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Location: North Front Range
Length*: 9.96mi
S End: Jct US 287 north of Fort Collins
N End: Jct I-25 Exit 278 at Wellington
Counties: Larimer
Places: Wellington
Annual Average Daily Traffic (2004):
- 8900 at US 287
- 5500 north of CR 54
- 3100 north of CR 60
- 4400 at 1st St. in Wellington
- 7400 at I-25
Guide:
Just a typical two-lane road that gets a lot of use by
people going from Wellington to Fort Collins to work or
shop. It basically "stairsteps", using sections lines, going
north, then east, then north, then east.
History:
SH 1 is an original 1920s cross-state highway. From New
Mexico, it followed the current alignment of US 85-87 to
through Trinidad, Pueblo and Colorado Springs to Monument,
then went along the current Spruce Mountain Road through
Palmer Lake and Larkspur. It followed current I-25 then to
Castle Rock, then up US 85 on Santa Fe Drive. It then went
three short blocks east on Iowa Street, up Broadway to
downtown Denver, northwest on 23rd, west on 38th Ave., then
north on Federal Blvd. It followed current US 287 north to
Fort Collins, SH 1 to Wellington, county roads north to the
I-25 Carr exit, then north via current I-25 to Wyoming. SH 1
was paved in its entirety by 1938. By 1949 SH 1 bypassed
Greenhorn and Crow to the east, and was routed east of
Palmer Lake and Larkspur by 1950. By 1954, SH 1 had its
north end at Fort Collins, because the Fort
Collins-Wellington section had been turned back. The Fort
Collins-Wellington section was resurrected by 1957. The 1968
purge scaled SH 1 back to the Fort Collins-Wellington
routing only. SH 1's south terminus with US 287 was
realigned in 1997, moving it to a new intersection about 500
feet further northwest up 287.
Various US highways have used SH 1 over years. See
US 85, US
87, US 287 and
US 185 for more
history on those routes. See also SH
185.
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Location: Metro Denver
Length*: 24.00mi
S End: Jct US 285 at Colorado Blvd./Hampden Ave. in
southeast Denver
N End: Jct SH 7 at 4th Ave./Bridge St. in Brighton
Counties: Denver, Arapahoe, Adams
Places: Denver, Glendale, Commerce City, Brighton
NHS: I-25 north to US 6-85 north of I-270
Expressway: South of I-70 north to US 6-85 north
of I-270
Roadway Names:
- The north-south section in Denver is Colorado
Boulevard
- Section concurrent with US 6-85 is Vasquez
Boulevard
- North-south section north of I-76 is Sable
Boulevard
- Section in Brighton is 4th Avenue
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Milepost Guide:
- 0.00: US 285/Hampden Ave., Denver (begin SH 2 in Denver County)
- 2.12: I-25 Exit 204 interchange
- 2.93: Begin Denver/Arapahoe County split
- 4.14: End Denver/Arapahoe split, enter Denver County
- 4.37: SH 83/Leetsdale Dr.
- 5.99: US 40-287/BL I-70/Colfax Ave.
- 8.72: I-70 Exit 276 interchange
- 9.48: Enter Adams County
- 9.84: South jct US 6/US 85 interchange, Commerce City
- 11.00: North jct US 6/US 85 interchange
- 16.96: SH 44/104th Ave.
- 18.99: I-76 Exit 16 interchange
- Mileposts reset to 0.00 due to SH 2 previously
ending at I-76
- 0.58: SH 22/124th Ave.
- 4.99: SH 7/Bridge St., Brighton (end SH
2)
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Annual Average Daily Traffic (2004):
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Guide:
Starting at Colorado and Hampden at US 285 on the
Denver/Cherry Hills Village line, SH 2 heads north via
Colorado Blvd., through a partial cloverleaf at I-25 Exit
204, and north through I-70 Exit 276B. For much of the
distance Colorado Blvd. is six lanes wide with left turn
lanes that come and go. Some areas there are continuous left
turn lanes, while other areas are divided with turn lanes
only at intersections. Colorado Boulevard is a major
north-south arterial on Denver's east side, and is choked
with traffic and signals. The drive on it can be either fast
and fun or slow and excruciating depending on time of day,
traffic levels, and signal timing.
North of I-70, SH 2 becomes more of an expressway, and
goes through a partial interchange at US 6-85 (Vasquez
Blvd.), where it merges with those routes. There is then a
cloverleaf at I-270 Exit 2, and then has another partial
interchange again at US 6-85. From US 6-85, SH 2 heads
northeast by itself through Commerce City, paralleling I-76
on I-76's southeast side, and bordering the west side of the
Rocky Mountain Arsenal for part of the way. This stretch of
road has no name other than the highway number.
SH 2 hits I-76 at Exit 16, a diamond interchange, goes
northeast across I-76, hits an intersection with 120th
Avenue, then heads north on Sable Blvd. It is a straight
road, but has no shoulders. It has a 50mph speed limit
except for a residential enclave centered at the 136th
Avenue intersection. SH 2 then crosses into Brighton, goes
onto 4th Avenue., and ends at a signal light at SH 7 at
Bridge St.
Photo Gallery:
- NB
SH 2 at I-70. Northbound SH 2/Colorado Blvd.
approaching the I-70 interchange. Due to construction at
Smith Road, this sign structure no longer exists.
(October 1999)
- SH
2/120th Roundabout Sign. Northbound SH 2/Sable
Blvd. approaching the 120th Avenue roundabout, an interim
setup during reconstruction of the interchange. See
History below. The sign is displaying which legs of
the roundabout are what routes. At 11 o'clock is "NORTH
SH2", 8 o'clock is "WEST 120TH", and 5 o'clock is "EAST
120TH". On the right side of the picture you can see the
now-defunct bridge for old Exit 17. The bridge was
substandard so I'm not missing it. The roundabout itself
was taken out in September 2000 and replaced with a
four-way stop. (October 1999)
History:
The original 1920s SH 2 was the highway that went across the
northern part of the state. Coming east, it followed current
US 40 from Utah all the way to metro Denver, where it then
jumped on Colfax Ave. and took that east to downtown. From
there, it was north on Broadway to Brighton Blvd., then that
northeast to Vasquez Blvd. (current US 6-85 through Commerce
City), and then northeast, finally taking US 85 northeast
out of the metro area up toward Greeley. From Greeley, it
went east on current US 34 to Wiggins, where it picked up US
6 east to Fort Morgan then to Sterling, then US 138
northeast into Nebraska.
Various US highways have used SH 2 over the years. For
more information, see US 6, US
40, US 38, US
40N, and US 85 for
histories on those highways.
By 1946, SH 2 was rerouted northeast of Denver so that
instead of going through Greeley it went from Commerce City
northeast through Hudson to Wiggins. By 1950 it was
realigned in Denver, using Colfax Ave. east to Colorado
Blvd., and that north to Vasquez Blvd., then northeast. In
the 1968 purge, SH 2 was scaled back to only the metro
Denver routing, from US 285 north to I-80S, taking
over SH 153's routing from Colfax south to Hampden.
According to CDOT route logs, sometime before 1971, SH 35
came into the system. Officially SH 35 had SH 2's alignment
from Quebec Street northeast to I-76, but I doubt it was
marked as such. By 1972, 35 was scaled back, and SH 2 was
extended back up to I-76. SH 2 existed as this road from US
285 to I-76 from 1972 up until Spring 1998, when SH 2 was
again extended. Sable Blvd. had previously been marked as
SH 51, but CDOT decided it would be better marked as
an extension of SH 2. SH 51 was remarked as SH 2
sometime between March and July 1998. Mileposts on Sable
still reflect the SH 51 marking.
Work started in Summer 1998 on a much-needed improvement
to the SH 2/I-76/120th Avenue area. SH 2 south of I-76 was
closed for almost a year, and the two separate trumpet
interchanges for SH 2 and Sable Blvd. were replaced with a
new single diamond interchange, which opened in September
1999. The configuration of the interchange from September
1999 to September 2000 included a roundabout at Sable and
120th, which was apparently part of the ultimate plan.
However, in September 2000 the roundabout was ripped out and
replaced with an intersection with stop signs all the way
around. My thinking is that the roundabout was hard to
negotiate by truckers, as there is a large truck stop on
Sable just north of 120th. In September 2001 the new bridge
for 120th over I-76 opened (a very large, impressive
structure), and a signal put in at 120th and Sable, bringing
the project essentially to completion.
Here're maps to help with the explanation:
If you ask me, what I have shown for September 2001 is
what they should have built in the first place in the 1960s.
The Pre-1998 setup was a substandard, confusing mess.
Bridges over I-76 were narrow and low, ramp configurations
caused weaving problems on I-76, and any direction you
wanted to go involved slow, sharp turns. The first time I
went through it I was taking 120th westbound from Tower to
US 85, and I just about got lost trying to follow 120th.
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Location: North Front Range
Alignment: From the Wyoming border south along
current US 85
History:
The original 1920s SH 3 was the roadway from Greeley
north through Ault to the border south of Cheyenne. In
Greeley it used 8th Ave. from 18th St. north to 9th St.,
west to 11th Ave., then north out of town. It was paved
north to Ault by 1932, and to Wyoming by 1936. By 1946 SH 2
had been rerouted northeast of Denver so that it didn't go
through Greeley, and SH 3 was extended south through
Brighton to Denver. See also US
85, because after 1926, SH 3 served as US
85's carrier route and nothing else. Eliminated in the 1968
purge.
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Location: Durango
Length*: 2.44mi
SE End: Jct US 160-550 southeast of Durango
NW End: Jct US 160-550 in southeast Durango
Counties: La Plata
Annual Average Daily Traffic (2004):
- 7400 at US 160-550 (southeast)
- 8000 south of 8th Ave./Santa Rita Dr.
- 7800 at US 160-550 (northwest)
Guide:
From southeast of Durango, SH 3 goes off of US 160-550's
northeast side then parallels it toward town, hugging the north hillside of the Animas River valley. As US 160-550
bypasses Durango to the south, SH 3 goes north into town
on 8th Avenue. But just south of 2nd Street, SH 3 takes a
turn to the left then heads southwest on Santa Rita Dr. That heads back out to US 160-550,
where SH 3 ends.
No signing exists for SH 3 except a couple signs at the southeast end.
History:
Old route of US 160-550 southeast of Durango. The 160-550
bypass was completed by 1982, SH 3 was given its old route.
At first however, SH 3 ended with a dangling end at 8th
Avenue and 2nd Street. It was extended along Santa Rita Dr. back out to US 160-US 550 in September 2002.
Suggestions:
It would make more sense to have it marked as a business
route.
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Location: Western Slope > Central Mountains
> South Front Range > Eastern Plains
Alignment: Utah to Kansas via US 24
History:
The original 1920s SH 4 went all the way across the
state. It is current I-70/US 6-50 from Utah to Grand
Junction, and then follows I-70/US 6 (historic US 6-24) east
via Parachute, Glenwood Springs and Eagle, to where it hits
US 24 at Minturn, and then went all the way to Kansas on
current US 24 through Leadville, Buena Vista, Woodland Park,
Colorado Springs, Limon and Burlington. By 1936 SH 4
was paved from Utah to Glenwood Springs, from Dotsero to
Leadville, and Woodland Park to Kansas. Paved in its
entirety by 1939. For more on the US highways that have used
SH 4, see US
6, US
24, US
40, US 40N, US 40S, and US 46.
Eliminated in the 1968 purge.
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Location: North Front Range
Alignment: I-25 to US 85 via Carr
History:
Original 1920s state highway. It was a very short route
which went from US 87 (current I-25) near the Wyoming border
east through Carr and ending at US 85. Kinda a piddly little
route to give a one-digit number. Deleted by 1939.
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Location: North Front Range
Alignment: Started at SH 259 (today's SH 257)
north of Windsor and headed due east through Severance,
Eaton, and ending as a spur east of US 85 at Galeton
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Location: Southeast Denver
Alignment: From ??Iliff Avenue?? southeast to Hampden
Avenue (SH 70) via ??Syracuse Way??
History:
Appears on the CDH map Denver insert for only one year:
1954.
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Location: Central Mountains
Length*: 14.89mi
N End: Jct SH 103 south of Idaho Springs
S End: Top of Mount Evans
Counties: Clear Creek
Sections Closed in Winter: From Summit Lake to the
top of Mount Evans. The closure usually is October to May but can vary widely
from year to year, so check the CDOT
CoTrip site for current info.
Roadway Names: Mount Evans Highway
Annual Average Daily Traffic (2004): 340
Guide:
SH 5 goes up Mount Evans south of Idaho Springs. It starts at SH 103 at
Echo Lake, already at a high 10,600 ft. SH 5 then heads generally
south, but twisting and turning all over the place as needed because of
the terrain. It eventually reaches Summit Lake at 12,800 ft, a
shimmering alpine lake on the north slope of Mount Evans. SH 5 then
veers around to the south side of the mountain and begins a
switchback-filled climb directly up the side of the mountain.
At the top of the road, SH 5 reaches a parking area at 14,130
ft. Crest House, a former gift shop, is used as a viewing platform.
Rest rooms are available, and the University of Denver's observatory is
also at the top. However, the true summit of Mount Evans is another
130' above the parking area. A rocky foot path climbs to the summit at
14,264 ft. There are very few places in the world with that stunning a
view which are easily accessible.
Alpine wildlife is abundant, including mountain goats, bighorn
sheep, ravens, marmots and chipmunks. Summer never really arrives at
the top, with temperatures not often exceeding 60F, even in August. But
storms can blow up suddenly. Lightning? Get back in he car!
The top of SH 5 is the highest paved road in North America.
Grades exceed 10% in places on it, and the tight curves and narrow
width make taking anything larger than a passenger vehicle up not a
good idea. There is no striping above Summit Lake, and the pavement is
less than two lanes wide in places. And there is no guardrail. From
Idaho Springs to the top back to Idaho Springs can take 2+ hours.
Even though SH 5 is a state highway, the road is on Arapaho National
Forest land and leased to CDOT by the US Forest Service. There is a
USFS fee station after the SH 103 intersection. However, the fee is
only for USFS facilities; if you plan on only driving on the road, you
can get a free pass at the station. If you are going to use USFS
facilities (such as at Summit Lake), then the fees are:
- 1-12 people in vehicle: $10
- 13-40 people in vehicle: $25
- 41+ in vehicle: $40
- Motorcyclist/Bicyclist/Hiker: $3
Photo Gallery:
- Watch That First Step, It's a Doozy. And don't let go of the steering wheel. (August 2004)
- Switchback. One of SH 5's tight switchbacks as it climbs up the south face of Mount Evans. This one is near Milepost 12. (August 2004)
- Mount Evans Summit.
Looking northeast from the summit of Mount Evans. 130' below is the
parking area, Crest House and University of Denver observatory.
As you might expect, being at one of the highest points in North
America lends itself to a good view. (August 2004)
History:
The road up Mount Evans was originally part of SH 103, but was renumbered to SH 5 by 1955. State maps show that it
was paved in its entirety by 1960, but Jim Adolphson recalls
it not being paved yet from Summit Lake to the top in the
early 1970s. There is also a USGS quad from 1974 which
appears to show it not yet paved from Summit Lake up, so the
year SH 5 was entirely paved is unknown.
A controversy regarding the U.S. Forest Service fee station
blew up in spring 2007. From the late 1990s to the 2006 season, the
USFS had been charging every vehicle that passed through the fee
station the $10+ fee. CDOT said they only just discovered this in late
2006. CDOT was under the understanding that when the fee program began
the fee was only for users of USFS facilities and that the USFS was not
supposed to be charging people for simply driving on the road. CDOT was
not happy when they learned that everyone was being charged. Rather
than wait for the USFS to figure out how to handle the situation, CDOT
promised that before the road opened for the 2007 season signs would be
installed near the fee station informing motorists that no fee was
required for simply driving on the road. (Note: As of June 2007 I don't know whether the signs were installed or not.)
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Location: Western Slope > Central Mountains
> South Front Range > Arkansas Valley
Alignment: Grand Junction to Kansas via current US 50
History:
Original 1920s highway. Went from Utah east to Kansas
via Grand Junction, Montrose, Cañon City, Pueblo and
La Junta. By 1936 it was paved from Utah to Montrose and
Cañon City to Kansas. By 1938 it was paved in its
entirety except for Monarch Pass, which was paved by 1946.
US
50 took over all of SH 6's route in 1926.
Eliminated in the 1968 purge.
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Location: Central Western Slope > Central
Mountains > Metro Denver > Northeastern Plains
Length*: 467.28mi total; 240.9mi signed
W End: Utah
border on I-70 west of Grand Junction (link to Dan
Stober's site)
E End: Nebraska
border east of Holyoke (link to Chris Geelhart's
site)
Nationally: W End: Jct US 395 in Bishop, California;
E End: Tip of Cape Cod, Massachusetts (3205mi)
Counties: Mesa, Garfield, Eagle, Summit, Clear
Creek, Jefferson, Denver, Adams, Weld, Morgan, Washington,
Logan, Phillips
Places: Fruita, Grand Junction, Palisade, Rifle,
Silt, New Castle, Gypsum, Eagle, Edwards, Avon,
Silverthorne, Dillon, Loveland Pass, Clear Creek Canyon,
Golden, Lakewood, Denver, Commerce City, Wiggins, Hillrose,
Merino, Sterling, Fleming, Haxtun, Paoli, Holyoke
See my separate US 6 page
for the rest of the info.
Related Sites:
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Location: North Mountains > North Front Range
> North Metro Denver
Length*: 81.64mi total; 62.15mi marked
NW End: Jct US 36 at N. St. Vrain and S. St. Vrain
avenues in Estes Park
SE End: Jct I-76 frontage road southwest of Lochbuie
(southwest of Exit 25)
Counties: Larimer, Boulder, Adams, Broomfield,
Weld
Places: Estes Park, Allenspark, Lyons, Boulder,
Lafayette, Brighton
Expressway/NHS: While concurrent with US 287 on
the west side of Lafayette.
Business Route:
Allenspark/Ferncliff
Broken Route: Unmarked overlap with US 36 for
19.49mi* from Lyons to Arapahoe Ave in Boulder.
Milepost Guide:
- 0.00: US 36, Estes Park (begin SH
7 in Larimer County)
- 9.74: Enter Boulder County
- 14.91: BR SH 7, Allenspark
- 16.08: BR SH 7 east of Ferncliff
- 19.24: SH 72 north of Raymond
- 32.99: US 36, Lyons (end SH 7)
- 52.48: US 36/28th St., Boulder (begin SH 7 in Boulder County)
- 53.45: SH 157/Foothills Pkwy.,
Boulder
- 59.29: SH 42 north of Louisville
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- 60.68: North jct US 287,
Lafayette
- 61.87: South jct US 287,
Lafayette
- 64.38: Begin Boulder/Weld County split
- 64.85: Begin Weld/Broomfield County split
- 65.44: End Weld/Broomfield split, Enter Broomfield County
- 68.38: I-25 Exit 229 interchange east of
Lafayette
- 68.57: Enter Adams County
- 76.98: US 85 interchange, Brighton
- 77.29: SH 2/4th Ave., Brighton
- 81.64: I-76 frontage road southwest of
Lochbuie (end SH 7)
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Annual Average Daily Traffic (2004):
- 11,900 at US 36, Estes Park
- 3700 south of Mary's Lake Rd.
- 1400 between the two BR SH 7 intersections,
Allenspark/Ferncliff
- 1200 east of SH 72
- 4000 at US 36, Lyons
- 31,200 on Arapahoe Ave. east of US 36/28th St.
- 34,300 east of SH 157/Foothills Pkwy.
- 17,900 east of 63rd St.
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- 13,400 west of US 287, Lafayette
- 16,600 east of US 287
- 12,000 west of 119th Street
- 17,900 west of I-25, Broomfield
- 12,000 east of York St.
- 19,100 west of US 85, Brighton
- 28,300 west of SH 2/4th Avenue
- 2100 at I-76 frontage road
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Roadway Names:
- Estes Park south to SH 72 is part of the Peak to Peak
Highway
- US 36 in east Boulder to US 287 in northwest
Lafayette is Arapahoe Avenue
- US 287 in west Lafayette to I-25 is Baseline
Road
- I-25 to I-76 is 160th Avenue
Guide:
From US 36, SH 7 heads south as South Saint Vrain Avenue,
through south Estes Park, and then south to Allenspark and
Ferncliff. At Raymond, 7 hits SH 72's north end, then heads
east via South St. Vrain Creek to Lyons. The section
from Raymond to Lyons is through a very narrow canyon, and
is very curvy. Maximum speed possible is about 40mph. At Broadway and 5th streets in Lyons, SH 7 hits US 36 and
disappears, but continues as an unmarked overlap south on
US 36.
In Boulder, SH 7 appears again as it heads east along Arapahoe
Avenue from US 36. SH 7 has a massive stoplight intersection at SH 157
(Foothills Parkway), and then heads east out of town.
Arapahoe Avenue east of Boulder is very busy, serving the
suburbia that is sprouting up around that area. Next stop is
Lafayette, where SH 7 has an overlap with US 287 for 1.2mi.
SH 7 then goes east on Baseline Road toward I-25, and forms
the boundary between Weld and Adams counties. Just east of
I-25, SH 7 diagonals south, then heads due east one mile
south of the county line along 160th Ave. This section
includes a 60mph speed limit and a railroad underpass. It
follows 160th all the way into Brighton, where it becomes
Bridge Street. There is a diamond interchange with US 85,
with 85 as the through route.
SH 7 goes due east through Brighton, then continues east
as 160th Ave. to the I-76 frontage road where it ends. There
is no direct connection between SH 7 and I-76, so at the
Lochbuie exit (Exit 25) signs at the ends of the ramps point
you west, then down the frontage road to SH 7.
Photo Gallery:
- Brighton Twin Roundabouts - West Side - East Side.
The SH 7/US 85 interchange in Brighton features twin roundabouts on SH
7 at the bottom of the US 85 ramps. The west roundabout not only serves
the ramps but also the west frontage roads, causing additional
entry/exit points on it. The east roundabout barely squeezes in in
between the US 85 overpass and downtown buildings. Photos by Phil
Demosthenes. A point to ponder: In the east roundabout, is the van
disappearing into a roundabout-induced wormhole, or is it just a
consequence of stitching together multiple photos?
History:
Today's SH 7 is mostly what the original 1920s highway
looked like. SH 7 started as it does now in Estes Park, went
southeast as it does now to Lyons, and then south on current
US 36/unsigned SH 7 to Boulder, using Broadway south into downtown. From there, it was east to
Lafayette to end at US 87. SH 7 was paved from
Boulder to Lafayette by 1932 and additionally from Estes
Park to Lyons by 1936. SH 7 was extended from Lafayette east
to Brighton to US 6 by 1939, and that section was paved by
1946. By 1958 the Boulder east bypass along 28th Street to
SH 7 north of town was built, and since US 36 did not exist
in that area at that time it likely was marked as a second
leg of SH 7. US 36 was extended up the Boulder Turnpike and
commandeered SH 7's route to Lyons in 1968. The US 287
Lafayette Bypass was completed 1997, and changed the
segments which was overlapped with SH 7.
In Boulder, SH 7 used to head south from US 36 along Broadway
to Canyon Blvd, where it intersected SH 93 and 119. It then headed east
along Canyon with SH 119 to 28th St, south with US 36 to Arapahoe Ave,
then east as now. In late 2003 the section of SH 7 along Broadway was
turned back to the city. When the signing was finally changed in early
2006 the SH 7 signs were removed from Broadway as well as the signs
indicating the overlaps along Canyon Blvd and 28th St, so SH 7 had its
end in Boulder shifted from US 36/Broadway to US 36/Arapahoe.
Suggestions:
Upgrade SH 7 between Boulder and US 287 to four lanes.
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Location: West Metro Denver
Length*: 8.68mi
SW End: Jct US 285 south of Morrison
NE End: Jct SH 121 at Morrison Rd./Wadsworth Blvd. in
Lakewood
Counties: Jefferson
Places: Morrison, Lakewood
Expressway: Five-lane undivided from SH 470 to
Kipling Parkway
Roadway Names: Morrison Road from Morrison to SH
121
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Milepost Guide:
- 0.00: US 285 interchange south of Morrison (begin
SH 8 in Jefferson County)
- 2.14: SH 74, Morrison
- 2.88: SH 470 interchange east of Morrison
- 6.91: SH 391/Kipling Pkwy, Lakewood
- 8.68: SH 121/Wadsworth Blvd. (end SH 8)
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Annual Average Daily Traffic (2004):
- 5100 at US 285
- 4100 south of SH 74, Morrison
- 10,100 west of SH 470
- 15,400 west of SH 391/Kipling Pkwy., Lakewood
- 6900 at SH 121/Wadsworth Blvd.
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Guide:
SH 8's southwest end is at a trumpet interchange with US 285
south of Morrison. SH 8 then heads north to Morrison and
becomes Ceder Drive. At Bear Creek Avenue, SH 8 hits SH 74's
east end, and then heads east. It goes through a SH 470
interchange (SPUI!), and heads northeast as Morrison Road.
SH 8 ends at Wadsworth Blvd. (SH 121) in Lakewood.
History:
Like SH 1, 2, and 10, today's SH 8 is what remains of one of
the original 1920s cross-state highways. SH 8 started at
SH 4 at the current US 24-285 intersection at Antero
Junction, headed northeast on US 285 into Denver, followed
its current routing, then went northeast on Morrison Road,
north on Wadsworth Ave. to Jewell Ave., east to Pierce St.,
north to Mississippi Ave., east to Morrison Road, northeast
to Alameda Ave., east to Broadway, north to Colfax Ave.,
then headed east out of town following US 40 all the way
through Byers, Limon and Kit Carson to Kansas. By 1932 SH 8
was paved from Morrison to Aurora, by 1936 paved from Bailey
all the way to Kansas, by 1939 southwest to Jefferson, and
in its entirety by 1946. By 1960, SH 8 used the Valley
Highway to get from Alameda Avenue to Colfax Avenue. For the
US highways that have used SH 8, see US
40, US 40S, US 46, and US
285. In the purge of 1968, SH 8 was trimmed back to what
it is now.
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Location: Central Mountains > North
Mountains
Length*: 138.92mi
S End: Jct US 50 in Parkdale
N End: Jct US 40 at 6th St./Park Ave. in Kremmling
Counties: Fremont, Park, Summit, Grand
Places: Parkdale, Guffey, Hartsel, Fairplay, Alma,
Hoosier Pass, Blue River, Breckenridge, Frisco,
Silverthorne, Green Mountain Reservoir, Kremmling
NHS:
- While concurrent with US 285
- While concurrent with I-70
Freeway: While concurrent with I-70 from Exit
203 at Frisco to Exit 205 at Silverthorne.
Mountain Passes: South of Breckenridge: Hoosier
Pass (11,541ft; 8% grade on north side).
Notes: CDOT plans to widen SH 9 to four lanes
between Frisco and Breckenridge, with the projects proceeding in
several phases northward from Breckenridge.
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Milepost Guide:
- 0.00: US 50 (begin SH 9 in Fremont County)
- 18.17: Enter Park County
- 46.98: East jct US 24, Hartsel
- 47.58: West jct US 24, Hartsel
- 63.73: South jct US 285 south of Fairplay
- 64.67: North jct US 285, Fairplay
- 76.40: Enter Summit County, Hoosier Pass
- 96.99: South jct I-70 Exit 203 interchange,
Frisco
- 101.56: North jct I-70/US 6 Exit 205 interchange,
Silverthorne-Dillon
- 127.43: Enter Grand County
- 138.92: Jct US 40 in Kremmling (end SH 9)
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Annual Average Daily Traffic (2004):
- 1700 at US 50
- 700 northwest of Guffey
- 1500 north of US 24
- 4600 northwest of US 285, Fairplay
- 3400 north of CR 6
- 5900 north of Blue River Rd.
- 12,900 north of Lincoln Ave., Breckenridge (old alignment of SH 9)
- 15,800 north of Swan Mountain Rd.
- 23,000 north of Main St., Frisco
- 38,500 on I-70
- 31,400 at I-70, Silverthorne
- 7300 north of Willowbrook Rd.
- 2700 at CR 30
- 3200 north of CR 33
- 2900 at US 40, Kremmling
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Guide:
SH 9 has humble beginnings one mile east of Parkdale at US
50. It goes northwest via Currant Creek, past Guffey, and
hits US 24 at the crossroads town of Hartsel, where it has a one-mile multiplex
with US 24. It continues northwest via the flat valley of the Middle Fork of
the South Platte River, through the non-town of Garo then intersects US 285 a mile south
of Fairplay. SH 9 and US 285 head north together, then SH 9
breaks off and follows the South Platte northwest through
Fairplay and Alma. North of Alma SH 9 begins a straight
accent up Hoosier Pass, but on the decent from the pass it
has numerous switchbacks. SH 9 then picks up the Blue River
and heads north through the town of Blue River.
North from there SH 9 comes into Breckenridge and uses Park
Avenue, allowing through traffic to bypass congested Main Street to the
west. Park Avenue also skirts the east edge of Breckenridge's skiing
base area. SH 9 then continues following the Blue River north to
Frisco. SH 9 has its busiest rural section between Breckenridge and
Frisco.In Frisco, SH 9 heads through downtown, then out
northwest to I-70 at Exit 203, which has a roundabout on the
north side of the interchange. It goes along I-70 north to
Silverthorne/Dillon (a very well-marked overlap), exiting
I-70 at Exit 205. SH 9 then goes northwest along the Blue
River valley, past Green Mountain Reservoir, across something close to a desert, then and ends at 6th St.
and Park Ave. in Kremmling.
Photo Gallery:
- Interstate
Bike Route 76. An Interstate Bike Route 76 sign
on southbound SH 9 approaching US 285 in Fairplay.
Apparently this part of SH 9 is part of a long-distance
bike route, but I haven't seen any other signs for the
route in the area, so it's not marked very well.
(November 2003)
- US
285/SH 9 Signs. A marker assembly on southbound
SH 9 approaching US 285 in Fairplay. At the intersection
itself you can see a signal installation in progress.
(November 2003)
- Hoosier
Pass Marker. The US Forest Service marker and
CDOT distance sign at Hoosier Pass. (November 2003)
- Hoosier
Pass Summit. The view looking north on SH 9 from
the summit of Hoosier Pass. (November 2003)
- SH 9
at I-70, Silverthorne. Probably the best-marked
Interstate-SH overlap in the state. Southbound on SH 9 at
I-70 in Silverthorne. (June 2002)
- SH
9 North of Silverthorne. Northbound on SH 9 at
milepost 113, near Elk Run Road. (June 2003)
- Green
Mountain Reservoir. Looking north as SH 9 runs
beside Green Mountain Reservoir. (June 2003)
- Near-Desert
in Summit County? Northbound SH 9 at milepost
130. Looks an awful lot like the semi-arid desert of I-80
in southern Wyoming, which is not something you would
expect in Summit County. (June 2003)
History:
SH 9 is an original 1920s highway. From Hartsel it went
north through Fairplay to Breckenridge to Frisco to
Kremmling. In 1939 SH 9 was extended south to US 50 at
Parkdale, then continued to Royal Gorge and then northeast
to Cañon City. It was paved only from Fairplay to
Alma. By 1947 it was paved additionally from Hartsel to
Garo.
By 1954, SH 9 had its south end chopped off so it ended
at Hartsel, and went north to Kremmling. It was paved from
Hartsel to Alma, Breckenridge to Silverthorne, and the
Summit/Grand County Line to Kremmling. By 1955 it was
extended southeast to Guffey, and was paved additionally a
little was northwest of Silverthorne. By 1957 SH 9 was
extended southeast from Guffey to Parkdale. By 1963 the only
section not paved was from Parkdale to Hartsel.
By
1970 the only section of SH 9 not paved was near Guffey, which was
paved by 1980. I-70 between Frisco and Silverthorne was completed by
1971, and SH 9 was moved off of Dillon Dam Road to I-70 the same time.
In Breckenridge SH 9 was moved from congested Main Street to Park
Avenue in conjunction with a reconstruction project in summer 2005. |
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Location: South Front Range > Arkansas
Valley
Length*: 71.96mi
W End: Jct I-25/US 160 Exit 50 at Walsenburg
E End: Jct US 50 in west La Junta
Counties: Huerfano, Las Animas, Pueblo, Otero
Places: Walsenburg, Hawley, La Junta
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Milepost Guide:
- 0.00: I-25 Exit 50 interchange east of Walsenburg
(begin SH 10 in Huerfano County)
- 20.95: Enter Las Animas County
- 28.59: Enter Pueblo County
- 43.05: Enter Otero County
- 62.37: West jct SH 71, Hawley
- 62.88: East jct SH 71, Hawley
- 71.96: US 50, La Junta (end SH 10)
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Annual Average Daily Traffic (2004):
- 750 at I-25/US 160
- 820 east of CR 11
- 940 east of SH 71, Hawley
- 1100 at US 50, La Junta
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History:
SH 10 is an original 1920s cross-state highway. It started
at the Utah border northwest of Dove Creek, and went east to
Walsenburg via Yellow Jacket, Dolores, Cortez, Durango,
Pagosa Springs, and Alamosa. By 1936 it was extended from
Walsenburg northeast to La Junta, and was paved from Cortez
to Durango and Del Norte to Fort Garland. By 1938 SH 10 used
a more direct route from Utah to Cortez, and was not paved
only over Wolf Creek Pass and from Walsenburg to La Junta.
Wolf Creek Pass was paved by 1954, and the Walsenburg-La
Junta section paved by 1960. The section west of Walsenburg
was eliminated in the purge of 1968. For more on the US
highways that used SH 10, see US
160 and US
450.
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Location: Northern Mountains
Alignment: Wolcott to Kremmling via State Bridge
History:
This SH 11 was an original 1920s highway along current
SH 131 from Wolcott north to State Bridge, and then
northeast along current Eagle CR Trough Rd./Grand CR 1
(Colorado River alignment) to end at SH 9 in Kremmling. Was
deleted about 1950, with SH 131 taking over the old portion
of SH 11 from Wolcott to State Bridge, while the rest
was turned back. At it disappearance, no portion of SH
11 had yet been paved.
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Location: Colorado Springs
Alignment: Current I-25 between the north and south
Nevada Avenue interchanges
History:
In 1960 the US 85-87 freeway through Colorado Springs
was completed, and the section between the two Nevada Avenue
interchanges was given the carrier route SH 11. The
US 85-87 freeway north and south of the two Nevada Avenue
interchanges had the carrier route SH 1. Eliminated
in the purge of 1968.
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Location: Julesburg (extreme Northeastern
Plains)
Length*: 1.35mi
S End: Jct US 138-385 at the west Julesburg city
limits
N End: Nebraska border north of Julesburg (no
connection to a state highway)
Counties: Sedgwick
Annual Average Daily Traffic (2004): 540
Guide:
E-mail from Andrew Field:
I took SH-11 quite a bit in the early 1990s;
a friend of mine from Laramie lived in Julesburg, and he
took me to his uncle's farm in Nebraska and to his
grandfather's house in Julesburg. Anyway, SH-11 is neat
because it actually avoids the town of Julesburg
entirely. There is an old route that leaves SH-11 and
goes through the town to meet U.S. 138-385 right by the
RR tracks. This cut-off into Julesburg comes right after
crossing the border from Nebraska -- you'd then turn left
to go into Julesburg. The road ends up in "downtown"
Julesburg, where you'll see a junction sign with a
California-style U.S. 385 shield and a regular U.S. 138
shield side-by-side. Just east of Julesburg, there is a
relatively new U.S. 385 bridge that goes over the
railroad and connects to I-76. A good part of the town's
economy today is based on I-76.
History:
Routing was never a state highway before it became SH 11
about 1971. Unchanged since then, as near as I can tell.
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Location: South Front Range
Length: 70.5mi
NW End: Jct US 160 north of La Veta
SE End: Jct I-25 Exit 13 in Trinidad
Counties: Huerfano, Las Animas
Places: La Veta, Cuchara, Cucharas Pass, Stonewall,
Weston, Segundo, Trinidad
Mountain Passes: Cucharas Pass (9,941 ft; 5.9%
grade north side; 5.4% grade south side)
Milepost Guide:
- 0.00: US 160 north of Le Veta (begin SH 12 in Huerfano County
- 22.30: Enter Las Animas County
- ~70.5: I-25, Trinidad (end SH 12
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Annual Average Daily Traffic (2004):
- 1500 at US 160
- 3400 at Ryus Ave., La Veta
- 1000 at Cuchara
- 680 east of Vigil
- 1900 east of Segundo/Valdez
- 3700 east of Jansen
- 5500 at I-25, Trinidad
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Guide:
After starting at US 160, SH 12 heads south through La Veta,
along the Cucharas River, through Cuchara, over Cucharas
Pass, south through Monument Park, Stonewall, then east via
the Purgatoire River, through Weston, Segundo, Valdez, then
into Trinidad. After coming into town, SH 12 goes east on
Robinson Ave., north on San Juan St., east on Stonewall
Ave., north on Prospect St., east on University, under I-25, and south to Main St. at the Exit 13 interchange.
Photo Gallery:
- Start of SH 12. The starting point of SH 12, looking southwest from US 160. Photo by David Herrera. March 2005
- West of Trinidad. The scenery looking west along SH 12, about 12 miles west of Trinidad. Photo by David Herrera. March 2005
History:
Another remnant of the original state highway that was
longer. The original 1920s SH 12 started in Stonewall at
SH 111 and went east to Trinidad and northeast to La
Junta. By 1939 it was paved from Weston to Trinidad, and all
paved by 1946. By 1954, SH 111
was turned back so SH 12 had an end dangling at nothing at Stonewall.
It was extended north to US 160, not paved over Cucharas Pass, by 1970.
Cucharas Pass was paved by 1971. In August 2004 an extention of SH 12
on a new alignment from University south to Main opened in Trinidad,
and the Exit 14A interchange was permanently closed.
US
350 took over the Trinidad-La Junta section of SH 12 in
1927.
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Location: Northwest Mountains
Length*: 127.99mi
S End: Jct I-70 Exit 90 south of Rifle
N End: Wyoming border just south of Baggs, connecting
to WY
789 (link to Andy Field's site)
Counties: Garfield, Rio Blanco, Moffat
Places: Rifle, Rio Blanco, Meeker, Hamilton, Craig
NHS: While concurrent with US 40 in Craig.
Auxiliary Route: To SH 13, a local-mainainted route through downtown Rifle
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Milepost Guide:
- 0.00: I-70 Exit 90 interchange south of Rifle
(begin SH 13 in Garfield County)
- 0.54: East jct US 6/Railroad Ave., Rifle
- 0.97: West jct US 6, Rifle
- 4.11: SH 325 north of Rifle
- 16.91: Enter Rio Blanco County
- 39.01: SH 64 west of Meeker
- 57.25: Enter Moffat County
- 75.79: SH 317, Hamilton
- 88.63: West jct US 40, Craig
- 89.60: East jct US 40/4th St./Victory Way,
Craig
- 127.99: Wyoming border (end SH 13)
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Annual Average Daily Traffic (2004):
- 16,800 at I-70
- 3000 on US 6/SH 13, Rifle
- 8900 north of Railroad Ave.
- 2300 north of SH 325
- 2300 north of Rio Blanco
- 2900 northeast of SH 64
- 5000 at 10th Street, Meeker
- 1100 north of CR 15
- 1600 south of SH 317, Hamilton
- 7300 south of US 40
- On US 40/SH 13 in Craig (2 one-way streets): 5400 eastbound, 6800 westbound
- 5700 north of US 40
- 1800 north of CR 18S
- 1300 north of CR 38
- 800 at Wyoming border
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Guide:
From I-70, SH 13 heads north to US 6 in central Rifle at the
intersection of Railroad Ave. and 1st St. SH 13 turns west along US 6,
then on the west side of town heads north on the Rifle bypass. North of
town SH 13 follows Government Creek, going along the west side of the
Grand Hogback. It goes to Rio Blanco, then north along Sheep Creek to
Meeker. It follows Market St. through town, then takes Curtis Creek and
Good Spring Creek north to Craig. It hits US 40 on the west side of
town, then goes east on that. US 40 splits onto two one-way streets,
then at Yampa St. SH 13 turns north. It then follows Fortification
Creek north to Wyoming.
Photo Gallery:
- Through Traffic Has Two Ways to SH 13.
Signage on northbound SH 13 approaching US 6. Trucks are told to turn
left on US 6 to use the bypass west of Rifle, while other traffic can
continue straight ahead on Railroad Avenue through downtown. The route
through downtown is not state-maintained. (July 2005)
- North End of Rifle Bypass.
Overhead signage on southbound SH 13 approaching downtown. In this
direction all through traffic is directed onto the bypass. (July 2005)
History:
SH 13 is an original 1920s highway. By 1936 it was paved
from Hamilton to Craig, and by 1947 was paved in its
entirety. By 1974 SH 13 was realigned to so that southwest
of Craig it hit US 40 a little west of where it used to,
which was previously Ranney Street. In Rifle SH 13 was
extended south from US 6 to I-70 about 1977, and SH 13 was
realigned on the bypass to the west of town by 1985.
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Location: North Mountains > North Front Range
> Northeast Plains
Length*: 236.92mi
W End: Jct US 40 at Muddy Pass east of Steamboat
Springs
E End: Jct US 6 in Sterling
Counties: Jackson, Larimer, Weld, Logan
Places: Walden, Gould, Cameron Pass, Cache la Poudre
Canyon, Fort Collins, Ault, Briggsdale, Raymer, Sterling
See the separate SH 14 page for the remainder of the information.
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Location: San Luis Valley
Length*: 22.89mi
NW End: Jct US 160-285 in Monte Vista
SE End: Jct US 285 at La Jara
Counties: Conejos, Rio Grande
Places: Monte Vista, Centro, Capulin, La Jara
Broken Route: Section turned back to the county:
From the Conejos/Rio Grande County Line to Centro, 8.02
miles long.
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Milepost Guide:
- 0.00: US 160-285, Monte Vista (begin SH
15 in Rio Grande County)
- 10.41: SH 370
- 12.37: CR 12S, Rio Grande/Conejos County line (end
SH 15)
- 20.39: CR 9, Centro (begin SH 15 in Conejos County)
- 26.56: SH 371
- 30.91: US 285, La Jara (end SH 15)
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Annual Average Daily Traffic (2004):
- 4300 at US 160-285, Monte Vista
- 730 south of CR 1S
- 270 south of SH 370
- 1400 west of Capulin
- 1500 east of SH 371
- 1600 at US 285, La Jara
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Guide:
SH 15 starts at the US 160-285 intersection at Broadway St.
and 1st Ave. in Monte Vista, then heads due south. It goes
12.3 miles, then at the Conejos/Alamosa County Line abruptly
becomes Conejos CR 6. If you continue south on CR 6 to
Centro, SH 15 will appear again, and take you due east for
10.6 miles through Capulin, ending at US 285 at La Jara.
History:
Another small piece of what's left of an original, longer
highway. The 1920s SH 15 started at La Jara, went west to
Capulin, north to Monte Vista, Saguache, Poncha Springs,
east to Salida, and north to SH 4 at Buena Vista. By
1936 it was paved from Salida to Buena Vista. By 1946 it was
rerouted west of Salida along current US 285, and was not
paved from La Jara to south of Monte Vista. The gap from
Centro to the county line appeared by 1954, and SH 15 was
paved in its entirety by 1957. In the purge of 1968, SH 15
was scaled back to what it is now. For info on the US
highways that used SH 15's routing, see US
285 and US
650.
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Location: Northern Mountains > North Front
Range > Eastern Plains
Alignment: Granby to Wiggins via Loveland and Greeley
History:
Original 1920s state highway, which started at SH
2 at Granby and went east via current US 34 to Greeley.
By 1936 it was paved in Rocky Mountain National Park and
from the mouth of Big Thompson Canyon to Greeley. By 1938,
SH 2 was realigned northeast of Denver and SH
16 was extended from Greeley to Wiggins, and it was all
paved except for a section north of Granby. SH 16 was
paved in its entirety by 1947, and was eliminated in the
purge of 1968. See US
34 for more.
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Location: Fountain (South Front
Range)
Length*: 1.32mi current; 2.1mi future
W End: Jct I-25 Exit 132 at Fountain
E End: Current: Syracuse St east of US 85; Future: SH 21/Powers Blvd
Counties: El Paso
NHS: Entire length.
Expressway: Four-lane divided east of US 85.
Roadway Names: East of US 85, Mesa Ridge
Parkway.
Milepost Guide:
- 0.00: Jct I-25 Exit 132 interchange (begin SH
16)
- 0.86: Jct US 85 interchange
- 1.32: Syracuse Street (current end SH 16)
Annual Average Daily Traffic (2004):
- 21,500 at I-25
- 17,400 east of US 85
Notes:
CDOT sources
conflict on whether Mesa Ridge Pkwy east of Syrcause St is actually
part of SH 16 or not. Supposedly CDOT took over Mesa Ridge from
Syracuse to Powers as part of the massive October 2007 swap, but the
route database still lists SH 16 as ending at Syracuse. And SH 21 is
listed as having its south end at "future SH 16". So who knows.
Guide:
SH 16 starts at a diamond interchange on I-25, which has SH 16 going
off to the east and an entrance into Fort Carson going off to the west.
From I-25 SH 16 goes southeast as a two lane highway, then to US 85,
which runs southeast from Security-Widefield to Fountain. That junction
is a folded diamond interchange with SH 16 as the through route. The
ramps "lay" off to the west side of the interchange, due to a railway
running along the east side of US 85. SH 16 goes over US 85 and the
railway, and then east of it begins a four-lane divided highway. It then meets the Syracuse St intersection.
East of Syracuse, Mesa Ridge Pkwy may or may not be part of SH
16 (see note above). Mesa Ridge heads east awhile through Fountain's
north edge, then curves to the
north and becomes SH 21 and Powers Blvd.
Photo Gallery:
- Signs
on US 85. Marker assembly on northbound US 85 at
the eastbound SH 16 ramp. You can also see the overpass
for SH 16 going over US 85 and the railroad. (September
2003)
History:
Became a state highway in 1971, and went from I-25 east to US 85 via
Carson Blvd., with a length of *1.15mi. By 1976, SH 16 is defined as
going from I-25 southeast, ending at Quebec Street in Widefield
Subdivision, with a length of *1.26mi, *0.29mi of which are "projected"
(Quebec is about 0.3mi east of US 85), so for that period it had its
east end at US 85-87. SH 16's interchange with US 85-87 was built in
the mid-1980s. Sometime in the 1990s it was extended east to Syracuse
Street. Mesa Ridge Pkwy east to Powers Blvd
came onto the state system October 1, 2007, as part of the massive swap that brought Powers into
the state system. That extension may or may not be part of SH 16 (see note above).
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Location: San Luis Valley
Length*: 118.79mi total; 88.67mi marked
SW End: New Mexico border south of Cumbres Pass,
connecting to NM 17 (link to Steve Riner's site)
NE End: Jct US 285 at Mineral Hot Springs
Counties: Archuleta, Conejos, Alamosa,
Saguache
Places: Cumbres Pass, La Manga Pass, Antonito,
Alamosa, Mosca, Hooper, Moffat, Mineral Hot Springs
Broken Route: 30mi runs concurrently (unsigned)
with US 285 from Antonito to Alamosa.
- Southern Section
Location: San Luis Valley
Length*: 38.98
W End: Becomes NM 17
E End: Jct US 285 in Antonito
- Northern Section
Location: San Luis Valley
Length*: 49.69mi
S End: Jct US 160 in Alamosa
N End: Jct US 285 at Mineral Hot Springs
Mountain Passes:
- Cumbres Pass (10,022ft; 6.3% grade)
- La Manga Pass (10,230ft; 5.2% grade)
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Milepost Guide:
- 0.00: New Mexico border (begin SH 17 in Archuleta County)
- 1.21: Enter Conejos County
- 38.98: US 285, Antonito (end SH 17)
- 69.10: US 160, Alamosa (begin SH 17 in Alamosa County)
- 88.19: SH 112, Enter Saguache County, Hooper
- 118.79: US 285, Mineral Hot Springs (end SH
17)
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Annual Average Daily Traffic (2004):
- 480 at New Mexico border
- 1100 east of CR 250
- 1800 west of US 285
- 5600 north of US 160, Alamosa
- 3300 north of CR 6S
- 2800 north of CR 6N
- 1700 south of SH 112, Hooper
- 5400 north of SH 112
- 1600 north of CR U-60, Moffat
- 1200 at US 285
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History:
The broken nature of SH 17 is indicative of the original
1920s highway. It started at Pagosa Springs, went southeast
to New Mexico, reappeared east of there, went northeast
through Cumbres, Antonito, and Alamosa, ending at SH
15 near Mineral Hot Springs. By 1936, SH 17 was paved
from Antonito to Alamosa. By 1938, the section from New
Mexico to Antonito was turned back, but then resurrected by
1946, and by 1954 the only section not paved was from New
Mexico to Antonito. By 1965 the only sections not paved
where over Cumbres and La Manga Passes. In the purge of
1968, the sections concurrent with US highways were
eliminated leaving only the two sections there are now. SH
17 was paved in its entirety by 1970. For info on the US
highways that have used SH 17, see US
84 and US 285.
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Location: Northeastern Plains
Alignment: Went from US 138 at Ovid due west, then
stairstepping southwest to Sedgwick, then due west ending at
Julesburg Reservoir
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Location: South Front Range > Arkansas
Valley
Alignment: Current US 50 from I-25 east to Jct BR US
50 near Avondale
History:
This SH 18 was entirely only a carrier route for
the US 50 expressway from Pueblo east out to Avondale. The
expressway started being built in 1958 and US 50 was run
along it. This SH 18 was eliminated in the purge of
1968.
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Location: Larkspur (South Front Range)
Length*: 0.29mi
E End: Jct I-25 Exit 172 north of Larkspur
W End: Jct Douglas CR north of Larkspur
History:
Came into the state system in 1973, and went from I-25 Exit
172, west across railroad tracks, up a hill to a stop sign
at Spruce Mountain Road just north of Larkspur, for a grand
total of 1531 feet. It was in my view a totally worthless
road to have as a state highway, and in fact was the
shortest state highway of its day. It wasn't even signed on
I-25, instead the exit was called Upper Lake Gulch Road.
FYI, Spruce Mountain Road also has its own interchange
with I-25 (Exit 173) which is about a half mile north of the
SH 18 intersection. However, Exit 173 is only a
partial, and you can go only from Spruce Mountain Rd. to
I-25 NB, and from I-25 SB to Spruce Mountain Rd. Seeing
this, you could make a case that SH 18 gives access
to the directions that aren't available with Exit 173, but
it's not enough for me.
SH 18 was turned back to Douglas County sometime
in the 1999-2001 period. It is not shown on the 1999 CDOT
map, but is listed in the 2000 traffic database (407 cars
per day!). I noticed that its lone marker, photographed
below, had been replaced with a Douglas CR 56 marker in late
summer 2001.
Photo Gallery:
- All
of SH 18. Here's SH 18 in all its glory.
It's sad when you can fit an entire state highway in a
single picture frame. This is looking east from Spruce
Mountain Road. The barn in the center of the picture is
on the other side of I-25. SH 18 ends at an
interchange just to the lower left of the barn. This sign
was the only mention of SH 18 you ever saw in the
field. (July 1998)
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Location: Southwestern Mountains
Alignment: New Mexico to Montrose via US 550
History:
Original 1920s highway. After 1926, SH 19 served
basically as only a carrier route for US
550. By 1946 the only section of SH 19 not
paved was from the La Plata/San Juan County Line north to
Ouray, and by 1954 the only sections not paved were the
areas over Molas Divide and Red Mountain Pass. Red Mountain
Pass was paved by 1955, and Molas Divide paved by 1957.
SH 19 was eliminated in the purge of 1968.
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