Peņa Boulevard is the main route from Denver to Denver International Airport. Named for the mayor who presided over the authorization to construct this new facility, Federico Peņa, the freeway is not part of the Interstate Highway System. It begins at Interstate 70 and leads northeast to the airport, intersecting with E-470 just before its terminus at the airport itself. Peņa went on to be a Secretary of Transportation for President Clinton during the 1990s.
Peņa Boulevard - West (South)
Leaving the gates of rental car area at Denver International Airport, this is a two-lane transition ramp to westbound Peņa Boulevard. The Boulevard is a city-maintained highway that travels west and then south toward downtown Denver. The highway is built to Interstate standards, and it has at least two lanes in each direction. There are interchanges at each major roadway junction, including E-470 and Interstate 70. Photo taken 08/25/04.
A small bicycle sign advises that this ramp is the best route to exit from Denver International Airport. Photo taken 08/25/04.
Now on the mainline, the first exit on westbound Peņa Boulevard is Exit 6B, Junction E-470 north to Interstate 76, Interstate 25, and the Northwest Parkway. The control city for the northbound exit is shown as Fort Collins, which is the same control city as Interstate 25 northbound. However, the tollway also offers direct connections to Interstate 76 northeast to Fort Morgan, Sterling, and Julesburg and the Northwest Parkway en route to Boulder. Photo taken 08/25/04.
Westbound Peņa Boulevard reaches Exit 6B, Junction E-470 north to Fort Collins. E-470 is part of Denver's beltway system, which consists of Colorado 470 between Golden and Interstate 25, E-470 ("Extension 470") along the eastern half of the belt route, and the Northwest Parkway from Interstate 25 west to near U.S. 36. A future extension is planned to connect the Northwest Parkway with Colorado 470 through Broomfield (a city-county). Photo taken 08/25/04.
The next exit along westbound Peņa Boulevard is Exit 6A, Junction E-470 south to Interstate 70 eastbound and Interstate 25 southbound. To Interstate 70 westbound, continue west on Peņa Boulevard. E-470 travels due south to its connection with Interstate 70, then curves southwest to meet Interstate 25 near the Douglas-Arapahoe County Line. Photo taken 08/25/04.
The left two lanes continue west on Peņa Boulevard toward Interstate 70. Interstate 70 in turn provides the connection to downtown Denver as well as the Denver Technology Center (DTC) via Interstate 225 southbound. Photo taken 08/25/04.
Most of the bridges along E-470 are stylized in a similar fashion, with orange guard rail trim and the name of the roadway inscribed in a block mounted above the roadway. E-470 was built in stages through the 1990s and early 2000s, and it is essentially complete, aside from the planned upgrade of the interchange between E-470 and Interstate 70, Colfax Avenue, and Smith Road. That interchange complex is currently a series of traffic signals, but plans call for high speed ramps to be installed at a later date. Photo taken 08/25/04.
Westbound Peņa Boulevard reaches Exit 6A, the loop ramp onto southbound E-470. The entire E-470 and Peņa Boulevard interchange is merely a large cloverleaf, but it takes up enough real estate to allow for relatively fast speeds even on the loop ramps. Photo taken 08/25/04.
The next exit along westbound Peņa Boulevard is Exit 5, Tower Boulevard. This half-diamond interchange offers a connection to Tower Road from westbound but not from eastbound. Additionally, there is no return access back onto westbound Peņa Boulevard from Tower Road. Photo taken 08/25/04.
The right lane becomes exit only for Tower Road from westbound Peņa Boulevard. Photo taken 08/25/04.
This mileage sign provides the distance to the junction with Interstate 225 south and Interstate 70 west. Interstate 225 provides the most direct route to the southern part of the metropolitan area via Aurora, while Interstate 70 skirts downtown Denver, then travels west toward Wheat Ridge, Arvada, and Golden before ascending the Rocky Mountains. Photo taken 08/25/04.
Peņa Boulevard changes directions from westbound to southbound here. This second mileage sign advises that the central business district and downtown area of Denver can be reached via Interstate 70 west to Interstate 25 south, about 15 miles southwest of here. Photo taken 08/25/04.
The next exit along southbound Peņa Boulevard is Exit 4, 56th Avenue. Photo taken 08/25/04.
Fifty-Sixth Avenue travels east toward unincorporated Adams County and west toward the Montbello neighborhood of Denver. Photo taken 08/25/04.
The next two exits along southbound Peņa Boulevard are Exit 4, 56th Avenue and Exit 3, 48th Avenue. Both interchanges are full diamond interchanges with access available from all directions. Photo taken 08/25/04.
The next two exits along southbound Peņa Boulevard are Exit 3, 48th Avenue and Exit 2, 40th Avenue. Photo taken 08/25/04.
Southbound Peņa Boulevard reaches Exit 3, 48th Avenue. Forty-Eighth Avenue parallels 56th Avenue and 40th Avenue. It travels west toward the Parkfield and Montbello neighborhoods and east toward unincorporated Adams County. Photo taken 08/25/04.
The penultimate exit along southbound Peņa Boulevard is Exit 2, 40th Avenue. Use the 40th Avenue offramp to connect to Interstate 70 eastbound; there is no direct freeway to freeway connection between the two routes. In addition, this exit connects to Airport Boulevard, which continues south from Peņa Boulevard past Interstate 70 and into the city of Aurora in Adams County. Photo taken 08/25/04.
Continue straight ahead on Peņa Boulevard to merge onto westbound Interstate 70. Exit onto Airport Boulevard south to Interstate 70 east and Aurora. Photo taken 08/25/04.
All bicycles must exit at Exit 2, Airport Boulevard/40th Avenue. Through traffic to downtown Denver should remain on the freeway. Photo taken 08/25/04.
Peņa Boulevard turns west again, although briefly. The final exit along the Peņa Boulevard is the split between Interstate 225 south and Interstate 70 west. Interstate 225 travels toward the Denver Technology Center, where it meets Interstate 25 and U.S. 87. Interstate 70 travels west toward downtown, with connections to the Denver-Boulder Turnpike via Interstate 270/U.S. 36 near the site of former Stapleton Airport. Photo taken 08/25/04.
Use the ramp to Interstate 225 to connect to Peoria Street, a north-south city streets that leads north into Montbello (Denver) and south into the city of Aurora near the Fitzsimons Campus (former U.S. Army Garrison). Photo taken 08/25/04.
The left lane becomes exit only for Interstate 70 west, while the right lane becomes exit only for Interstate 225 south. Compare these signs to the ones taken in 2002 (see below). The state name was added to the Interstate shields in the intervening two and a half years. Photo taken 08/25/04.
A green guide sign doubles as an END shield for Peņa Boulevard. The freeway merges onto Interstate 70 westbound. Photo taken 08/25/04.
Peņa Boulevard - Early Morning Photos on Westbound
Westbound Peņa Boulevard approaches its junction with E-470 northbound. At the time this picture was taken, E-470 only went as far north as 120th Avenue in Commerce City. Now the highway continues north to Interstate 25, with connections to the Northwest Parkway en route to U.S. 36. Photo taken 02/01/02.
Here is a view of westbound Peņa Boulevard the junction with E-470. The boulevard retains freeway standards for its entire length. Photo taken 02/01/02.
Westbound Peņa Boulevard approaches Junction Interstate 70 and Interstate 225. Peņa Boulevard ends at the interchange with these two freeways. Photos taken 02/01/02.
Peņa Boulevard - East (North)
Immediately after the Interstate 70 interchange, Peņa Boulevard travels northeast toward Denver International Airport, which is located ten miles ahead. This sign is located on the transition ramp from eastbound Interstate 70 to northbound Peņa Boulevard. Photo taken 09/04/04.
The first exit along northbound Peņa Boulevard is 48th Avenue. This sign is also on the transition ramp. Photo taken 09/04/04.
Northbound Peņa Boulevard reaches the interchange with 48th Avenue. Forty-Eighth Avenue parallels 56th Avenue and 40th Avenue. It travels west toward the Parkfield and Montbello neighborhoods and east toward unincorporated Adams County. Photo taken 09/04/04.
After the offramp to 48th Avenue is another mileage sign for Denver International Airport, nine miles. Photo taken 09/04/04.
The next exit along northbound is the junction with 56th Avenue. Photo taken 09/04/04.
Fifty-Sixth Avenue travels east toward unincorporated Adams County and west toward the Montbello neighborhood of Denver. Photo taken 09/04/04.
Northbound Peņa Boulevard reaches the junction with 56th Avenue. Photo taken 09/04/04.
Another mileage sign is posted after the 56th Avenue interchange; it measures the distance to Denver International Airport. Photo taken 09/04/04.
The next exit along northbound is Exit 5, Tower Road. Photo taken 09/04/04.
Near Tower Road, Peņa Boulevard turns east toward Denver International Airport. Photo taken 09/04/04.
The next exit along eastbound Peņa Boulevard is Exit 6, Junction E-470. E-470 is part of Denver's beltway system, which consists of Colorado 470 between Golden and Interstate 25, E-470 ("Extension 470") along the eastern half of the belt route, and the Northwest Parkway from Interstate 25 west to near U.S. 36. A future extension is planned to connect the Northwest Parkway with Colorado 470 through Broomfield (a city-county). Photo taken 09/04/04.
A single ramp provides access to both directions of E-470. Follow E-470 south to Interstate 70 eastbound and Interstate 25 southbound. Photo taken 09/04/04.
Eastbound Peņa Boulevard reaches Exit 6, Junction E-470. Follow E-470 north to Interstate 25 and the Northwest Parkway in Broomfield. Photo taken 09/04/04.
On the transition ramp to E-470 is this sign that directs motorists to Exit 6A, Junction E-470 south to Colorado Springs and Exit 6B, Junction E-470 north to Fort Collins. Photo taken 09/04/04.
Most of the bridges along E-470 are stylized in a similar fashion, with orange guard rail trim and the name of the roadway inscribed in a block mounted above the roadway. E-470 was built in stages through the 1990s and early 2000s, and it is essentially complete, aside from the planned upgrade of the interchange between E-470 and Interstate 70, Colfax Avenue, and Smith Road. That interchange complex is currently a series of traffic signals, but plans call for high speed ramps to be installed at a later date. Photo taken 09/04/04.
After the interchange with E-470, Peņa Boulevard transitions into Denver International Airport. It is still a good distance to the terminal (two miles), but Exit 7 connects to 75th Avenue/Rental Car Return. Photo taken 09/04/04.
