| Interstate 25/U.S. 87 South
|
|---|
| Leaving Weld County, the next exit along southbound Interstate 25/U.S. 87 is Exit 229, Junction Colorado 7. The freeway enters the city and county of Broomfield. Growing from its original town center at the intersection of 120th Avenue (Colorado 128) and Wadsworth Boulevard (U.S. 287/Colorado 121), Broomfield was incorporated as a city in 1961, eventually taking parts of four counties as it expanded. In 2001, Broomfield seceded from the four counties and became its own county with 33.6 square miles. As of 2003, 42,169 people call Broomfield home. Photo taken 09/05/04.
|
| Following the Colorado 7 interchange is Exit 228, Junction E-470 and the Northwest Parkway. This is the first advance guide sign for this major interchange. The Northwest Parkway travels west through Broomfield toward U.S. 36/Denver-Boulder Turnpike, and E-470 travels south toward Denver International Airport and Aurora. At this interchange, Interstate 25 will widen from four lanes to six lanes; Colorado's "North Forty" project will eventually widen Interstate 25 to six lanes from Fort Collins south to the Colorado 7 interchange. Photo taken 09/05/04.
|
| Southbound Interstate 25 and U.S. 87 reaches Exit 229, Junction Colorado 7 west to Lafayette and east to Brighton. Use Colorado 7 east to Brighton, where it meets U.S. 85 and Interstate 76. To the west, Colorado 7 travels generally toward Estes Park, but it takes a much more angular route than U.S. 36. Photo taken 09/05/04.
|
| The next exit along southbound Interstate 25 and U.S. 87 is Exit 228, Junction E-470 and Northwest Parkway. E-470 is a major freeway that bypasses the Denver metropolitan area; the Northwest Parkway is the continuation of the Denver Beltway through Broomfield to near U.S. 36. Plans call for the Northwest Parkway to be extended south to Golden, where it would connect with Colorado 470 and U.S. 6. Photo taken 09/05/04.
|
| Consisting of the eastern half of the Denver Belt Route, E-470 is a toll road that provides a fast bypass around the Denver metropolitan area, avoiding much of the traffic centered along Interstate 25. E-470 reconnects with Interstate 25 in Douglas County, south of Denver. At that interchange, Toll E-470 shifts into free Colorado 470 west to Morrison and Golden via Ken Caryl Ranch. Motorists may rejoin Interstate 25 south at that point to continue south toward Colorado Springs and points south. Photo taken 09/05/04.
|
| E-470 extends east from here toward Interstate 76, then turns south toward Denver International Airport. The toll road offers the best route to the airport from cities north of Broomfield. A free (no-toll) route to the airport is available via Interstate 70 and Pena Boulevard, but that route is much longer and less direct. Photo taken 09/05/04.
|
| Southbound Interstate 25 and U.S. 87 reaches Exit 228, Junction E-470 and Northwest Parkway. Note the use of the Interstate 70 east control city of Limon, which implies that E-470 is the best connection to Interstate 70 east toward Kansas. To westbound Interstate 70 to the mountains, follow Interstate 25 south to Interstate 76 west. To the west, the Northwest Parkway is most recent addition to the Denver beltway system. The parkway currently provides a high-speed yet tolled connection between Interstate 25 and U.S. 36 via Broomfield city/county. Beyond Broomfield, plans call for a final link to Denver's belt system by connecting the Northwest Parkway with Colorado 470 in Golden by 2010. Photo taken 09/05/04.
|
| This symmetrical stack interchange, which serves as the northern terminus of Toll E-470, was constructed between 2001 and 2003. Another symmetrical stack interchange is located at the southern interchange of Interstate 25 and E-470/Colorado 470. Interstate 25 and U.S. 87 leave the city/county of Broomfield (most of the city is located southwest of Interstate 25 along the U.S. 36 and Northwest Parkway corridors). The freeway next enters Adams County. Photo taken 09/05/04.
|
| Southbound Interstate 25 and U.S. 87 reach Exit 225, 136th Avenue. This is a relatively new interchange that provides access to the rapidly developing areas of Broomfield to the west and Thornton and Eastlake to the east. Photo taken 09/05/04.
|
| Continuing south, the next exit along Interstate 25/U.S. 87 is Exit 223, Junction Colorado 128 and 120th Avenue. As noted on the sign, Colorado 128 extends west from this interchange via 120th Avenue toward U.S. 287. A portion of Colorado 128 is an expressway west of U.S. 287 toward Colorado 93/Foothills Highway. 120th Avenue extends east as a non-state facility. Photo taken 09/05/04.
|
| Southbound Interstate 25 and U.S. 87 reach Exit 223, Junction Colorado 128 west and 120th Avenue east/west. Note that the exit only widens to two lanes, which allows for better traffic distribution at the top of the ramp. Photo taken 09/05/04.
|
| The next three exits along northbound Interstate 25/U.S. 87 are Exit 221, 104th Avenue; Exit 220, Thorton Parkway; and Exit 219, 84th Avenue. This is one of the first major interchanges in the immediate Denver metropolitan area in Adams County. The freeway now enters the city of Northglenn, the "Center of the Future." Photo taken 09/05/04.
|
| A pedestrian bridge crosses over Interstate 25 as the freeway approaches Exit 221, 104th Avenue; the offramp to 104th Avenue is located immediately after the pedestrian bridge and is not signed again. Northglenn was incorporated in April 1969, has a population of 34,006 people (2000 Census), and rests at an elevation of between 5160 and 5222 feet above sea level. The city is at the frontier of urban development trending northward along the Interstate 25 corridor, and it is likely that the urban expansion along Interstate 25 will continue northward from Northglenn. Photo taken 09/05/04.
|
| Now leaving Northglenn, Interstate 25 and U.S. 87 next enters the city of Thornton. This city, also located within Adams County, was first developed in 1953 and incorporated as a city in 1956. The city was named after former Governor Dan Thornton and is home to 82,384 residents as of the 2000 Census. The 2004 population estimate indicates that Thornton has grown substantially, with an estimated 102,072 people living there only four years after the Census. Thornton was given the moniker of "City of Planned Progress" in the 1960s. Photo taken 09/05/04.
|
| Southbound Interstate 25 and U.S. 87 reach Exit 220, Thornton Parkway (92nd Avenue). This interchange was constructed in 1985, and it was funded primarily through an urban renewal district. The district also funded improvements in downtown Thornton. Photo taken 09/05/04.
|
| The next exit along southbound Interstate 25 and U.S. 87 is Exit 219, 84th Avenue. The high rises of downtown Denver come into view under the 84th Avenue overpass for the first time as Interstate 25 descends toward Denver. By implication, Interstate 25 at this point is at around 5,700 feet above sea level, and the freeway will drop 400 feet to the "mile high" designation of approximately 5,280 feet above sea level. Photo taken 09/05/04.
|
| Use Exit 219 to the city of Federal Heights. Federal Heights was incorporated in 1940 and has 1.775 square miles. While the city boasted a population of 12,065 people as of the 2000 Census, the population has declined to an estimated 11,809 people as of 2004. This is very much unlike neighboring Thornton, which has grown substantially during the same interval. Photo taken 09/05/04.
|
| Here is a view of southbound Interstate 25 as seen from the onramp from 84th Avenue (Exit 219) in the city of Thornton near Sherrelwood Estates. Ramp meters are in use along this stretch of Interstate 25. Photo taken 08/29/04.
|
| The next exit along southbound Interstate 25/U.S. 87 is Exit 217, Junction U.S. 36/Denver-Boulder Turnpike. Extended in 1968 to replace Colorado 382 and the turnpike from here northwest to Boulder, U.S. 36 is today a major freeway corridor between the cities of Denver and Boulder, home of the University of Colorado. From Boulder, U.S. 36 continues northwest until reaching its terminus at U.S. 34 in Rocky Mountain National Park just west of Estes Park. Photo taken 08/29/04.
|
| The next three exits along southbound are Exit 217, Junction U.S. 36 west; Exit 216A, Junction Interstate 76 east to Interstate 270/U.S. 36 east; and Exit 216B, Junction Interstate 76 west to Interstate 70 west. Photo taken 08/29/04.
|
| A state name Interstate 25 shield is posted here after the 84th Avenue onramp. Photo taken 08/29/04.
|
| Interstate 76 intersects Interstate 25 immediately after the U.S. 36/Boulder Turnpike interchange. Interstate 76 is a split route, with an eastern segment in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, and a western segment here in Colorado. The western Interstate 76 travels northeast from here, following the South Platte River en route to Fort Morgan, Sterling, and Julesburg before ending at Interstate 80 near Big Springs, Nebraska. To the southwest, Interstate 76 avoids the Mousetrap interchange, connecting with Interstate 70 just east of Golden. Photo taken 08/29/04.
|
| Use Interstate 76 east (Exit 216A) to Denver International Airport via Interstate 270 and Interstate 70; another option for traveling to the airport is by following Interstate 25 south to Interstate 70. Photo taken 08/29/04.
|
| The Western Interstate 76 roughly follows the original alignment of U.S. 6 (and the South Platte River) between Denver and Sterling via Fort Morgan. Northeast of Sterling, Interstate 76 merges directly onto eastbound Interstate 80 in Nebraska, continuing along that route toward Ogallala, North Platte, Grand Island, Lincoln, and Omaha. Prior to 1975, Interstate 76 in Colorado was known as Interstate 80S, but it was changed as part of a nationwide program to eliminate most (but not all) letter-suffixed routes in the Interstate System. Photo taken 08/29/04.
|
| Interstate 76 travels almost 184 miles in the state of Colorado, but only four of those miles reside west of Interstate 25. From here, Interstate 76 west (Exit 216B) offers another route to Interstate 70 west to the mountains west of Denver. Photo taken 08/29/04.
|
| Southbound Interstate 25 reaches Exit 217, Junction U.S. 36 northwest to Boulder. Also known as the Denver-Boulder Turnpike, the turnpike was originally a toll road built in 1952, and it traveled in a northwesterly direction to the southern city limits of Boulder. The connector between Interstate 25 and U.S. 36 designated as Colorado 382 until 1967, when the tolls were removed from the highway. U.S. 36 was extended along the turnpike shortly thereafter. Photo taken 08/29/04.
|
| A temporary roadside sign is posted after the overhead sign. U.S. 36 will remain a freeway as it passes through unincorporated Western Hills, the cities of Westminster and Broomfield, the city of Louisville, and unincorporated Superior. Then the freeway transitions onto 28th Street upon entering Boulder. The highway basically travels north-south through Boulder, then turns northwest again at Lyons, passing through the scenic Roosevelt National Forest before swiping U.S. 34 in Estes Park and ending at U.S. 34 in Rocky Mountain National Park. Photo taken 08/29/04.
|
| The next exit along southbound Interstate 25/U.S. 87 is Exit 216A, Junction Interstate 76 east to Fort Morgan, followed by Exit 216B, Junction Interstate 76 west to Grand Junction. The exit numbers are again out of order, with Exit 216A appearing prior to Exit 216B on southbound. Photo taken 08/29/04.
|
| Southbound Interstate 76 reaches Exit 216A, Junction Interstate 76 east to Fort Morgan. This temporary sign will likely be replaced once construction through this area is complete. Photo taken 08/29/04.
|
| The next ramp, which has virtually no deceleration lane, is Exit 216B, Junction Interstate 76 west to Grand Junction. Notice how the jersey barrier keeps most of the deceleration lane blocked. Also note the collector distributor lane to the right, which carries traffic from southbound Interstate 25 to eastbound Interstate 76 and also funnels traffic from eastbound U.S. 36 to Interstate 25. A rare button copy "Junction Interstate 70 Three Miles" sign is still posted on this overpass (Colorado 224/70th Avenue crosses over Interstate 25 here). Photo taken 08/29/04.
|
| The next exit on southbound Interstate 25/U.S. 87 is Exit 215, Junction Colorado 53 north/Broadway. It is not clear why Colorado 53 is a state highway, but in looking at the 1957 Gousha map, it appears that Broadway used to end at Clear Creek, without connecting to Colorado 224 (70th Avenue), but the 1968 Colorado official map shows Colorado 53 in place, with a clear connection over the creek to 70th Avenue. So it appears that the state added this route to its system once the Clear Creek bridge was constructed sometime between 1957 and 1968. Photo taken 08/29/04.
|
| The next three exits along southbound are Exit 215, Junction Colorado 53/58th Avenue/Broadway; Exit 214B, 48th Avenue; and Exit 214A, Junction Interstate 70. Photo taken 08/29/04.
|
| The right two lanes offer a connection to Colorado 53/58th Avenue. Use 58th Avenue west to connect to northbound Colorado 53/Bancock Street to Broadway. To the east, use 58th Avenue to the Merchandise Mart, Washington Street, and Riverside Cemetery (via southbound York Street). To Commerce City, use 58th Avenue east to York Street south to Colorado 265/Brighton Road northeast. Photo taken 08/29/04.
|
| Southbound Interstate 25/U.S. 87 reaches Exit 215, Junction Colorado 53 north/58th Avenue. The next exit is Exit 214B, 48th Avenue, one mile. After this interchange, Interstate 25 leaves Adams County and enters the city/county of Denver. Photo taken 08/29/04.
|
| The next two exits along southbound are Exit 214B, 48th Avenue and Exit 214A, Junction Interstate 70 east/west. Photo taken 08/29/04.
|
| For Pecos Street, use Exit 214B, 48th Avenue. Photo taken 08/29/04.
|
| Southbound Interstate 25/U.S. 87 approaches the offramp for Exit 214B, 48th Avenue, one-quarter mile. This exit serves locations on both sides of the freeway. Photo taken 08/29/04.
|
Page Updated November 5, 2005.
|
