emergency response vehicles 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 one of the curves.^[8] The USDOT makes provision for bicycles, which are usually prohibited along Interstate Highways, along the freeway corridor in Glenwood Canyon.^[9]

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.^[10] 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 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.^[2]

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 underpass is located along a natural migratory path and has been landscaped to encourage deer to cross.^[1][12]

The highway descends to Dillon Reservoir, near the town of Frisco, and begins one final ascent to the Eisenhower Tunnel, where the freeway crosses the Continental Divide. At the time of dedication, this tunnel was the highest vehicular tunnel in the world, at 11,158 feet (3,401 m).^[13] As of 2010, the facility was still the highest vehicular tunnel in the United States.^[6] The Eisenhower Tunnel is noted as both the longest mountain tunnel and highest point on the Interstate Highway System.^[13] The tunnel has a command center, staffed with 52 full-time employees, to monitor traffic, remove stranded vehicles, and maintain generators to keep the tunnel's lighting and ventilation systems running in the event of a power failure. Signals are placed at each entrance and at various points inside the tunnel to close lanes or stop traffic in an emergency.^[13] 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.^[2]

Clear Creek

The freeway follows Clear Creek down the eastern side of the Rockies, passing through the Veterans Memorial Tunnels^[14] 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?"^[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]

Warning sign stating, "Trucks, Don't be Fooled—4 more miles of steep grades and sharp curves."

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 Great Plains, I-70 enters the Denver metropolitan area, part of a larger urban area called the Front Range Urban Corridor. The freeway arcs around the northern edge of the LoDo district, the common name of the lower 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. Through downtown, US 6 is routed along 6th Avenue before departing the I-70 corridor to join Interstate 76 on a northeast course toward Nebraska.^[2] The freeway meets Interstate 25 in an interchange frequently called the Mousetrap.^[4]

Downtown Denver

I-70 has one official branch in Colorado, Interstate 270, which connects the interstate with the Denver–Boulder Turnpike. Where these two freeways merge is the busiest portion of I-70 in the state, with an annual average daily traffic of 183,000 vehicles per day.^[17] While State Highway 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.^[18]

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 U.S. Highway 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.^[19] I-70 enters Kansas near Burlington, a small community known for having one of the oldest carousels in the United States.^[20]

History

As first proposed in 1944, the western terminus of I-70 was Denver, along the corridor of US 40. The portion across the Rocky Mountains was added to the plans, after lobbying by Colorado officials, following the US 6 corridor.^[12] The origins of both the US 40 and US 6 pre-date the U.S. System of numbered highways, using established transcontinental trails.^[21]

Earlier routes

Before the formation of the United States Numbered Highways, the U.S. 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. While the Lincoln Highway was briefly routed this way, the loop proved impractical and was soon removed.^[21]

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 crossed the mountains along a trail blazed by a railroad surveyor and captain in the American Civil War, cresting at Berthoud Pass.^[21] 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.^[22] When the U.S. Highway system was unveiled in 1926, the Victory Highway was numbered U.S. Highway 40.^[21]

While US 6 was also one of the original 1926 U.S. Highways, the road originally served the portion of the United States east of the Rocky Mountains. The highway was not extended to the Pacific coast until 1937, mostly following the Midland Trail.^[23] 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.^[21] 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.^[12][21] 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.^[24] 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.^[21]

Interstate Highway planning

Interstate 70 descending into Clear Creek Canyon

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:

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.^[12]

Colorado held several meetings to convince reluctant Utah officials they would benefit from a freeway link between Denver and Salt Lake City. Utah officials expressed concerns that, given the terrain between these cities, this link would be difficult to build. They later expressed concerns that the construction would drain resources from completing Interstate Highways they deemed to have a higher priority. Colorado officials persisted, presenting three alternatives to route I-70 west of Denver, using the corridors of US 40, US 6 and a route starting at Pueblo, proceeding west along US 50/US 285/US 24. In March 1955, Colorado officials succeeded in convincing Utah officials with the state legislature passing a resolution supporting a link with Denver. The two states jointly issued a proposal to the U.S. Congress that would extend the plans for I-70 along the US 6 corridor. Under this proposal the freeway would terminate at I-15 near Spanish Fork, Utah, linking the Front Range and Wasatch Front metropolitan areas.^[12]

Beavertail Mountain tunnel as seen from the Amtrak California Zephyr

Congress approved the extension of I-70; however, the route still had to be approved by the representatives of the U.S. 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 U.S. to southern California; and further felt Salt Lake City was adequately connected. Military planners approved the extension, but moved the western terminus south to Cove Fort, using I-70 as part of a link between Denver with Los Angeles instead of Salt Lake City. Utah officials objected to the modification, complaining they were being asked to build a long and expensive freeway that would serve no populated areas of the state. After being told this was the only way the military would approve the extension, Utah officials agreed to build the freeway along the approved route.^[12]

Construction

View from Loveland Pass, showing a hairpin turn along the US 6 alignment on top right, and the straighter I-70 emerging from the Eisenhower Tunnel on the left

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: Loveland Pass, at an elevation of 11,992 feet (3,655 m) and Vail Pass, at 10,666 feet (3,251 m).^[2] 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. The tunnel was later renamed the Eisenhower–Johnson Memorial Tunnel, after U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower and Colorado Governor Edwin C. Johnson.^[13]

Construction on the first bore of the tunnel was started on March 15, 1968.^[13] 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.^[25] 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.^[21] 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".^[25] 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.^[13] The initial engineering cost estimate for the Eisenhower bore was $42 million; the actual cost was $108 million (equivalent to $576 million today). Approximately 90% of the funds were paid by the federal government, with the state of Colorado paying the rest. At the time, this figure set a record for the most expensive federally aided project. The excavation cost for the Johnson bore was $102.8 million (equivalent to $335 million today).^[25][26]

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. After 18 months on the job, however, 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]

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.^[21] This alternative sparked a nationwide controversy as it would require an easement across federally protected lands, through 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 route across Vail Pass. The engineers added infrastructure to accommodate wildlife, and had significant portions of the viaducts constructed offsite and lifted in place to minimize the environmental footprint.^[21] The grade over vail pass reaches seven percent.^[27]

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 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 million today).^[21]

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.^[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.^[28] 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.^[21] 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.^[29] 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."^[28] 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.^[30]

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.^[31][32] 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."^[33]

The cost was $490 million (equivalent to $800 million today) to build 12 miles (19 km), 40 times the average cost per mile predicted by the planners of the Interstate Highway system.^[21] This figure exceeded that of Interstate 15 through the Virgin River Gorge, which was previously proclaimed the most expensive rural freeway in the United States.^[34] The construction of I-70 through Glenwood Canyon earned 30 awards for the Colorado Department of Transportation,^[8] including the 1993 Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement Award from the American Society of Civil Engineers.^[35] 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.^[6][8] However, as of 2009, at least two sections of the original Interstate Highway System have not been constructed: a section of Interstate 95 in central New Jersey,^[36] and a section of I-70 in Breezewood, Pennsylvania.^[37]

Legacy

When first approved, the extension of I-70 from Denver to Cove Fort was criticized in some area newspapers as a road to nowhere;^[38] an information liaison specialist with the U.S. Department of Transportation in Baltimore, Maryland—the eastern terminus of I-70—claims people have 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, a resident engineer with the USDOT has called the extension one of the "crown jewels" of the Interstate Highway System.^[8] 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.^[21] 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.^[8] The Colorado Department of Transportation is considering the nomination of various portions of I-70 as a National Historic Landmark, even though the freeway will not qualify as historical for several decades.^[21]

Interstate 70 through the Colorado Plateau

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 the Department of Transportation.^[21] 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 recreational visitors from the Denver area. As one conservationist lamented, I-70 "changed rural Colorado into non-rural Colorado".^[21]

One accident at the Mousetrap, a complex interchange, had national ramifications. On August 1, 1984, a truck carrying six torpedoes for the U.S. Navy overturned. The situation was made worse as no one answered at the phone number provided with the cargo, and an unknown liquid was leaking from one of the torpedoes. It took more than three hours before any military personnel arrived on the scene, U.S. Army personnel from a nearby base. The incident left thousands of cars stranded and Denver's transportation network paralyzed for about eight hours. Approximately 50 residents in the area were evacuated.^[39][40] Investigations later revealed that the truck driver did not follow a recommended route provided by officers, and was specifically warned to avoid the Mousetrap.^[39] The Navy promised reforms after being criticized for providing an unstaffed phone number with a hazardous cargo shipment, a violation of federal law, and failing to notify Denver officials about the shipment.^[41][42] The Mousetrap was grandfathered into the Interstate Highway system, with some structures built in 1951.^[4] The incident provided momentum to rebuild the interchange with a more modern and safer design. Construction begin in several phases in 1987 and the last bridge was dedicated in 2003.^[43]

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.^[44]

Exit list

County	Location	mi[1]	km	Exit	Destinations	Notes
Mesa		0.000	0.000		I-70 west / US-6 west / US-50 west	Continuation into Utah
		1.814	2.919	2	Rabbit Valley
		11.106	17.873	11	Mack (US 6 east)	East end of US 6 overlap (US 6 is unsigned)
		15.081	24.271	15	SH 139 north – Loma, Rangely
	Fruita	19.444	31.292	19	SH 340 / US 6 – Fruita, Colorado National Monument
	Grand Junction	25.563	41.140	26	I-70 Bus. east / US 6 / US 50 – Grand Junction	East end of US 50 overlap
		27.570	44.370	28	24 Road, Redlands Parkway
		31.351	50.455	31	Horizon Drive – Grand Junction Regional Airport
	Clifton	36.644	58.973	37	To US 6 / I-70 Bus. west – Clifton, Grand Junction, Delta
	Palisade	41.578	66.913	42	To US 6 – Palisade
		43.682	70.299	44	US 6 west – Palisade	Westbound exit and eastbound entrance; west end of US 6 overlap
		45.332	72.955	46	Cameo
		46.867	75.425	47	James M. Robb – Colorado River State Park, Island Acres	Former port of entry
		49.015	78.882	49	SH 65 south to SH 330 – Grand Mesa, Collbran
				Beavertail Tunnel
		61.648	99.213	62	De Beque
Garfield		72.319	116.386	72	West Parachute	Opened October 31, 2012[45]
	Parachute	75.152	120.945	75	Parachute, Battlement Mesa
		81.236	130.737	81	Rulison
		86.850	139.772	87	US 6 east – Rifle	East end of US 6 overlap
	Rifle	90.422	145.520	90	SH 13 north – Rifle, Meeker
		93.991	151.264	94	Garfield County Regional Airport
		97.427	156.794	97	I-70 Bus. north – Silt
		105.260	169.400	105	New Castle
		109.000	175.418	109	Canyon Creek
		111.328	179.165	111	South Canyon Creek Road
	Glenwood Springs	114.295	183.940	114	West Glenwood
		116.380	187.295	116	SH 82 – Glenwood Springs, Aspen
		118.640	190.933	119	No Name
		120.954	194.657	121	Grizzly Creek – Hanging Lake
		122.588	197.286	123	Shoshone Access Road	Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
		124.970	201.120	125	Hanging Lake	Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
				Hanging Lake Tunnel
		128.314	206.501	129	Bair Ranch Road
Eagle		133.384	214.661	133	Dotsero
		139.533	224.557	140	US 6 east – Gypsum	East end of US 6 overlap
	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 Bus. south – Edwards
		166.635	268.173	167	Avon
	Avon	168.157	270.622	168	William J. Post Boulevard
		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	West end of US 6 overlap
	Vail	173.319	278.930	173	West Vail
		175.872	283.039	176	Vail Ski Area – Vail Museum
		179.866	289.466	180	East Vail
Summit		190.095	305.928	190	Vail Pass, Shrine Pass Road
		195.298	314.302	195	SH 91 south – Copper Mountain, Leadville
		198.254	319.059	198	Officers Gulch
	Frisco	200.995	323.470	201	Main Street
		202.352	325.654	203	SH 9 south – Frisco, Breckenridge	West end of SH 9 overlap
	Silverthorne	205.423	330.596	205	US 6 east / SH 9 north – Dillon, Silverthorne	East end of US 6/SH 9 overlap
Summit–Clear Creek county line				Eisenhower Tunnel
Clear Creek		216.583	348.557	216	US 6 west – Loveland Pass	West end of US 6 overlap
		218.346	351.394	218	(no name)
		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	West end of US 40 overlap
		233.047	375.053	233	Lawson	Eastbound exit only
		234.209	376.923	234	Downieville, Lawson
		235.005	378.204	235	Dumont	Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
		237.660	382.477	238	Fall River Road
	Idaho Springs	238.885	384.448	239	I-70 Bus. east – Idaho Springs
		239.652	385.683	240	SH 103 south – Mount Evans
		241.125	388.053	241	I-70 Bus. west – Idaho Springs	Signed as exit 241A (I-70 Bus.) and exit 241B (County Road 314) eastbound
				Veterans Memorial Tunnels[14]
		242.980	391.038	243	Hidden Valley, Central City
		244.260	393.098	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	396.867	247	Beaver Brook, Floyd Hill	Eastbound exit
Jefferson		247.604	398.480	248	Beaver Brook, Floyd Hill	Westbound exit
		250.769	403.574	251	SH 74 (Evergreen Parkway, US 40) – El Rancho	Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
		251.318	404.457	252	SH 74 (Evergreen Parkway, US 40)	Unsigned west end of US 40 overlap; westbound exit and eastbound entrance
		252.244	405.947	253	Chief Hosa
		253.528	408.014	254	US 40 east – Genesee Park	East end of US 40 overlap
		255.974	411.950	256	Lookout Mountain
		258.722	416.373	259	US 40 / CR 93 – Golden, Morrison
	Golden	259.803	418.112	260	SH 470 south – Colorado Springs
		261.060	420.135	261	US 6 east (6th Avenue)	Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
	Lakewood	261.630	421.053	262	I-70 Bus. (Colfax Avenue) / US 40 east	Westbound also signed to US 6
		262.571	422.567	263	Colorado Mills Parkway
	Wheat Ridge	264.341	425.416	264	Youngfield Street, 32nd Avenue
		265.343	427.028	265	SH 58 west – Golden, Central City	Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
		265.726	427.645	266	SH 72 (Ward Road)
		267.402	430.342	267	SH 391 (Kipling Street)
	Arvada	269.002	432.917	269A	SH 121 (Wadsworth Boulevard)
		269.242	433.303	269B	I-76 east – Fort Morgan	Eastbound left exit and westbound entrance; I-76 west end
	Wheat Ridge	270.000	434.523	270	Harlan Street	Eastbound also signed as SH 95 (Sheridan Boulevard)
		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	I-25 – Fort Collins, Colorado Springs	West end of US 6 overlap, informally known as The Mousetrap; I-25 exit 214A
		274.607	441.937	275A	Washington Street	Eastbound signed exit 274
		275.200	442.891	275B	SH 265 north (Brighton Boulevard)
		275.550	443.455	275C	York Street, Josephine Street	Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
		276.080	444.308	276A	US 6 east / US 85 north (Vazquez Boulevard)	East end of US 6/US 85 overlap
		276.572	445.099	276B	SH 2 (Colorado Boulevard)
		277.024	445.827	277	Dahlia Street, Monaco Street, Holly Street
		278.548	448.280	278	SH 35 (Quebec Street)
		278.920	448.878	279A	I-270 / US 36 west – Boulder	West end of US 36 overlap; eastbound entrance via SH 35
		279.321	449.524	279B	Central Park Boulevard
		280.567	451.529	280	Havana Street
		281.560	453.127	281	Peoria Street	Westbound exit splits from exit 282
		282.550	454.720	282	I-225 south – Aurora, Colorado Springs	I-225 exits 12A-B
Adams	Aurora	283.532	456.301	283	Chambers Road
		284.300	457.536	284	/ Peña Boulevard – Denver International Airport	Westbound exit via exit 285
		284.627	458.063	285	Airport Boulevard
		285.727	459.833	286	Tower Road
		288.219	463.844	288	I-70 Bus. west / US 40 west / US 287 north / Colfax Avenue	West end of US 40/US 287 overlap
		289.028	465.145	289	E-470 – Fort Collins, Colorado Springs	E-470 exit 20
		292.128	470.134	292	SH 36 east (Airpark Road)
	Watkins	295.256	475.168	295	I-70 Bus. north – Watkins
		299.328	481.722	299	Manila Road
		304.360	489.820	304	SH 79 north – Bennett
		305.370	491.445	305	Kiowa	Eastbound exit only
Arapahoe		305.784	492.112	306	Kiowa, Bennett
		310.160	499.154	310	I-70 Bus. north – Strasburg
		316.000	508.553	316	US 36 east – Byers	East end of US 36 overlap
		322.086	518.347	322	Peoria
	Deer Trail	328.329	528.394	328	I-70 Bus. south – Deer Trail
Elbert		336.787	542.006	336	Lowland
		340.354	547.747	340	I-70 Bus. west – Agate
		348.798	561.336	348	Cedar Point
		352.340	567.036	352	SH 86 west – Kiowa
		354.537	570.572	354	(no name)
Lincoln	Limon	359.499	578.558	359	I-70 Bus. east / US 24 west / SH 71 south – Limon, Colorado Springs
		361.150	581.215	361	Limon
		363.025	584.232	363	US 40 / US 287 – Hugo, Kit Carson	West end of US 24 overlap; east end of US 40/US 287 overlap
		371.482	597.842	371	Genoa, Hugo
		376.520	605.950	376	Bovina
		383.496	617.177	383	Arriba
Kit Carson		394.564	634.989	395	Flagler
		404.065	650.280	405	US 24 east / SH 59 north – Seibert	East end of US 24 overlap
		411.961	662.987	412	Vona
		419.311	674.816	419	SH 57 – Stratton
		428.824	690.125	429	Bethune
	Burlington	436.788	702.942	437	US 385 (Lincoln Street)
		438.225	705.255	438	US 24 (Rose Avenue)	West end of US 24 overlap
		449.589	723.543		I-70 east / US-24 east	Continuation into Kansas
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Concurrency terminus       Incomplete access

See also

• Business routes of Interstate 70 in Colorado

References

External links

Route map: Bing / Google

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Interstate 70 in Colorado.

• 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

Interstate 70
Previous state: Utah	Colorado	Next state: Kansas