Interstate 70 in Colorado: Difference between revisions
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{{short description|Section of Interstate Highway in Colorado, United States}} |
{{short description|Section of Interstate Highway in Colorado, United States}} |
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{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2021}} |
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{{Use American English|date=April 2022}} |
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{{highway detail hatnote|Interstate 70}} |
{{highway detail hatnote|Interstate 70}} |
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{{Infobox road |
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'''Interstate |
'''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, Colorado|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. |
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The [[United States Department of Transportation]] (USDOT) lists the construction of I-70 among the engineering marvels undertaken in the Interstate Highway |
The [[United States 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 {{convert|11158|ft|m}} and length of {{convert|1.7|mi|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 country. 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. |
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When the Interstate Highway |
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 in the plans after lobbying by Governor [[Edwin C. Johnson]], for whom one of the tunnels along I-70 is named. East of [[Idaho Springs, Colorado|Idaho Springs]], I-70 was built along the corridor of [[U.S. Route 40 in Colorado|U.S. Highway 40]] (US 40), one of the original transcontinental [[U.S. Highway]]s. West of Idaho Springs, I-70 was built along the route of [[U.S. Route 6 in Colorado|US 6]], which was extended into Colorado during the 1930s. |
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==Route description== |
==Route description== |
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[[File:Glenwood Canyon I-70.JPG|thumb|right|alt=A railroad, river and two-tiered highway following a narrow canyon|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]] |
[[File:Glenwood Canyon I-70.JPG|thumb|right|alt=A railroad, river and two-tiered highway following a narrow canyon|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]] |
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===Colorado River=== |
===Colorado River=== |
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I-70 enters Colorado from [[Utah]], [[concurrency (road)|concurrent]] with [[U.S. Route 6 in Colorado|US 6]] and [[U.S. Route 50 |
I-70 enters Colorado from [[Utah]], [[concurrency (road)|concurrent]] with [[U.S. Route 6 in Colorado|US 6]] and [[U.S. Route 50 in Colorado|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 (Colorado-Utah)|Grand Valley]], formed by the Colorado River and its tributaries.<ref name=DeLORME>{{cite map |publisher = DeLorme |title = Colorado Atlas & Gazetteer |edition = 2002 |year = 2002 |author = DeLorme |location = Yarmouth, ME |scale = 1 in:2.5 mi |isbn = 0-89933-288-9 |oclc = 52156345 }}</ref> 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 regionally known as the [[Colorado Western Slope|Western Slope]]. The highway directly serves the communities of [[Fruita, Colorado|Fruita]], [[Grand Junction, Colorado|Grand Junction]], and [[Palisade, Colorado|Palisade]]. Grand Junction is the largest city between [[Denver]] and [[Salt Lake City]] and serves as the economic hub of the area.<ref name=GJ>{{cite web |author = Grand Junction Visitor & Convention Bureau |url = http://www.visitgrandjunction.com/trip_planning/ |title = Grand Junction Colorado: Trip Planning |access-date = February 22, 2009 |publisher = Grand Junction Visitor & Convention Bureau |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090206082513/http://visitgrandjunction.com/trip_planning/ |archive-date = February 6, 2009 |df = mdy-all }}</ref> The freeway passes to the north of downtown, while US 6 and US 50 retain their original routes through downtown. US 6 rejoins I-70 east of Grand Junction; US 50 departs on a course toward [[Pueblo, Colorado|Pueblo]].<ref name=DeLORME/> |
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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 [[tunnel]]s built to route the freeway across the Rockies. This tunnel design features a curved |
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 [[tunnel]]s built to route the freeway across the Rockies. This tunnel design features a curved side wall, 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.<ref name=CDOT70>{{cite web |author = Colorado Department of Transportation |url = http://www.coloradodot.info/about/50th-anniversary/interstate-70 |title = The History of I-70 in Colorado <!--(Construction Timeline, EJMT and GC I-70 Final Link subpages)--> |publisher = Colorado Department of Transportation |access-date = April 1, 2008 }}</ref> After the canyon winds past the Book Cliffs, the highway follows the Colorado River through a valley containing the communities of [[Parachute, Colorado|Parachute]] and [[Rifle, Colorado|Rifle]].<ref name=DeLORME/> |
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===Glenwood Canyon=== |
===Glenwood Canyon=== |
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East of the city of [[Glenwood Springs, Colorado|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.<ref name=CDOT70/><ref name=marvels>{{cite journal |url = http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/publicroads/96summer/p96su28.cfm |first = Richard F. |last = Weingroff |title = Dwight D. Eisenhower System of Interstate and Defense Highways Engineering Marvels |journal = Public Roads |volume = 60 |issue = 1 |date =Summer 1996 |access-date = February 15, 2008 |location = Washington, DC |publisher = [[Federal Highway Administration]] }}</ref> A {{convert|12|mi|km|adj=on}} section of roadway features the No Name Tunnel, Hanging Lake Tunnel, Reverse Curve Tunnel, 40 |
East of the city of [[Glenwood Springs, Colorado|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.<ref name=CDOT70/><ref name=marvels>{{cite journal |url = http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/publicroads/96summer/p96su28.cfm |first = Richard F. |last = Weingroff |title = Dwight D. Eisenhower System of Interstate and Defense Highways Engineering Marvels |journal = Public Roads |volume = 60 |issue = 1 |date =Summer 1996 |access-date = February 15, 2008 |location = Washington, DC |publisher = [[Federal Highway Administration]] }}</ref> A {{convert|12|mi|km|adj=on}} section of roadway features the No Name Tunnel, [[Hanging Lake Tunnel]], Reverse Curve Tunnel, 40 bridges and [[viaduct]]s, and miles of retaining walls.<ref name=funfacts/> Through a significant portion of the canyon, the eastbound lanes extend [[cantilever]]ed over the Colorado River and the westbound lanes are suspended on a viaduct several feet above the canyon floor.<ref name=marvels/><ref name=flatiron>{{cite web |author = Flat Iron Construction Company |url = http://www.flatironcorp.com/index.asp?w=pages&r=5&pid=28&project=27 |publisher = Flat Iron Construction Company |title = Glenwood Canyon Corridor |access-date = April 20, 2009 }}</ref> Along this run, the freeway hugs the north bank of the Colorado River, while the [[Central Corridor (Union Pacific Railroad)|Central Corridor]] of the [[Union Pacific Railroad]] (formerly the [[Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad]]) occupies the south bank.<ref name=DeLORME/> |
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[[File:Hanging Lake Tunnel I-70 Glenwood Canyon.jpg|left|thumb|alt=A pair of bridges leading to a pair of tunnels at the canyon wall|The western portal of the [[Hanging Lake Tunnel]]; at this point in the canyon both the river and the railroad are directly below the freeway [[viaduct]]s.]] |
[[File:Hanging Lake Tunnel I-70 Glenwood Canyon.jpg|left|thumb|alt=A pair of bridges leading to a pair of tunnels at the canyon wall|The western portal of the [[Hanging Lake Tunnel]]; at this point in the canyon both the river and the railroad are directly below the freeway [[viaduct]]s.]] |
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To minimize the hazards along this portion, a command center staffed with emergency response vehicles and [[tow truck]]s 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 gun]]s will automatically warn motorists exceeding the design speed of one of the curves.<ref name=12yearslater>{{cite journal |url = http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/publicroads/04mar/04.cfm |title = Glenwood Canyon 12 Years Later |last1 = Stufflebeam Row |first1 = Karen |last2 = LaDow |first2 = Eva |last3 = Moler |first3 = Steve |location = Washington, DC |publisher = Federal Highway Administration |journal = Public Roads |date = March–April 2004 |volume = 67 |issue = 5 |access-date = August 9, 2009 }}</ref> |
To minimize the hazards along this portion, a command center staffed with emergency response vehicles and [[tow truck]]s 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 gun]]s will automatically warn motorists exceeding the design speed of one of the curves.<ref name=12yearslater>{{cite journal |url = http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/publicroads/04mar/04.cfm |title = Glenwood Canyon 12 Years Later |last1 = Stufflebeam Row |first1 = Karen |last2 = LaDow |first2 = Eva |last3 = Moler |first3 = Steve |location = Washington, DC |publisher = Federal Highway Administration |journal = Public Roads |date = March–April 2004 |volume = 67 |issue = 5 |access-date = August 9, 2009 }}</ref> |
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===Rocky Mountains=== |
===Rocky Mountains=== |
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The highway departs the Colorado River near [[Dotsero, Colorado|Dotsero]], the name given to the railroad separation for the two primary mountain crossings, the original via [[Tennessee Pass (Colorado)|Tennessee Pass]]/[[Royal Gorge]] and the newer and shorter [[Moffat Tunnel]] route.<ref name=zephyrs>{{Zimmermann-Burlington|pages=38–40}}</ref> I-70 uses a separate route between the two rail corridors. From this junction I-70 follows the [[Eagle River (Colorado)|Eagle River]] toward [[Vail Pass]], at an elevation of {{convert|10666|ft|m |
The highway departs the Colorado River near [[Dotsero, Colorado|Dotsero]], the name given to the railroad separation for the two primary mountain crossings, the original via [[Tennessee Pass (Colorado)|Tennessee Pass]]/[[Royal Gorge]] and the newer and shorter [[Moffat Tunnel]] route.<ref name=zephyrs>{{Zimmermann-Burlington|pages=38–40}}</ref> I-70 uses a separate route between the two rail corridors. From this junction, I-70 follows the [[Eagle River (Colorado)|Eagle River]] toward [[Vail Pass]], at an elevation of {{convert|10666|ft|m}}. In this canyon, I-70 reaches the western terminus of [[U.S. Route 24 in Colorado|US 24]], which meanders through the Rockies before rejoining I-70. US 24 is known as the Highway of the [[Fourteener]]s, from the concentration of mountains exceeding {{convert|14000|ft|m}} along the highway corridor.<ref name=buenavista>{{cite web |author = Buena Vista Chamber of Commerce |url = http://www.buenavistacolorado.org/news/ArticleDisplay.asp?pg=1&i=58 |title = Collegiate Peaks Scenic Byway/Highway of the Fourteeners |publisher = Buena Vista Chamber of Commerce |date = April 29, 2009 |access-date = June 13, 2009 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20101030194443/http://buenavistacolorado.org/news/ArticleDisplay.asp?pg=1&i=58 |archive-date = October 30, 2010 }}</ref> Along the ascent, I-70 serves the [[ski resort]] town of [[Vail, Colorado|Vail]] and the ski areas of [[Beaver Creek Resort]], [[Vail Ski Resort]], and [[Copper Mountain (Colorado)|Copper Mountain]].<ref name=DeLORME/> |
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Along the ascent, I-70 serves the [[ski resort]] town of [[Vail, Colorado|Vail]] and the ski areas of [[Beaver Creek Resort]], [[Vail Ski Resort]] and [[Copper Mountain (Colorado)|Copper Mountain]].<ref name=DeLORME/> |
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[[File:Eisenhower Tunnel2.JPG|thumb|right|alt=Automobiles are driving on a road leading to one of two openings in a building against a mountain. Letters above each opening read "Johnson Tunnel 1979" and "Eisenhower Tunnel 1973". On the roof of the building, large ventilation hoods are visible.|Entrance to the [[Eisenhower Tunnel]]]] |
[[File:Eisenhower Tunnel2.JPG|thumb|right|alt=Automobiles are driving on a road leading to one of two openings in a building against a mountain. Letters above each opening read "Johnson Tunnel 1979" and "Eisenhower Tunnel 1973". On the roof of the building, large ventilation hoods are visible.|Entrance to the [[Eisenhower Tunnel]]]] |
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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.<ref name=CDOT/><ref name=rambler>{{cite web |url = http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/infrastructure/covefort.cfm |work = Ask the Rambler |title = Why Does I-70 End in Cove Fort, Utah? |publisher = Federal Highway Administration |access-date = June 7, 2009 |date = December 29, 2008 |last = Weingroff |first = Richard }}</ref> |
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.<ref name=CDOT/><ref name=rambler>{{cite web |url = http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/infrastructure/covefort.cfm |work = Ask the Rambler |title = Why Does I-70 End in Cove Fort, Utah? |publisher = Federal Highway Administration |access-date = June 7, 2009 |date = December 29, 2008 |last = Weingroff |first = Richard }}</ref> |
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The highway descends to [[Dillon Reservoir]], near the town of [[Frisco, Colorado|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 {{convert|11158|ft|m}}.<ref name=Cdoteisenhower/> As of |
The highway descends to [[Dillon Reservoir]], near the town of [[Frisco, Colorado|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 {{convert|11158|ft|m}}.<ref name=Cdoteisenhower/> {{As of|2010}}, the facility was still the highest vehicular tunnel in the US.<ref name=funfacts>{{cite web |author = Colorado Department of Transportation |url = http://www.coloradodot.info/about/50th-anniversary/fun-facts.html |title = CDOT Fun Facts |access-date = March 27, 2015 |publisher = Colorado Department of Transportation }}</ref> The Eisenhower Tunnel is noted as both the longest mountain tunnel and the highest point on the Interstate Highway System.<ref name=Cdoteisenhower>{{cite web |author = Colorado Department of Transportation |url = http://www.coloradodot.info/travel/eisenhower-tunnel/description.html |title = Eisenhower Tunnel |publisher = Colorado Department of Transportation |access-date = June 15, 2009 }}</ref> 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.<ref name=Cdoteisenhower/> 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]].<ref name=DeLORME/> |
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===Clear Creek=== |
===Clear Creek=== |
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The freeway follows [[Clear Creek (Colorado)|Clear Creek]] down the eastern side of the Rockies, passing through the Veterans Memorial Tunnels<ref name="coloradodot.info">{{cite press release |author |
The freeway follows [[Clear Creek (Colorado)|Clear Creek]] down the eastern side of the Rockies, passing through the Veterans Memorial Tunnels<ref name="coloradodot.info">{{cite press release |author=Colorado Department of Transportation |url=https://www.codot.gov/news/2014-news-releases/12-2014/work-to-realign-i-70-traffic-through-veterans-memorial-tunnel-scheduled-to-begin-saturday-evening |title=Work to Realign I-70 Traffic Through Veterans Memorial Tunnel Scheduled to Begin Saturday Evening |date=December 11, 2014 |publisher=Colorado Department of Transportation |access-date=February 17, 2015}}</ref> near [[Idaho Springs, Colorado|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 (Colorado)|Genesee Park]] to descend into Mount Vernon Canyon to exit the Rocky Mountains.<ref name=DeLORME/> 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?".<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.9news.com/article/news/local/next/i-70s-dont-be-fooled-signs-installed-after-1989-runaway-truck-crash/73-5831a2f6-3f91-4270-88f6-5de062801aaf |title=I-70's 'Don't be fooled' signs installed after 1989 runaway truck crash |publisher=[[KUSA-TV]] |date=May 1, 2019 |first=Noel |last=Brennan |access-date=April 1, 2023}}</ref><ref name=structureslist>{{cite web |author = Colorado Department of Transportation |url = http://apps.coloradodot.info/dataaccess/Highways/index.cfm?fuseaction=Structure&route=070&begRefPt=0&endRefPt=500&Printable=true |title = Structure List for Highway 070 |publisher = Colorado Department of Transportation |access-date = July 1, 2011 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120526142135/http://apps.coloradodot.info/dataaccess/Highways/index.cfm?fuseaction=Structure&route=070&begRefPt=0&endRefPt=500&Printable=true |archive-date = May 26, 2012 }}</ref> [[Runaway truck ramp]]s are a prominent feature along this portion of I-70,<ref name=CDOT70/> with a total of seven used along the descent of either side the Continental Divide to stop trucks with failed brakes.<ref name=CDOT/> |
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[[File:TrucksDontBeFooled.JPG|thumb|left|alt=A highway near the top of a ridge. On either side of the highway are big yellow signs reading, "Trucks, Don't be |
[[File:TrucksDontBeFooled.JPG|thumb|left|alt=A highway near the top of a ridge. On either side of the highway are big yellow signs reading, "Trucks, Don't be Fooled—4 more miles [{{convert|4|mi|km|disp=output only}}] of steep grades and sharp curves".|Warning sign stating, "Trucks, Don't be Fooled—4 more miles [{{Convert|4|mi|km|disp=output only}}] of steep grades and sharp curves"]] |
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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 (geology)|hogback]] features a massive cut that exposes various layers of rock millions of years old. The site includes a nature study area for visitors.<ref name=CDOT70/><ref name=dakota>{{cite web |url = http://www.nps.gov/romo/dakota_hogback.htm |title = Rocky Mountain National Park: The Dakota Hogback |author = [[National Park Service]] |publisher = National Park Service |access-date = July 21, 2009 |date = July 19, 2007 }}</ref> |
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 (geology)|hogback]] features a massive cut that exposes various layers of rock millions of years old. The site includes a nature study area for visitors.<ref name=CDOT70/><ref name=dakota>{{cite web |url = http://www.nps.gov/romo/dakota_hogback.htm |title = Rocky Mountain National Park: The Dakota Hogback |author = [[National Park Service]] |publisher = National Park Service |access-date = July 21, 2009 |date = July 19, 2007 }}</ref> |
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===Great Plains=== |
===Great Plains=== |
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As the freeway passes from the Rocky Mountains to the [[Great Plains]], I-70 enters the [[Denver |
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 in Colorado|I-76]] on a northeast course toward [[Nebraska]].<ref name=DeLORME/> The freeway meets [[Interstate 25 in Colorado|I-25]] in an interchange frequently called the [[Mousetrap (Denver)|Mousetrap]].<ref name=CDOT70/> From I-25 on to [[Interstate 225|I-225]], I-70 serves—together with those two Interstates—as part of an inner [[beltway]] around Denver.<ref>{{cite book |author = Federal Highway Administration |title = US 36 Corridor Project, Denver, Colorado Metropolitan Area: Environmental Impact Statement |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=EMs1AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA402 |publisher = Federal Highway Administration |page = 402 |year = 2009 |via = [[Google Books]] }}</ref> |
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[[File:I-70 WB from US 287 Federal Boulevard overpass.jpeg|thumb|right|alt=A six-lane freeway in a developed area with mountains in the distance.|I-70 westbound at the US 287 interchange in Denver]] |
[[File:I-70 WB from US 287 Federal Boulevard overpass.jpeg|thumb|right|alt=A six-lane freeway in a developed area with mountains in the distance.|I-70 westbound at the [[U.S. Route 287 in Colorado|US 287]] interchange in Denver]] |
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I-70 has one official branch in Colorado, [[Interstate 270 (Colorado)| |
I-70 has one official branch in Colorado, [[Interstate 270 (Colorado)|I-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|average]] of 183,000 vehicles per day {{As of|2009|lc=y}}.<ref name=SLD>{{cite web |author = Colorado Department of Transportation |title = Straight Line Diagram (for I-70) |publisher = Colorado Department of Transportation |access-date = September 21, 2009 |url = http://dtdexternal.dot.state.co.us/SLD/ |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090908164527/http://dtdexternal.dot.state.co.us/sld/ |archive-date = September 8, 2009 |df = mdy-all }}</ref> While [[Colorado State Highway 470|State Highway 470]] (SH 470) and [[E-470]] are not officially branches of I-70, they are remnants of plans for an I-470 outer beltway around Denver that were canceled when the allocated funds were spent elsewhere.<ref name=rmn>{{cite news |url = http://www.therocky.com/news/2006/jun/29/a-need-for-speedways/ |work = [[Rocky Mountain News]] |title = A Need for Speed(ways): Colorado's Long and Winding Road Before Joining Eisenhower's Interstate Plan |date = June 29, 2006 |access-date = June 13, 2009 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110717024712/http://www.therocky.com/news/2006/jun/29/a-need-for-speedways/ |archive-date = July 17, 2011 }}</ref> |
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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.<ref name=DeLORME/> East of [[Aurora, Colorado|Aurora]], I-70 rejoins the alignment of [[U.S. Route 40 in Colorado| |
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.<ref name=DeLORME/> East of [[Aurora, Colorado|Aurora]], I-70 rejoins the alignment of [[U.S. Route 40 in Colorado|US 40]] at Colfax Avenue. The freeway proceeds east across the Great Plains, briefly dipping south to serve the city of [[Limon, Colorado|Limon]], which bills itself as Hub City because of the many rail and road arteries that intersect there.<ref>{{cite web |author = Colorado Tourism Office |url = http://www.colorado.com/Limon.aspx |title = Lets Talk Colorado: Limon |publisher = Colorado Tourism Office |access-date = July 23, 2009 }}</ref> I-70 enters Kansas near [[Burlington, Colorado|Burlington]], a small community known for having one of the oldest [[carousel]]s in the United States.<ref>{{cite web |author = Colorado Tourism Office |url = http://www.colorado.com/Articles.aspx?aid=42193 |title = Lets Talk Colorado: Driving to Colorado from the Kansas State Line: I-70 and Hwy. 50 West |publisher = Colorado Tourism Office |access-date = July 23, 2009 }}</ref> |
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==History== |
==History== |
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In 1944, a report to the [[United States Congress]] outlined several interregional highways, among which was a freeway from the east along the US 40 corridor that ended in [[Denver]]. After Colorado officials lobbied successfully, the designation was extended west over the Rocky Mountains following US 6.<ref name=rambler/> The origins of both the US 40 and US 6 predate the [[United States Numbered Highway System]], using established transcontinental trails.<ref name="highwaystothesky">{{cite book |author=Associated Cultural Resource Experts |url=https://www.codot.gov/programs/environmental/archaeology-and-history/assets/documents/highwaystothesky.pdf |title=Highways to the Sky: A Context and History to Colorado's Highway System |publisher=Colorado Department of Transportation |year=2002 |access-date=May 22, 2009}}</ref> |
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===Earlier routes=== |
===Earlier routes=== |
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Before the formation of the |
Before the formation of the US Highway System, the country 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 (Wyoming)|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 pass]]es 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. When the Lincoln Highway opened in 1913, it was routed this way, but the loop proved impractical and was removed in 1915.<ref name=highwaystothesky/> |
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[[File:Colrado02Rebalanced.png|thumb|left|alt=A highway about to curve to the right while descending down a canyon|I-70 crossing the [[Rocky Mountains]] ]] |
[[File:Colrado02Rebalanced.png|thumb|left|alt=A highway about to curve to the right while descending down a canyon|I-70 crossing the [[Rocky Mountains]] ]] |
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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]].<ref name=highwaystothesky/> After a round of political infighting between Utah and Nevada, the Victory Highway would become the Lincoln Highway's main rival for [[San Francisco, California|San Francisco]]-bound traffic.<ref name=VH>{{cite book |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=Jyezo0glOaYC |title = Bonneville: The Fastest Place on Earth |last = Noeth |first = Louise Ann |location = St. Paul, MN |publisher = MotorBooks/MBI Publishing Company |page = 18 |isbn = 0-7603-1372-5 |oclc = 50514045 |access-date = August 9, 2009 |year = 2002 |via = Google Books }}</ref> When the U.S. Highway system was unveiled in 1926, the Victory Highway was numbered [[U.S. Route 40 in Colorado| |
After losing the connection to the Lincoln Highway, in 1922 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]].<ref name=highwaystothesky/> After a round of political infighting between Utah and Nevada, the Victory Highway would become the Lincoln Highway's main rival for [[San Francisco, California|San Francisco]]-bound traffic.<ref name=VH>{{cite book |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=Jyezo0glOaYC |title = Bonneville: The Fastest Place on Earth |last = Noeth |first = Louise Ann |location = St. Paul, MN |publisher = MotorBooks/MBI Publishing Company |page = 18 |isbn = 0-7603-1372-5 |oclc = 50514045 |access-date = August 9, 2009 |year = 2002 |via = Google Books }}</ref> When the U.S. Highway system was unveiled in 1926, the Victory Highway was numbered [[U.S. Route 40 in Colorado|US 40]].<ref name=highwaystothesky/> |
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While [[U.S. Route 6 in Colorado|US |
While [[U.S. Route 6 in Colorado|US 6]] was also one of the original 1926 US Highways, the road originally served the portion of the country east of the Rocky Mountains. The highway was not extended to the [[West Coast of the United States|Pacific coast]] until 1937, mostly following the [[Midland Trail]].<ref name=fwhaus6>{{cite web |url = http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/infrastructure/us6.cfm |title = U.S. 6: The Grand Army of the Republic Highway |last = Weingroff |first = Richard F. |work = Highway History |publisher = Federal Highway Administration |date = January 1, 2009 |access-date = May 24, 2009 }}</ref> 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.<ref name=highwaystothesky/> 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.<ref name=rambler/><ref name=highwaystothesky/> In western Colorado, US 6 was routed [[concurrency (road)|concurrent]] with [[U.S. Route 50 in Colorado|US 50]] from the Utah state line to Grand Junction and eventually replaced [[U.S. Route 24 in Colorado|US 24]] from Grand Junction to near Vail.<ref name=broer>{{cite map |author = [[Rand McNally]] |year = 1946 |map = Southwest (Colorado, New Mexico) |map-url = http://www.broermapsonline.org/members/NorthAmerica/UnitedStates/Southwest/randmcnally_ra_1946_022.html |title = Road Atlas |scale = Scale not given |location = Chicago |publisher = Rand McNally |page = 24 |access-date = May 5, 2008 |via = Broer Map Library }}</ref> 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.<ref name=highwaystothesky/> |
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===Interstate Highway planning=== |
===Interstate Highway planning=== |
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{{see also|Interstate 70 in Utah}} |
{{see also|Interstate 70 in Utah}} |
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[[File:I-70WBMM244CO.jpg|thumb|right|alt=A sharp curve with a cut in the mountain visible to support the highway| |
[[File:I-70WBMM244CO.jpg|thumb|right|alt=A sharp curve with a cut in the mountain visible to support the highway|I-70 descending into [[Clear Creek (Colorado)|Clear Creek]] Canyon]] |
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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 in 1955: |
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 in 1955: |
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<blockquote>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.<ref name=rambler/></blockquote> |
<blockquote>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.<ref name=rambler/></blockquote> |
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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, Colorado|Pueblo]], proceeding west along [[U.S. Route 50 in Colorado|US 50]]/[[U.S. Route 285 in Colorado|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 |
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, Colorado|Pueblo]], proceeding west along [[U.S. Route 50 in Colorado|US 50]]/[[U.S. Route 285 in Colorado|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 [[United States Congress|Congress]] that would extend the plans for I-70 along the US 6 corridor. Under this proposal, the freeway would terminate at [[Interstate 15 in Utah|I-15]] near [[Spanish Fork, Utah]], linking the [[Front Range Urban Corridor|Front Range]] and [[Wasatch Front]] metropolitan areas.<ref name=rambler/> |
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[[File:Bevertailmountaintunnel.jpg|thumb|left|Beavertail Mountain tunnel as seen from Amtrak's ''[[California Zephyr]]'']] |
[[File:Bevertailmountaintunnel.jpg|thumb|left|Beavertail Mountain tunnel as seen from Amtrak's ''[[California Zephyr]]'']] |
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Congress approved the extension of I-70; however, the route still had to be approved by the representatives of the |
Congress approved the extension of I-70; however, the route still had to be approved by the representatives of the 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 part of the country 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, Utah|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.<ref name=rambler/> |
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===Construction=== |
===Construction=== |
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[[File:LovelandPassCO.JPG|thumb|right|alt=Several mountains with scars from roads visible at the base and up the sides|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]] |
[[File:LovelandPassCO.JPG|thumb|right|alt=Several mountains with scars from roads visible at the base and up the sides|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]] |
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The first Colorado portion of I-70 opened to traffic in 1961. This section bypassed and linked [[Idaho Springs, Colorado|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 (Denver)|Mousetrap]] reused some structures that were built in 1951, before the formation of the Interstate Highway |
The first Colorado portion of I-70 opened to traffic in 1961. This section bypassed and linked [[Idaho Springs, Colorado|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 (Denver)|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.<ref name=CDOT70/> |
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====Eisenhower Tunnel==== |
====Eisenhower Tunnel==== |
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{{main|Eisenhower Tunnel}} |
{{main|Eisenhower Tunnel}} |
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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 {{convert|11992|ft|m |
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 {{convert|11992|ft|m}}, and [[Vail Pass]], at {{convert|10666|ft|m}}.<ref name=DeLORME/> Engineers recommended tunneling under Loveland Pass to bypass the steep grades and [[hairpin curve]]s 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 President [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]] and Colorado Governor [[Edwin C. Johnson]].<ref name=Cdoteisenhower/> |
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Construction on the first bore of the tunnel was started on March 15, 1968.<ref name=Cdoteisenhower/> 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 (experiment)|pilot]] bores.<ref name=Cdoteisenhower2/> 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.<ref name=highwaystothesky/> 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."<ref name=Cdoteisenhower2>{{cite web |author = Colorado Department of Transportation |url = http://www.coloradodot.info/travel/eisenhower-tunnel/eisenhower-memorial-bore.html |title = Eisenhower Memorial Bore |publisher = Colorado Department of Transportation |access-date = July 25, 2009 }}</ref> 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.<ref name=Cdoteisenhower/> The initial engineering cost estimate for the Eisenhower bore was $42 |
Construction on the first bore of the tunnel was started on March 15, 1968.<ref name=Cdoteisenhower/> 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 (experiment)|pilot]] bores.<ref name=Cdoteisenhower2/> 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.<ref name=highwaystothesky/> 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."<ref name=Cdoteisenhower2>{{cite web |author = Colorado Department of Transportation |url = http://www.coloradodot.info/travel/eisenhower-tunnel/eisenhower-memorial-bore.html |title = Eisenhower Memorial Bore |publisher = Colorado Department of Transportation |access-date = July 25, 2009 }}</ref> 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.<ref name=Cdoteisenhower/> The initial engineering cost estimate for the Eisenhower bore was $42 million; the actual cost was $108 million (equivalent to ${{formatprice|{{inflation|US-GDP|108000000|1973}}}} in {{inflation-year|US-GDP}}{{inflation-fn|US-GDP}}). Approximately 90 percent 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 ${{formatprice|{{inflation|US|102800000|1979}}}} in {{inflation-year|US-GDP}}{{inflation-fn|US-GDP}}).<ref name=Cdoteisenhower2/><ref name=Cdoteisenhower3>{{cite web |author = Colorado Department of Transportation |url = http://www.coloradodot.info/travel/eisenhower-tunnel/edwin-c-johnson-memorial-bore.html |title = Edwin C Johnson Bore |publisher = Colorado Department of Transportation |access-date = July 25, 2009 }}</ref> |
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[[File:DSCN2091 vailpassrestarea e 600.jpg|thumb|left|alt=A parking lot with a view of several snow-capped mountains|[[Rest area]] along I-70 at the top of [[Vail Pass]] ]] |
[[File:DSCN2091 vailpassrestarea e 600.jpg|thumb|left|alt=A parking lot with a view of several snow-capped mountains|[[Rest area]] along I-70 at the top of [[Vail Pass]] ]] |
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The tunnel construction became involved in the [[women's rights movement]] due to advocacy by [[Janet Bonnema]] after she was subjected to gender-based discrimination after being hired as an engineering technician for the construction of the Straight Creek Tunnel in 1970. Bonnema was restricted from entering the tunnel due to the miners' superstition that women who entered underground mines and tunnels would bring bad luck. In 1972, Bonnema filed a $100,000 class action suit against |
The tunnel construction became involved in the [[women's rights movement]] due to advocacy by [[Janet Bonnema]] after she was subjected to gender-based discrimination after being hired as an engineering technician for the construction of the Straight Creek Tunnel in 1970. Bonnema was restricted from entering the tunnel due to the miners' superstition that women who entered underground mines and tunnels would bring bad luck. In 1972, Bonnema filed a $100,000 class action suit against [[Colorado Department of Transportation|CDOT]], citing Title VII of the [[Civil Rights Act of 1964]]. As Colorado voters had passed the [[Equal Rights Amendment]] that year, the state settled Bonnema's case out of court for $6,730. Bonnema entered the tunnel for the first time on November 9, 1972, prompting 66 workers to temporarily walk off the job; most returned the next day. She continued with the project until the tunnel opened.<ref>{{cite news |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=-lQEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA49 |title = Janet Fights the Battle of Straight Creek Tunnel |first = Jane |last = Howard |magazine = [[Life (magazine)|Life]] |date = December 8, 1972 |pages = 49–52 |access-date = June 7, 2017 |via = Google Boosk }}</ref> |
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====Vail Pass==== |
====Vail Pass==== |
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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 {{convert|10|mi|km}} by tunneling from Gore Creek to South Willow Creek, an alternative known as the Red Buffalo Tunnel.<ref name=highwaystothesky/> 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 [[ |
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 {{convert|10|mi|km}} by tunneling from Gore Creek to South Willow Creek, an alternative known as the Red Buffalo Tunnel.<ref name=highwaystothesky/> 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 [[US 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.<ref name=highwaystothesky/> The grade over Vail Pass reaches seven percent.<ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.codot.gov/travel/maximum-grades-on-colorado-mountain-passes.html |title = Maximum Grades on Colorado Mountain Passes |author = Colorado Department of Transportation |publisher = Colorado Department of Transportation |access-date = January 8, 2016 }}</ref> |
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====Glenwood Canyon==== |
====Glenwood Canyon==== |
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[[File:CZglenwood.jpg|thumb|right|alt=A two tiered highway snaking around bends in a canyon, with some fall foliage visible|I-70 in [[Glenwood Canyon]] as seen from Amtrak's '' |
[[File:CZglenwood.jpg|thumb|right|alt=A two tiered highway snaking around bends in a canyon, with some fall foliage visible|I-70 in [[Glenwood Canyon]] as seen from Amtrak's ''California Zephyr'']] |
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[[Glenwood Canyon]] has served as the primary transportation artery through the Rocky Mountains, even before the creation of U.S. |
[[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.<ref name=12yearslater/> The first paved road was built from 1936 to 1938 at a cost of $1.5 million (equivalent to ${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US-GDP|1500000|1938}}}} in {{inflation-year|US-GDP}}{{inflation-fn|US-GDP}}).<ref name=highwaystothesky/> |
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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.<ref name=CDOT70/> The remainder was stopped due to [[environmentalist]] protests that caused a 30-year controversy.<ref name=rambler/> 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.<ref name=denverpreps>{{cite news |title = Freeway Opened the State to the Rest of the U.S. |work = Rocky Mountain News |date = August 31, 1999 |last = Garner |first = Joe |url = http://denverpreps.com/millennium/0831stone.shtml }}{{dead link|date=September 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> 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.<ref name=highwaystothesky/> The final design included 40 |
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.<ref name=CDOT70/> The remainder was stopped due to [[environmentalist]] protests that caused a 30-year controversy.<ref name=rambler/> 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.<ref name=denverpreps>{{cite news |title = Freeway Opened the State to the Rest of the U.S. |work = Rocky Mountain News |date = August 31, 1999 |last = Garner |first = Joe |url = http://denverpreps.com/millennium/0831stone.shtml }}{{dead link|date=September 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> 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.<ref name=highwaystothesky/> The final design included 40 bridges and viaducts, three additional tunnel bores (two were completed before construction was stopped in the 1960s), and {{convert|15|mi|km}} of retaining walls for a stretch of freeway {{convert|12|mi|km}} long.<ref name=funfacts/> 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.<ref name=ISEE>{{cite web |url = http://www.isee.org/tis/Proceed/General/92gen/9235g.pdf |publisher = International Society of Explosives Engineers |title = Engineering Considerations for the Hanging Lake Tunnel Project, Glenwood Springs, Colorado |last1 = Scotese |first1 = Thomas |last2 = Ackerman |first2 = John |year = 1992 |access-date = April 30, 2009 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20050210001254/http://www.isee.org/tis/Proceed/General/92gen/9235g.pdf |archive-date = February 10, 2005 }}</ref> Engineers designed two separate tracks for the highway, one elevated above the other, to minimize the footprint in the canyon.<ref name=12yearslater/> 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."<ref name=denverpreps/> 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.<ref name=tires>{{cite news |work = [[The Denver Post]] |date = May 22, 1994 |title = Old Tires to Heal Glenwood Scar: Highway Eyesore Dates to 1930s |last = McGregor |first = Heather |page = C7 }}</ref> |
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[[File:I70terracedglenwoodcanyon.jpg|thumb|left|alt=Diagram showing the former profile of a canyon wall with a new profile showing re-graded slopes, re-graded riverbank, medians and a two-tiered highway. The tops of the highway cantilever over the retaining wall, to hide the infrastructure below.| |
[[File:I70terracedglenwoodcanyon.jpg|thumb|left|alt=Diagram showing the former profile of a canyon wall with a new profile showing re-graded slopes, re-graded riverbank, medians and a two-tiered highway. The tops of the highway cantilever over the retaining wall, to hide the infrastructure below.|CDOT drawing showing how reusing the existing footprint of US 6 combined with elevating two lanes helped minimize the environmental impact of the freeway on Glenwood Canyon]] |
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The freeway was finally completed on October 14, 1992, in a ceremony covered nationwide.<ref name=nyt>{{cite news |url = https://www.nytimes.com/1992/11/01/travel/travel-advisory-new-i-70-stretch-helps-skiers.html |title = Travel Advisory; New I-70 Stretch Helps Skiers |work = [[The New York Times]] |date = November 1, 1992 |access-date = September 8, 2009 }}</ref><ref name=news1>{{cite news |date = October 15, 1992 |title = Nation Briefings |work = [[Chicago Sun-Times]] }}</ref> 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 |
The freeway was finally completed on October 14, 1992, in a ceremony covered nationwide.<ref name=nyt>{{cite news |url = https://www.nytimes.com/1992/11/01/travel/travel-advisory-new-i-70-stretch-helps-skiers.html |title = Travel Advisory; New I-70 Stretch Helps Skiers |work = [[The New York Times]] |date = November 1, 1992 |access-date = September 8, 2009 }}</ref><ref name=news1>{{cite news |date = October 15, 1992 |title = Nation Briefings |work = [[Chicago Sun-Times]] }}</ref> 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 {{convert|12|mi|km|adj=on|disp=sqbr}} stretch of Interstate 70 will be non-existent."<ref name = delays>{{cite news |work = Rocky Mountain News |title = Glenwood Canyon Traffic Can Savor Delay-Free Season |date = June 8, 1993 |last = Williams |first = Leroy |page = 14A}}</ref> |
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The cost was $490 |
The cost was $490 million (equivalent to ${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US-GDP|490000000|1992}}}} in {{inflation-year|US-GDP}}{{inflation-fn|US-GDP}}) to build {{convert|12|mi|km}}, 40 times the average cost per mile predicted by the planners of the Interstate Highway System.<ref name=highwaystothesky/> This figure exceeded that of [[Interstate 15 in Arizona|I-15]] through the [[Virgin River Gorge]], which was previously proclaimed the most expensive rural freeway in the country.<ref name=Fresno>{{cite news |work = [[Fresno Bee]] |title = Costliest Rural Freeway: $100 an Inch |date = November 26, 1972|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/69551881/i70/|access-date= February 6, 2021|page=B4|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> The construction of I-70 through Glenwood Canyon earned 30 awards for [[Colorado Department of Transportation|CDOT]],<ref name=12yearslater/> including the 1993 Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement Award from the [[American Society of Civil Engineers]].<ref name=asce>{{cite web |author = American Society of Civil Engineers |url = http://www.asce.org/opal/ocea_entry.cfm |title = Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement Award <!--list is in attached pdf for nominations)--> |access-date = February 24, 2008 |publisher = American Society of Civil Engineers |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080509161944/http://www.asce.org/opal/ocea_entry.cfm |archive-date = May 9, 2008 }}</ref> 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.<ref name=funfacts/><ref name=12yearslater/> However, at the time, there were still two sections of the original Interstate Highway System that had not been constructed: [[Pennsylvania Turnpike/Interstate 95 Interchange Project|a section]] of [[Interstate 95 in New Jersey|I-95]] in [[central New Jersey]],<ref name=PA>{{cite web |url = http://www.paturnpikei95.com/pdf/DACMeeting050914.pdf |author = Edwards & Kelsey |publisher = Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission |title = I-95/I-276 Interchange Project Meeting Design Management Summary – Draft: Design Advisory Committee Meeting #2 |access-date = August 3, 2009 |archive-date = October 2, 2013 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131002051518/http://www.paturnpikei95.com/pdf/DACMeeting050914.pdf |url-status = dead }}</ref> that was not completed until 2018,<ref name=sofield>{{cite news |first = Tom |last = Sofield |date = September 22, 2018 |title = Decades in the Making, I-95, Turnpike Connector Opens to Motorists |url = http://levittownnow.com/2018/09/22/decades-in-the-making-i-95-turnpike-connector-opens-to-motorists/ |work = Levittown Now |access-date = September 22, 2018 }}</ref> and a section of I-70 in [[Breezewood, Pennsylvania]].<ref name=BreezewoodFHWA>{{cite web |url = http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/infrastructure/tollroad.cfm |work = Ask The Rambler |title = Why Does The Interstate System Include Toll Facilities? |publisher = Federal Highway Administration |last = Weingroff |first = Richard }}</ref> |
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====Realignments==== |
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⚫ | In 2022, CDOT replaced a {{convert|1.8|mi|km|adj=on}} viaduct that formerly carried I-70 between Brighton Boulevard and Colorado Boulevard in Denver with a below-grade highway. The $1.2 billion project, financed through a [[public–private partnership]] with [[Kiewit Corporation|Kiewit]] and [[Meridiam]], added new [[express toll lane]]s; the below-grade freeway was covered with a {{convert|4|acre|ha|adj=on|spell=in}} park between Clayton and Columbine streets.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.codot.gov/projects/i70east |title=Central 70 Project |publisher=Colorado Department of Transportation |access-date=February 8, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=April 2019 |publisher=Colorado Department of Transportation |title=Project Snapshot |url=https://www.codot.gov/projects/i70east/assets/collateral/brochures/snapshot/2019/snapshot-reprinted-may2019vf.pdf |work= Central 70 |access-date=February 8, 2021}}</ref> Traffic was moved onto the new alignment in late 2022; however, the project was not fully complete until July, 2023.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.codot.gov/projects/i70east |publisher=Colorado Department of Transportation |title=Central 70 Project |year=2022 |access-date=Feb 9, 2023}}</ref> |
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===Incidents=== |
===Incidents=== |
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On August 1, 1984, a truck carrying six [[torpedo]] |
On August 1, 1984, a truck carrying six [[torpedo]]s for the [[US Navy]] overturned while navigating a ramp at the [[Mousetrap (Denver)|Mousetrap]], a complex interchange. 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, [[US 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.<ref name=eveningindependent>{{cite news |url = https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=LfARAAAAIBAJ&pg=5975,808200&dq=mousetrap+denver+torpedo |title = Army Rights Tipped Truck Carrying Navy Torpedoes |work = The Spokesman-Review |location = Spokane, WA |agency = [[Associated Press]] |date = August 2, 1984 |access-date = September 24, 2009 |page = 10 |via = [[Google News]] }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |work = [[Los Angeles Times]] |last = Getlin |first = Josh |title = Record of Risk-Free Transportation Torpedoed by Denver's Experience |date = September 20, 1987 |access-date = September 24, 2009 |url = http://articles.latimes.com/1987-09-20/news/mn-9018_1_safety-record |page=26}}</ref> Investigations later revealed that the truck driver was previously intercepted by the [[Colorado State Patrol]], who specifically warned the driver to avoid the Mousetrap and provided the driver with an alternate route.<ref name=eveningindependent/> 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.<ref name=euguene>{{cite news |work = Eugene Register-Guard |date = August 10, 1984 |title = Errors Many in Torpedo Incident |url = https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=CmoVAAAAIBAJ&pg=4396,2421545&dq=mousetrap+denver+torpedo |page = 14A |via = Google News }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |work = The Denver Post |title = Hazardous Cargo at Heart of Controversy |first = Robert |last = Kowalski |date = February 26, 1990 }}{{page needed|date=May 2016}}</ref> The Mousetrap was [[Grandfather clause|grandfathered]] into the Interstate Highway System, with some structures built in 1951.<ref name=CDOT70/> The incident provided momentum to rebuild the interchange with a more modern and safer design. Construction began in several phases in 1987, and the last bridge was dedicated in 2003.<ref name=Denverpost3>{{cite news |work = Rocky Mountain News |page = 6A |date = December 16, 2003 |title = This Mousetrap Wasn't a Snap |last = Flynn |first = Kevin }}</ref> |
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In 2014, |
In 2014, mile-marker 420 was altered by CDOT to read "Mile 419.99" following repeat [[street sign theft|thefts]] of the original sign due to the significance of the number [[420 (cannabis culture)|420 in cannabis culture]].<ref>{{cite news |url = http://articles.latimes.com/2014/jan/13/news/la-sh-colorado-mile-marker-420-20140113 |title = Colorado Replaces Marker 420 with 419.99 to Foil 'Weed Enthusiasts |date = January 13, 2014 |access-date = April 21, 2015 |work = [[Los Angeles Times]] |first = Stacy |last = Leasca }}</ref> |
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In [[2019 Lakewood semi-truck crash|2019, a fiery crash]] killed |
In [[2019 Lakewood semi-truck crash|2019, a fiery crash]] killed four people and injured dozens. A previous, non-fatal accident in Wheat Ridge had resulted in backed up traffic for several miles. At the time of the second collision, the backup extended into Lakewood past the Colorado Mills Parkway exit. A [[semi-trailer truck]] descending the grades as the freeway entered the greater Denver area, driven by Rogel Aguilera Mederos, attempted to downshift, but he was unable re-engage the transmission.<ref name=whoisaguilera/> This resulted in the vehicle rapidly increasing in speed, with witnesses seeing the truck out of control near the [[Genesee, Colorado|Genesee]] exit, {{convert|9|mi|km|spell=in}} from where the accident would occur. Witnesses also testified seeing the brakes smoking while the truck descended the hill. The driver passed at least one [[runaway truck ramp]] without entering, as well as four other exits where he could have exited the freeway. As the truck approached the backed up traffic, the driver attempted to swerve to the side of the road to avoid a collision but was unable as other trucks had already blocked this path while similarly attempting to avoid a collision. The truck collided with the backup and exploded. Over a dozen other vehicles were involved in the collision and four people died. The driver was charged with numerous offenses, including assault and vehicular homicide and initially sentenced to 110 years. This was controversial, due to the length of the sentence and the opinions of some victims and witnesses that the owner of the truck bore more responsibility. The company had previously been fined and cited for numerous brake-related violations as well as employing inexperienced truck drivers who were not fluent in English.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |url=https://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/local-news/semi-driver-faces-40-charges-in-connection-to-fiery-i-70-crash-that-killed-4 |title=Semi driver formally charged after deadly I-70 crash |date=2019-05-03 |website=KMGH-TV |language=en |access-date=2020-01-06 |archive-date=2019-11-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191130170203/https://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/local-news/semi-driver-faces-40-charges-in-connection-to-fiery-i-70-crash-that-killed-4 |url-status=live }}</ref> Aguilera testified through an interpreter in his own defense and pleaded for mercy saying, "I ask God too many times why them and not me? Why did I survive that accident?".<ref name=whoisaguilera>{{cite web |url=https://denver.cbslocal.com/2021/12/22/rogel-aguilera-mederos-prison-sentence-110-years-colorado-truck-driver-deadly-crash-interstate-70/ |title=Who Is Rogel Aguilera-Mederos? Truck Driver Sentenced To 110 Years For Deadly Crash On I-70 |date=December 22, 2021 |last=Padilla |first=Anica |access-date=March 24, 2022 |publisher=[[KCNC-TV]]}}</ref> He also blamed his employer, testifying he was instructed to take back roads from the trip's origin in [[Wyoming]] and avoid the more commonly used road from Wyoming, [[Interstate 25|I-25]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://coloradocommunitymedia.com/stories/closing-arguments-in-deadly-i-70-trucker-trial,383585 |title=Update: Trucker in deadly I-70 trucker trial found guilty on 27 counts |publisher=Colorado Community |date=October 15, 2021 |last= Wooley |first=Bob |access-date=March 24, 2022}}</ref> Shortly after the accident, CDOT announced a location for an additional runaway truck ramp in this area.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-07-25 |title=CDOT considering additional runaway truck ramp on I-70 near Denver |url=https://kdvr.com/news/local/cdot-considering-additional-runaway-truck-ramp-near-denver/ |access-date=2021-12-20 |website=[[KDVR]] |language=en-US |archive-date=2021-12-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211220033617/https://kdvr.com/news/local/cdot-considering-additional-runaway-truck-ramp-near-denver/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-05-15 |title=CDOT: Plans underway for new runaway truck ramps on I-70 toward Denver |url=https://kdvr.com/news/local/cdot-plans-underway-for-new-runaway-truck-ramps-on-i-70-toward-denver/ |access-date=2021-12-20 |website=KDVR |language=en-US |archive-date=2021-12-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211220034625/https://kdvr.com/news/local/cdot-plans-underway-for-new-runaway-truck-ramps-on-i-70-toward-denver/ |url-status=live }}</ref> |
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Aguilera-Mederos, an immigrant from [[Cuba]] who was not fluent in English, testified through an interpreter in his own defense and pleaded for mercy saying, “I ask God too many times why them and not me? Why did I survive that accident?” <ref name=whoisaguilera>{{cite web |url=https://denver.cbslocal.com/2021/12/22/rogel-aguilera-mederos-prison-sentence-110-years-colorado-truck-driver-deadly-crash-interstate-70/ |title=Who Is Rogel Aguilera-Mederos? Truck Driver Sentenced To 110 Years For Deadly Crash On I-70 |date=December 22, 2021 |last=Padilla |first=Anica |access-date=March 24, 2022 |publisher=[[KCNC-TV]]}}</ref> He also blamed his employer testifying he was instructed to take a lesser used, mountainous route from the trip's origin in [[Wyoming]] and avoid [[Interstate 25]] a more direct, flatter and more patrolled route.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://coloradocommunitymedia.com/stories/closing-arguments-in-deadly-i-70-trucker-trial,383585 |title=Update: Trucker in deadly I-70 trucker trial found guilty on 27 counts |publisher=Colorado Community |date=October 15, 2021 |last= Wooley |first=Bob |access-date=March 24, 2022}}</ref> Another mitigating factor, earlier in the year the [[Colorado Department of Transportation]] had announced they were considering an additional runaway truck ramp in this area; shortly after this accident a location was identified near the [[Mount Vernon, Colorado|Mount Vernon]] exit.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-07-25 |title=CDOT considering additional runaway truck ramp on I-70 near Denver |url=https://kdvr.com/news/local/cdot-considering-additional-runaway-truck-ramp-near-denver/ |access-date=2021-12-20 |website=[[KDVR]] |language=en-US |archive-date=2021-12-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211220033617/https://kdvr.com/news/local/cdot-considering-additional-runaway-truck-ramp-near-denver/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-05-15 |title=CDOT: Plans underway for new runaway truck ramps on I-70 toward Denver |url=https://kdvr.com/news/local/cdot-plans-underway-for-new-runaway-truck-ramps-on-i-70-toward-denver/ |access-date=2021-12-20 |website=KDVR |language=en-US |archive-date=2021-12-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211220034625/https://kdvr.com/news/local/cdot-plans-underway-for-new-runaway-truck-ramps-on-i-70-toward-denver/ |url-status=live }}</ref> |
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After the 2020 [[Grizzly Creek Fire]], I-70 was closed in Glenwood Canyon in August 2021 due to significant damage by debris from the fire, causing large detours.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Paul |first1=Jesse |title=I-70 in Glenwood Canyon will remain closed after CDOT finds damage 'unlike anything they had seen before' |url=https://coloradosun.com/2021/08/01/glenwood-canyon-damage-i-70/ |website=The Colorado Sun |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210803004020/https://coloradosun.com/2021/08/01/glenwood-canyon-damage-i-70/ |archive-date=August 3, 2021 |language=en |date=August 1, 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref> The damage after the 2021 landslides required lengthy reconstruction of the road; the highway partially reopened on August 14, 2021.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Miller |first1=Blair |title=USDOT approves quick disbursement of $11.6M for Glenwood Canyon repairs as CDOT work continues |url=https://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/local-news/usdot-approves-quick-disbursement-of-11-6m-for-glenwood-canyon-repairs-as-cdot-work-continues |website=KMGH |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210813134644/https://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/local-news/usdot-approves-quick-disbursement-of-11-6m-for-glenwood-canyon-repairs-as-cdot-work-continues |archive-date=13 August 2021 |language=en |date=10 August 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url= https://www.codot.gov/travel/glenwoodcanyon|title= I-70 Glenwood Canyon Safety Closures |date=August 11, 2021 |publisher=Colorado Department of Transportation |access-date=August 14, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url= https://coloradosun.com/2021/08/13/glenwood-canyon-reopens-colorado/ |title= I-70 through Glenwood Canyon partially reopens; full reopening may not happen until Thanksgiving |date=August 14, 2021|publisher=Colorado Sun |access-date=August 14, 2021}}</ref> |
After the 2020 [[Grizzly Creek Fire]], I-70 was closed in Glenwood Canyon in August 2021 due to significant damage by debris from the fire, causing large detours.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Paul |first1=Jesse |title=I-70 in Glenwood Canyon will remain closed after CDOT finds damage 'unlike anything they had seen before' |url=https://coloradosun.com/2021/08/01/glenwood-canyon-damage-i-70/ |website=The Colorado Sun |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210803004020/https://coloradosun.com/2021/08/01/glenwood-canyon-damage-i-70/ |archive-date=August 3, 2021 |language=en |date=August 1, 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref> The damage after the 2021 landslides required lengthy reconstruction of the road; the highway partially reopened on August 14, 2021.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Miller |first1=Blair |title=USDOT approves quick disbursement of $11.6M for Glenwood Canyon repairs as CDOT work continues |url=https://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/local-news/usdot-approves-quick-disbursement-of-11-6m-for-glenwood-canyon-repairs-as-cdot-work-continues |website=KMGH |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210813134644/https://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/local-news/usdot-approves-quick-disbursement-of-11-6m-for-glenwood-canyon-repairs-as-cdot-work-continues |archive-date=13 August 2021 |language=en |date=10 August 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url= https://www.codot.gov/travel/glenwoodcanyon|title= I-70 Glenwood Canyon Safety Closures |date=August 11, 2021 |publisher=Colorado Department of Transportation |access-date=August 14, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url= https://coloradosun.com/2021/08/13/glenwood-canyon-reopens-colorado/ |title= I-70 through Glenwood Canyon partially reopens; full reopening may not happen until Thanksgiving |date=August 14, 2021|publisher=Colorado Sun |access-date=August 14, 2021}}</ref> |
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===Legacy=== |
===Legacy=== |
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⚫ | When first approved, the extension of I-70 from Denver to [[Cove Fort, Utah|Cove Fort]] was criticized in some area newspapers as a road to nowhere;<ref name=historytogo>{{cite web |url = http://historytogo.utah.gov/utah_chapters/utah_today/interstate70.html |work = Utah History to Go |title = Interstate 70 |access-date = February 16, 2008 |publisher = State of Utah |first = Edward A. |last = Geary }}</ref> an information liaison specialist with |
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[[File:Colorado14.JPG|thumb|I-70 through the [[Colorado Plateau]]]] |
[[File:Colorado14.JPG|thumb|I-70 through the [[Colorado Plateau]]]] |
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⚫ | When first approved, the extension of I-70 from Denver to [[Cove Fort, Utah|Cove Fort]] was criticized in some area newspapers as a road to nowhere;<ref name=historytogo>{{cite web |url = http://historytogo.utah.gov/utah_chapters/utah_today/interstate70.html |work = Utah History to Go |title = Interstate 70 |access-date = February 16, 2008 |publisher = State of Utah |first = Edward A. |last = Geary }}</ref> an information liaison specialist with USDOT in [[Baltimore|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?".<ref name=rambler/> However, a resident engineer with USDOT has called the extension one of the "crown jewels" of the Interstate Highway System.<ref name=12yearslater/> 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.<ref name=highwaystothesky/> 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 percent even though traffic through the canyon has substantially increased.<ref name=12yearslater/> CDOT 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.<ref name=highwaystothesky/> |
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⚫ | The freeway is credited with enhancing Colorado's [[ski]] industry. The ski resort town of [[Vail, Colorado|Vail]] did not exist until I-70 began construction, with developers working in close partnership with |
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⚫ | The freeway is credited with enhancing Colorado's [[ski]] industry. The ski resort town of [[Vail, Colorado|Vail]] did not exist until I-70 began construction, with developers working in close partnership with CDOT.<ref name=highwaystothesky/> By 1984, the I-70 corridor between Denver and [[Grand Junction, Colorado|Grand Junction]] contained the largest concentration of ski resorts in the country. 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".<ref name=highwaystothesky/> |
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==Future== |
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⚫ | |||
==Exit list== |
==Exit list== |
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Line 193: | Line 192: | ||
|mile=25.563 |
|mile=25.563 |
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|exit=26 |
|exit=26 |
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|road={{Jct|state=CO|BL|70|dab1=Grand |
|road={{Jct|state=CO|BL|70|dab1=Grand Junction–Clifton<!--070B,070Z-->|dir1=east|US|6|US|50|city1=Grand Junction}} |
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|notes=[[Diverging diamond interchange]]; Grand Junction appears only on eastbound signage |
|notes=[[Diverging diamond interchange]]; Grand Junction appears only on eastbound signage |
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}} |
}} |
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Line 212: | Line 211: | ||
|mile=36.644 |
|mile=36.644 |
||
|exit=37 |
|exit=37 |
||
|road={{Jct|state=CO|BL|70|dab1=Grand |
|road={{Jct|state=CO|BL|70|dab1=Grand Junction–Clifton|dir1=west|to2=to|US|6|city1=Clifton|city2=Delta|city3=Grand Junction}} |
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|notes=Delta appears only on eastbound signage; US 6 and Grand Junction appear only on westbound signage |
|notes=Delta appears only on eastbound signage; US 6 and Grand Junction appear only on westbound signage |
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}} |
}} |
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Line 233: | Line 232: | ||
{{COint|exit |
{{COint|exit |
||
|mile=45.332 |
|mile=45.332 |
||
|exit= |
|exit=45 |
||
|road=[[Cameo, Colorado|Cameo]] |
|road=[[Cameo, Colorado|Cameo]] |
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|notes= |
|notes= |
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Line 615: | Line 614: | ||
|mile=239.652 |
|mile=239.652 |
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|exit=240 |
|exit=240 |
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|road={{Jct|state=CO|SH|103|road|[[Mount |
|road={{Jct|state=CO|SH|103|road|[[Mount Blue Sky Scenic Byway]]|city1=Mt. Blue Sky}} |
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|notes= |
|notes= |
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}} |
}} |
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Line 747: | Line 746: | ||
|mile=264.341 |
|mile=264.341 |
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|exit=264 |
|exit=264 |
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|road=Youngfield Street/32nd Avenue |
|road=Youngfield Street / 32nd Avenue |
||
|notes=}} |
|notes=}} |
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{{COint|exit |
{{COint|exit |
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Line 807: | Line 806: | ||
|type=incomplete |
|type=incomplete |
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|exit=271B |
|exit=271B |
||
|road=Lowell Boulevard/Tennyson Street |
|road=Lowell Boulevard / Tennyson Street |
||
|notes=Westbound exit and eastbound entrance |
|notes=Westbound exit and eastbound entrance |
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}} |
}} |
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Line 833: | Line 832: | ||
|exit=275A |
|exit=275A |
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|road=Washington Street |
|road=Washington Street |
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|notes= |
|notes=Eastbound access is part of exit 274 |
||
}} |
}} |
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{{COint|exit |
{{COint|exit |
||
|mile=275.252 |
|mile=275.252 |
||
|exit=275B |
|exit=275B |
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|road={{ |
|road={{Jctname|state=CO|SH|265|dir1=north|name1=Brighton Boulevard|noshield=yes|road|York Street}} |
||
|notes=York St. signed eastbound only |
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|notes= |
|||
}} |
}} |
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{{COint|exit |
{{COint|exit |
||
|mile=275.545 |
|mile=275.545 |
||
|type= |
|type=closed |
||
|exit=275C |
|exit=275C |
||
|road=York Street/Josephine Street |
|road=York Street / Josephine Street |
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|notes= |
|notes=Closed; was eastbound exit and westbound entrance |
||
}} |
}} |
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{{COint|exit |
{{COint|exit |
||
|mile=276.080 |
|mile=276.080 |
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⚫ | |||
|type=concur |
|type=concur |
||
|exit=276A |
|exit=276A |
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|espan=2 |
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|road={{Jct|state=CO|US|6|dir1=east|US|85|dir2=north|name2=Vasquez Boulevard}} |
|road={{Jct|state=CO|US|6|dir1=east|US|85|dir2=north|name2=Vasquez Boulevard}} |
||
|notes= |
|notes=Eastern end of concurrency with US 6/US 85; westbound access via exit 276 |
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⚫ | |||
⚫ | |||
|road=Steele Street/Vasquez Boulevard |
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|notes=Westbound signage |
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}} |
}} |
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{{COint|exit |
{{COint|exit |
||
|type=incomplete |
|||
|mile=276.572 |
|mile=276.572 |
||
⚫ | |||
|exit=276B |
|exit=276B |
||
|road={{Jct|state=CO|SH|2 |
|road={{Jct|state=CO|SH|2|name1=Colorado Boulevard|road|Dahlia Street}} |
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|notes= |
|notes=Eastbound exit and westbound entrance |
||
⚫ | |||
⚫ | |||
|type=incomplete |
|||
⚫ | |||
|exit=276 |
|||
|road={{Jct|state=CO|SH|2|name1=Colorado Boulevard|to2=to|US|6|dir2=east|US|85|dir3=north|name3=Vasquez Boulevard}} |
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|notes=Westbound exit and eastbound entrance |
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}} |
}} |
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{{COint|exit |
{{COint|exit |
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Line 872: | Line 873: | ||
|mile2=278.319 |
|mile2=278.319 |
||
|exit=277 |
|exit=277 |
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|road= |
|road=Holly Street / Monaco Street / Dahlia Street |
||
|notes=Monaco St. signed eastbound only, Dahlia St. signed westbound only |
|||
|notes= |
|||
}} |
}} |
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{{COint|exit |
{{COint|exit |
||
|mile=278.548 |
|mile=278.548 |
||
|exit=278 |
|exit=278 |
||
|road={{Jct|state=CO|SH|35|name1= |
|road={{Jct|state=CO|SH|35|name1=Quebec Street|road|Monaco Street}} |
||
|notes=Monaco St. signed westbound only |
|||
|notes= |
|||
}} |
}} |
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{{COint|exit |
{{COint|exit |
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Line 885: | Line 886: | ||
|type=concur |
|type=concur |
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|exit=279A |
|exit=279A |
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|road={{Jct|state=CO|I|270|dir1=west|US|36| |
|road={{Jct|state=CO|I|270|dir1=west|name1={{Jct|state=CO|US|36|dir1=west|noshield=yes}}|city1=Fort Collins|city2=Boulder}} |
||
|notes=Westbound exit and eastbound entrance; western end of concurrency with US 36 |
|notes=Westbound exit and eastbound entrance; western end of concurrency with US 36 |
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}} |
}} |
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Line 904: | Line 905: | ||
|exit=281 |
|exit=281 |
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|road=Peoria Street |
|road=Peoria Street |
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|notes= |
|notes=Westbound access is part of exit 282 |
||
}} |
}} |
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{{COint|exit |
{{COint|exit |
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Line 919: | Line 920: | ||
{{COint|exit |
{{COint|exit |
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|county=Adams |
|county=Adams |
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|cspan= |
|cspan=4 |
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|location=Aurora |
|location=Aurora |
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|lspan=7 |
|lspan=7 |
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Line 947: | Line 948: | ||
}} |
}} |
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{{COint|exit |
{{COint|exit |
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|county1=Adams |
|||
⚫ | |||
⚫ | |||
|mile=288.219 |
|mile=288.219 |
||
|type=concur |
|type=concur |
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Line 995: | Line 999: | ||
}} |
}} |
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{{COint|exit |
{{COint|exit |
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⚫ | |||
⚫ | |||
|mile=305.784 |
|mile=305.784 |
||
|exit=306 |
|exit=306 |
||
Line 1,004: | Line 1,006: | ||
}} |
}} |
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{{COint|exit |
{{COint|exit |
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|county=Arapahoe |
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|cspan=4 |
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|location=none |
|location=none |
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|lspan=3 |
|lspan=3 |
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Line 1,182: | Line 1,186: | ||
|mile=449.589 |
|mile=449.589 |
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|exit= |
|exit= |
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|road={{Jct|state=KS|I|70|US|24|dir2=east|location1=[[Goodland, Kansas|Goodland]]|location2=[[Salina, Kansas|Salina]]}} |
|road={{Jct|state=KS|I|70|dir1=east|US|24|dir2=east|location1=[[Goodland, Kansas|Goodland]]|location2=[[Salina, Kansas|Salina]]}} |
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|notes=Continuation into [[Kansas]] |
|notes=Continuation into [[Kansas]] |
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}} |
}} |
Revision as of 16:59, 8 July 2024
I-70 highlighted in red | ||||
Route information | ||||
Maintained by CDOT | ||||
Length | 449.589 mi[1] (723.543 km) | |||
History | Designated in 1956 Completed in 1992 | |||
NHS | Entire route | |||
Restrictions | No hazardous goods allowed in the Eisenhower Tunnel | |||
Major junctions | ||||
West end | ![]() ![]() ![]() | |||
East end | ![]() ![]() | |||
Location | ||||
Country | United States | |||
State | Colorado | |||
Counties | Mesa, Garfield, Eagle, Summit, Clear Creek, Jefferson, Denver, Adams, Arapahoe, Elbert, Lincoln, Kit Carson | |||
Highway system | ||||
| ||||
|
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 United States 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 country. 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 in 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 (US 40), one of the original transcontinental U.S. Highways. West of Idaho Springs, I-70 was built along the route of US 6, which was extended into Colorado during the 1930s.
Route description
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 regionally 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 US 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 side wall, 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
East of 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 Central Corridor of the Union Pacific Railroad (formerly the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad) occupies the south bank.[2]
![A pair of bridges leading to a pair of tunnels at the canyon wall](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/05/Hanging_Lake_Tunnel_I-70_Glenwood_Canyon.jpg/220px-Hanging_Lake_Tunnel_I-70_Glenwood_Canyon.jpg)
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]
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.[9] 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 US 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.[10] 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]
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][11]
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).[12] As of 2010[update], the facility was still the highest vehicular tunnel in the US.[6] The Eisenhower Tunnel is noted as both the longest mountain tunnel and the highest point on the Interstate Highway System.[12] 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.[12] 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[13] 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?".[14][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]
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 I-76 on a northeast course toward Nebraska.[2] The freeway meets I-25 in an interchange frequently called the Mousetrap.[4] From I-25 on to I-225, I-70 serves—together with those two Interstates—as part of an inner beltway around Denver.[17]
![A six-lane freeway in a developed area with mountains in the distance.](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/24/I-70_WB_from_US_287_Federal_Boulevard_overpass.jpeg/220px-I-70_WB_from_US_287_Federal_Boulevard_overpass.jpeg)
I-70 has one official branch in Colorado, I-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 average of 183,000 vehicles per day as of 2009[update].[18] While State Highway 470 (SH 470) and E-470 are not officially branches of I-70, they are remnants of plans for an I-470 outer beltway around Denver that were canceled when the allocated funds were spent elsewhere.[19]
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 US 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.[20] I-70 enters Kansas near Burlington, a small community known for having one of the oldest carousels in the United States.[21]
History
In 1944, a report to the United States Congress outlined several interregional highways, among which was a freeway from the east along the US 40 corridor that ended in Denver. After Colorado officials lobbied successfully, the designation was extended west over the Rocky Mountains following US 6.[11] The origins of both the US 40 and US 6 predate the United States Numbered Highway System, using established transcontinental trails.[22]
Earlier routes
Before the formation of the US Highway System, the country 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. When the Lincoln Highway opened in 1913, it was routed this way, but the loop proved impractical and was removed in 1915.[22]
![A highway about to curve to the right while descending down a canyon](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/58/Colrado02Rebalanced.png/220px-Colrado02Rebalanced.png)
After losing the connection to the Lincoln Highway, in 1922 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.[22] 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.[23] When the U.S. Highway system was unveiled in 1926, the Victory Highway was numbered US 40.[22]
While US 6 was also one of the original 1926 US Highways, the road originally served the portion of the country east of the Rocky Mountains. The highway was not extended to the Pacific coast until 1937, mostly following the Midland Trail.[24] 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.[22] 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.[11][22] 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.[25] 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.[22]
Interstate Highway planning
![A sharp curve with a cut in the mountain visible to support the highway](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ea/I-70WBMM244CO.jpg/220px-I-70WBMM244CO.jpg)
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 in 1955:
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.[11]
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 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.[11]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ef/Bevertailmountaintunnel.jpg/220px-Bevertailmountaintunnel.jpg)
Congress approved the extension of I-70; however, the route still had to be approved by the representatives of the 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 part of the country 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.[11]
Construction
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 President Dwight D. Eisenhower and Colorado Governor Edwin C. Johnson.[12]
Construction on the first bore of the tunnel was started on March 15, 1968.[12] 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.[26] 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.[22] 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."[26] 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.[12] The initial engineering cost estimate for the Eisenhower bore was $42 million; the actual cost was $108 million (equivalent to $566 million in 2023[27]). Approximately 90 percent 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 $432 million in 2023[27]).[26][28]
![A parking lot with a view of several snow-capped mountains](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b6/DSCN2091_vailpassrestarea_e_600.jpg/220px-DSCN2091_vailpassrestarea_e_600.jpg)
The tunnel construction became involved in the women's rights movement due to advocacy by Janet Bonnema after she was subjected to gender-based discrimination after being hired as an engineering technician for the construction of the Straight Creek Tunnel in 1970. Bonnema was restricted from entering the tunnel due to the miners' superstition that women who entered underground mines and tunnels would bring bad luck. In 1972, Bonnema filed a $100,000 class action suit against CDOT, citing Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. As Colorado voters had passed the Equal Rights Amendment that year, the state settled Bonnema's case out of court for $6,730. Bonnema entered the tunnel for the first time on November 9, 1972, prompting 66 workers to temporarily walk off the job; most returned the next day. She continued with the project until the tunnel opened.[29]
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.[22] 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 US 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.[22] The grade over Vail Pass reaches seven percent.[30]
Glenwood Canyon
![A two tiered highway snaking around bends in a canyon, with some fall foliage visible](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cc/CZglenwood.jpg/220px-CZglenwood.jpg)
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 $25.5 million in 2023[27]).[22]
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.[11] 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.[31] 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.[22] 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.[32] 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."[31] 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.[33]
![Diagram showing the former profile of a canyon wall with a new profile showing re-graded slopes, re-graded riverbank, medians and a two-tiered highway. The tops of the highway cantilever over the retaining wall, to hide the infrastructure below.](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6f/I70terracedglenwoodcanyon.jpg/220px-I70terracedglenwoodcanyon.jpg)
The freeway was finally completed on October 14, 1992, in a ceremony covered nationwide.[34][35] 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."[36]
The cost was $490 million (equivalent to $956 million in 2023[27]) to build 12 miles (19 km), 40 times the average cost per mile predicted by the planners of the Interstate Highway System.[22] This figure exceeded that of I-15 through the Virgin River Gorge, which was previously proclaimed the most expensive rural freeway in the country.[37] The construction of I-70 through Glenwood Canyon earned 30 awards for CDOT,[8] including the 1993 Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement Award from the American Society of Civil Engineers.[38] 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, at the time, there were still two sections of the original Interstate Highway System that had not been constructed: a section of I-95 in central New Jersey,[39] that was not completed until 2018,[40] and a section of I-70 in Breezewood, Pennsylvania.[41]
Realignments
In 2022, CDOT replaced a 1.8-mile (2.9 km) viaduct that formerly carried I-70 between Brighton Boulevard and Colorado Boulevard in Denver with a below-grade highway. The $1.2 billion project, financed through a public–private partnership with Kiewit and Meridiam, added new express toll lanes; the below-grade freeway was covered with a four-acre (1.6 ha) park between Clayton and Columbine streets.[42][43] Traffic was moved onto the new alignment in late 2022; however, the project was not fully complete until July, 2023.[44]
Incidents
On August 1, 1984, a truck carrying six torpedos for the US Navy overturned while navigating a ramp at the Mousetrap, a complex interchange. 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, US 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.[45][46] Investigations later revealed that the truck driver was previously intercepted by the Colorado State Patrol, who specifically warned the driver to avoid the Mousetrap and provided the driver with an alternate route.[45] 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.[47][48] 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 began in several phases in 1987, and the last bridge was dedicated in 2003.[49]
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.[50]
In 2019, a fiery crash killed four people and injured dozens. A previous, non-fatal accident in Wheat Ridge had resulted in backed up traffic for several miles. At the time of the second collision, the backup extended into Lakewood past the Colorado Mills Parkway exit. A semi-trailer truck descending the grades as the freeway entered the greater Denver area, driven by Rogel Aguilera Mederos, attempted to downshift, but he was unable re-engage the transmission.[51] This resulted in the vehicle rapidly increasing in speed, with witnesses seeing the truck out of control near the Genesee exit, nine miles (14 km) from where the accident would occur. Witnesses also testified seeing the brakes smoking while the truck descended the hill. The driver passed at least one runaway truck ramp without entering, as well as four other exits where he could have exited the freeway. As the truck approached the backed up traffic, the driver attempted to swerve to the side of the road to avoid a collision but was unable as other trucks had already blocked this path while similarly attempting to avoid a collision. The truck collided with the backup and exploded. Over a dozen other vehicles were involved in the collision and four people died. The driver was charged with numerous offenses, including assault and vehicular homicide and initially sentenced to 110 years. This was controversial, due to the length of the sentence and the opinions of some victims and witnesses that the owner of the truck bore more responsibility. The company had previously been fined and cited for numerous brake-related violations as well as employing inexperienced truck drivers who were not fluent in English.[52] Aguilera testified through an interpreter in his own defense and pleaded for mercy saying, "I ask God too many times why them and not me? Why did I survive that accident?".[51] He also blamed his employer, testifying he was instructed to take back roads from the trip's origin in Wyoming and avoid the more commonly used road from Wyoming, I-25.[53] Shortly after the accident, CDOT announced a location for an additional runaway truck ramp in this area.[54][55]
After the 2020 Grizzly Creek Fire, I-70 was closed in Glenwood Canyon in August 2021 due to significant damage by debris from the fire, causing large detours.[56] The damage after the 2021 landslides required lengthy reconstruction of the road; the highway partially reopened on August 14, 2021.[57][58][59]
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;[60] an information liaison specialist with USDOT 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?".[11] However, a resident engineer with 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.[22] 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 percent even though traffic through the canyon has substantially increased.[8] CDOT 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.[22]
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 CDOT.[22] By 1984, the I-70 corridor between Denver and Grand Junction contained the largest concentration of ski resorts in the country. 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".[22]
Exit list
County | Location[61] | mi[61] | km | Exit | Destinations | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mesa | | 0.000 | 0.000 | ![]() ![]() | Continuation into Utah | |
| 1.814 | 2.919 | 2 | Rabbit Valley | ||
Mack | 11.106 | 17.873 | 11 | Mack ( US 6 / US 50 east) | Eastern end of concurrency with US 6/US 50 | |
| 15.081 | 24.271 | 15 | ![]() ![]() | Southern terminus of SH 139 | |
Fruita | 19.444 | 31.292 | 19 | ![]() ![]() ![]() | ||
Grand Junction | 25.563 | 41.140 | 26 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | Diverging diamond interchange; Grand Junction appears only on eastbound signage | |
27.570 | 44.370 | 28 | 24 Road Redlands Parkway | |||
31.351 | 50.455 | 31 | Horizon Drive | |||
| 36.644 | 58.973 | 37 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | Delta appears only on eastbound signage; US 6 and Grand Junction appear only on westbound signage | |
Palisade | 41.578 | 66.913 | 42 | ![]() ![]() | US 6 appears only on eastbound signage | |
| 43.682 | 70.299 | 44 | ![]() ![]() | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance; western end of concurrency with US 6 | |
45.332 | 72.955 | 45 | Cameo | |||
46.867 | 75.425 | 47 | James M. Robb – Colorado River State Park, Island Acres | Former port of entry | ||
49.015 | 78.882 | 49 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | |||
50.381 | 81.080 | Beavertail Tunnel | ||||
61.648 | 99.213 | 62 | De Beque (US 6 east) | Eastern end of concurrency with US 6[62] | ||
Garfield | Parachute | 72.230 | 116.243 | 72 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | Dumbbell interchange; opened October 31, 2012[63] |
74.661 | 120.155 | 75 | Parachute, Battlement Mesa | |||
| 81.236 | 130.737 | 81 | Rulison | ||
Rifle | 86.850 | 139.772 | 87 | West Rifle (US 6) | ||
90.422 | 145.520 | 90 | ![]() ![]() | Eastbound entrance ramp includes direct entrance from Airport Road | ||
| 93.991 | 151.264 | 94 | Garfield County Regional Airport | ||
Silt | 97.427 | 156.794 | 97 | ![]() ![]() | ||
| 105.260 | 169.400 | 105 | New Castle | ||
Chacra | 109.000 | 175.418 | 109 | Canyon Creek (US 6 west) | Western end of concurrency with US 6 | |
111.328 | 179.165 | 111 | South Canyon | |||
Glenwood Springs | 114.295 | 183.940 | 114 | West Glenwood (US 6 east) | Dumbbell interchange; eastern end of concurrency with US 6 | |
116.380 | 187.295 | 116 | ![]() ![]() | Partial dumbbell interchange; western end of concurrency with US 6[64] | ||
| 118.640 | 190.933 | 119 | No Name | ||
120.954 | 194.657 | 121 | Grizzly Creek to Hanging Lake | Hanging Lake appears only on westbound signage | ||
| 122.660 | 197.402 | 123 | Shoshone | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance | |
125.061 | 201.266 | 125 | Hanging Lake | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance | ||
125.269 | 201.601 | Hanging Lake Tunnel | ||||
128.317 | 206.506 | 129 | Bair Ranch | |||
Eagle | | 133.384– 134.053 | 214.661– 215.737 | 133 | Dotsero | |
Gypsum | 139.533 | 224.557 | 140 | Gypsum (US 6 east) | Eastern end of concurrency with US 6 | |
Eagle | 146.648 | 236.007 | 147 | Eagle | ||
| 156.547 | 251.938 | 157 | ![]() ![]() | ||
| 162.782 | 261.972 | 163 | ![]() ![]() | ||
Avon | 166.635 | 268.173 | 167 | Avon | ||
168.157 | 270.622 | 168 | William J. Post Boulevard – Avon East Entrance | |||
Eagle-Vail | 168.758 | 271.590 | 169 | ![]() | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance | |
| 171.105 | 275.367 | 171 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | Western end of concurrency with US 6; western terminus of US 24 | |
Vail | 173.319 | 278.930 | 173 | West Vail | ||
176.057 | 283.336 | 176 | Vail Ski Area – Vail Museum | |||
179.866 | 289.466 | 180 | East Vail | |||
Vail Pass | 189.981 | 305.745 | Elevation 10,662 feet (3,250 m) | |||
Summit | | 190.095 | 305.928 | 190 | Shrine Pass Road – Vail Pass rest area | |
195.298 | 314.302 | 195 | ![]() ![]() | |||
197.854 | 318.415 | 198 | Officers Gulch | |||
Frisco | 200.995 | 323.470 | 201 | Main Street – Frisco, Breckenridge | Breckenridge appears only on eastbound signage; Main Street appears only on westbound signage | |
202.352 | 325.654 | 203 | ![]() ![]() | Western end of concurrency with SH 9; Breckenridge appears only on westbound signage | ||
Silverthorne | 205.423 | 330.596 | 205 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | Eastern end of concurrency with US 6/SH 9 | |
Continental Divide | 213.651– 215.340 | 343.838– 346.556 | Eisenhower Tunnel | |||
Clear Creek | | 216.185 | 347.916 | 216 | ![]() ![]() | Western end of concurrency with US 6 |
218.346 | 351.394 | 218 | (no name) | Connects to Herman Gulch Road[65] | ||
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 | ![]() ![]() | Western end of concurrency with US 40 | |
233.047 | 375.053 | 233 | Lawson | Eastbound exit only | ||
234.209 | 376.923 | 234 | Downieville, Dumont, Lawson | Dumont appears only on eastbound signage; Lawson appears only on westbound signage | ||
235.005 | 378.204 | 235 | Dumont | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance | ||
237.660 | 382.477 | 238 | Fall River Road | |||
Idaho Springs | 238.704– 239.267 | 384.157– 385.063 | 239 | ![]() ![]() | No eastbound entrance; I-70 Bus. appears only on eastbound signage | |
239.652 | 385.683 | 240 | ![]() | |||
241.125 | 388.053 | 241 | ![]() ![]() | I-70 Bus. appears only on westbound signage | ||
242.292 | 389.931 | Veterans Memorial Tunnels[13] | ||||
242.980 | 391.038 | 243 | Hidden Valley, Central City | |||
| 244.260 | 393.098 | 244 | ![]() ![]() ![]() | Left exit eastbound; left entrance westbound; no eastbound entrance; eastern end of concurrency with US 6/US 40 | |
246.602 | 396.867 | 247 | Beaver Brook, Floyd Hill | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance | ||
Jefferson | | 247.604 | 398.480 | 248 | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance | |
250.769 | 403.574 | 251 | El Rancho | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance | ||
| 251.318 | 404.457 | 252 | ![]() ![]() ![]() | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance; western end of concurrency with US 40 | |
252.244 | 405.947 | 253 | Chief Hosa | |||
253.528 | 408.014 | 254 | ![]() ![]() | Eastern end of concurrency with US 40 | ||
255.974 | 411.950 | 256 | Lookout Mountain | |||
| 258.722 | 416.373 | 259 | ![]() ![]() | Eastbound signage | |
![]() | Westbound signage | |||||
Golden | 259.803 | 418.112 | 260 | ![]() | SH 470 exit 1; no westbound exit or eastbound entrance from SH 470 EB | |
| 261.030 | 420.087 | 261 | ![]() ![]() | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance | |
261.630 | 421.053 | 262 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | I-70 Bus. appears only on eastbound signage; US 6 appears only on westbound signage | ||
Lakewood | 262.571 | 422.567 | 263 | Colorado Mills Parkway – Denver West | ||
Wheat Ridge | 264.341 | 425.416 | 264 | Youngfield Street / 32nd Avenue | ||
265.343 | 427.028 | 265 | ![]() ![]() | |||
265.726 | 427.645 | 266 | ![]() | |||
267.402 | 430.342 | 267 | ![]() | |||
Arvada | 269.005 | 432.922 | 269A | ![]() | ||
269.242 | 433.303 | 269B | ![]() ![]() | Eastbound left exit and westbound entrance; western terminus of I-76 | ||
Wheat Ridge–Lakeside line | 270.000 | 434.523 | 270 | ![]() | SH 95 (Sheridan Blvd.) not signed westbound | |
Jefferson–Denver county line | Lakeside–Denver line | 270.496 | 435.321 | 271A | ![]() | 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 | ![]() | |||
273.015 | 439.375 | 273 | Pecos Street | |||
274.062 | 441.060 | 274 | ![]() | The Mousetrap; western end of concurrency with US 6/US 85; exit 214A on I-25 | ||
274.607 | 441.937 | 275A | Washington Street | Eastbound access is part of exit 274 | ||
275.252 | 442.975 | 275B | Brighton Boulevard (SH 265 north) / York Street | York St. signed eastbound only | ||
275.545 | 443.447 | 275C | York Street / Josephine Street | Closed; was eastbound exit and westbound entrance | ||
276.080 | 444.308 | 276A | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | Eastern end of concurrency with US 6/US 85; westbound access via exit 276 | ||
276.572 | 445.099 | 276B | ![]() | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance | ||
276 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance | ||||
276.797– 278.319 | 445.462– 447.911 | 277 | Holly Street / Monaco Street / Dahlia Street | Monaco St. signed eastbound only, Dahlia St. signed westbound only | ||
278.548 | 448.280 | 278 | ![]() | Monaco St. signed westbound only | ||
279.086 | 449.145 | 279A | ![]() ![]() | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance; western end of concurrency with US 36 | ||
279.591 | 449.958 | 279B | Central Park Boulevard | |||
280.567 | 451.529 | 280 | Havana Street | |||
281.560 | 453.127 | 281 | Peoria Street | Westbound access is part of exit 282 | ||
Denver–Adams county line | Denver–Aurora line | 282.271– 283.180 | 454.271– 455.734 | 282 | ![]() ![]() | Exit 12 on I-225 |
Adams | Aurora | 283.532 | 456.301 | 283 | Chambers Road | |
283.623 | 456.447 | 284 | ![]() | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance | ||
284.627 | 458.063 | 285 | Airport Boulevard | |||
285.727 | 459.833 | 286 | Tower Road | |||
Adams–Arapahoe county line | 288.219 | 463.844 | 288 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | Left exit westbound; no westbound entrance; I-70 Bus. appears only on westbound signage; western end of concurrency with US 40/US 287 | |
289.028 | 465.145 | 289 | ![]() | Exit 20 on E-470 | ||
292.128 | 470.134 | 292 | ![]() ![]() | Former US 36 east | ||
| 295.256 | 475.168 | 295 | ![]() ![]() | ||
299.328 | 481.722 | 299 | Manila Road | |||
Bennett | 304.360 | 489.820 | 304 | ![]() ![]() | ||
305.259 | 491.267 | 305 | Kiowa | Eastbound exit only | ||
305.784 | 492.112 | 306 | SH 36 – Kiowa, Bennett | No eastbound signage; no eastbound entrance; former US 36 | ||
Arapahoe | | 310.165 | 499.162 | 310 | Strasburg | |
315.913 | 508.413 | 316 | ![]() ![]() | Eastern end of concurrency with US 36; unsigned SH 36 is former US 36 west | ||
322.086 | 518.347 | 322 | Peoria | |||
Deer Trail | 328.329 | 528.394 | 328 | ![]() ![]() | ||
Elbert | | 336.787 | 542.006 | 336 | Lowland | |
340.354 | 547.747 | 340 | ![]() ![]() | |||
348.731 | 561.228 | 348 | Cedar Point | |||
352.340 | 567.036 | 352 | ![]() ![]() | |||
354.537 | 570.572 | 354 | (no name) | |||
Lincoln | Limon | 359.499 | 578.558 | 359 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | Eastbound signage |
![]() | Westbound signage | |||||
361.743 | 582.169 | 361 | ![]() ![]() ![]() | SH 71 appears only on eastbound signage | ||
| 363.025 | 584.232 | 363 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | Eastbound signage; eastern end of concurrency with US 40/US 287 | |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | Westbound signage; western end of concurrency with US 24 | |||||
| 371.482 | 597.842 | 371 | Genoa, Hugo | Hugo appears only on westbound signage | |
376.520 | 605.950 | 376 | Bovina | |||
Arriba | 383.496 | 617.177 | 383 | Arriba | ||
Kit Carson | | 394.564 | 634.989 | 395 | Flagler | |
Seibert | 405.065 | 651.889 | 405 | ![]() ![]() ![]() | Eastern end of concurrency with US 24 | |
| 411.961 | 662.987 | 412 | Vona | ||
419.311 | 674.816 | 419 | ![]() | |||
428.824 | 690.125 | 429 | Bethune | |||
Burlington | 436.788 | 702.942 | 437 | ![]() ![]() | I-70 Bus. appears only on eastbound signage | |
438.225 | 705.255 | 438 | ![]() ![]() | I-70 Bus. appears only on westbound signage; western end of concurrency with US 24 | ||
| 449.589 | 723.543 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | Continuation into Kansas | ||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
|
See also
References
- ^ a b c Colorado Department of Transportation (n.d.). "Segment Descriptions for Highway 070: From RefPoint 0 To RefPoint 500". Colorado Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on May 26, 2012. Retrieved February 16, 2008.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j DeLorme (2002). Colorado Atlas & Gazetteer (Map) (2002 ed.). 1 in:2.5 mi. Yarmouth, ME: DeLorme. ISBN 0-89933-288-9. OCLC 52156345.
- ^ Grand Junction Visitor & Convention Bureau. "Grand Junction Colorado: Trip Planning". Grand Junction Visitor & Convention Bureau. Archived from the original on February 6, 2009. Retrieved February 22, 2009.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Colorado Department of Transportation. "The History of I-70 in Colorado". Colorado Department of Transportation. Retrieved April 1, 2008.
- ^ a b Weingroff, Richard F. (Summer 1996). "Dwight D. Eisenhower System of Interstate and Defense Highways Engineering Marvels". Public Roads. 60 (1). Washington, DC: Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved February 15, 2008.
- ^ a b c d Colorado Department of Transportation. "CDOT Fun Facts". Colorado Department of Transportation. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
- ^ Flat Iron Construction Company. "Glenwood Canyon Corridor". Flat Iron Construction Company. Retrieved April 20, 2009.
- ^ a b c d e f g Stufflebeam Row, Karen; LaDow, Eva; Moler, Steve (March–April 2004). "Glenwood Canyon 12 Years Later". Public Roads. 67 (5). Washington, DC: Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved August 9, 2009.
- ^ Zimmermann, Karl (2004). Burlington's Zephyrs. Saint Paul, Minnesota: MBI Publishing Company. pp. 38–40. ISBN 978-0-7603-1856-0.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Weingroff, Richard (December 29, 2008). "Why Does I-70 End in Cove Fort, Utah?". Ask the Rambler. Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved June 7, 2009.
- ^ a b c d e f Colorado Department of Transportation. "Eisenhower Tunnel". Colorado Department of Transportation. Retrieved June 15, 2009.
- ^ a b Colorado Department of Transportation (December 11, 2014). "Work to Realign I-70 Traffic Through Veterans Memorial Tunnel Scheduled to Begin Saturday Evening" (Press release). Colorado Department of Transportation. Retrieved February 17, 2015.
- ^ Brennan, Noel (May 1, 2019). "I-70's 'Don't be fooled' signs installed after 1989 runaway truck crash". KUSA-TV. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
- ^ Colorado Department of Transportation. "Structure List for Highway 070". Colorado Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on May 26, 2012. Retrieved July 1, 2011.
- ^ National Park Service (July 19, 2007). "Rocky Mountain National Park: The Dakota Hogback". National Park Service. Retrieved July 21, 2009.
- ^ Federal Highway Administration (2009). US 36 Corridor Project, Denver, Colorado Metropolitan Area: Environmental Impact Statement. Federal Highway Administration. p. 402 – via Google Books.
- ^ Colorado Department of Transportation. "Straight Line Diagram (for I-70)". Colorado Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on September 8, 2009. Retrieved September 21, 2009.
- ^ "A Need for Speed(ways): Colorado's Long and Winding Road Before Joining Eisenhower's Interstate Plan". Rocky Mountain News. June 29, 2006. Archived from the original on July 17, 2011. Retrieved June 13, 2009.
- ^ Colorado Tourism Office. "Lets Talk Colorado: Limon". Colorado Tourism Office. Retrieved July 23, 2009.
- ^ Colorado Tourism Office. "Lets Talk Colorado: Driving to Colorado from the Kansas State Line: I-70 and Hwy. 50 West". Colorado Tourism Office. Retrieved July 23, 2009.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Associated Cultural Resource Experts (2002). Highways to the Sky: A Context and History to Colorado's Highway System (PDF). Colorado Department of Transportation. Retrieved May 22, 2009.
- ^ Noeth, Louise Ann (2002). Bonneville: The Fastest Place on Earth. St. Paul, MN: MotorBooks/MBI Publishing Company. p. 18. ISBN 0-7603-1372-5. OCLC 50514045. Retrieved August 9, 2009 – via Google Books.
- ^ Weingroff, Richard F. (January 1, 2009). "U.S. 6: The Grand Army of the Republic Highway". Highway History. Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved May 24, 2009.
- ^ Rand McNally (1946). "Southwest (Colorado, New Mexico)" (Map). Road Atlas. Scale not given. Chicago: Rand McNally. p. 24. Retrieved May 5, 2008 – via Broer Map Library.
- ^ a b c Colorado Department of Transportation. "Eisenhower Memorial Bore". Colorado Department of Transportation. Retrieved July 25, 2009.
- ^ a b c d Johnston, Louis; Williamson, Samuel H. (2023). "What Was the U.S. GDP Then?". MeasuringWorth. Retrieved November 30, 2023. United States Gross Domestic Product deflator figures follow the MeasuringWorth series.
- ^ Colorado Department of Transportation. "Edwin C Johnson Bore". Colorado Department of Transportation. Retrieved July 25, 2009.
- ^ Howard, Jane (December 8, 1972). "Janet Fights the Battle of Straight Creek Tunnel". Life. pp. 49–52. Retrieved June 7, 2017 – via Google Boosk.
- ^ Colorado Department of Transportation. "Maximum Grades on Colorado Mountain Passes". Colorado Department of Transportation. Retrieved January 8, 2016.
- ^ a b Garner, Joe (August 31, 1999). "Freeway Opened the State to the Rest of the U.S." Rocky Mountain News.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Scotese, Thomas; Ackerman, John (1992). "Engineering Considerations for the Hanging Lake Tunnel Project, Glenwood Springs, Colorado" (PDF). International Society of Explosives Engineers. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 10, 2005. Retrieved April 30, 2009.
- ^ McGregor, Heather (May 22, 1994). "Old Tires to Heal Glenwood Scar: Highway Eyesore Dates to 1930s". The Denver Post. p. C7.
- ^ "Travel Advisory; New I-70 Stretch Helps Skiers". The New York Times. November 1, 1992. Retrieved September 8, 2009.
- ^ "Nation Briefings". Chicago Sun-Times. October 15, 1992.
- ^ Williams, Leroy (June 8, 1993). "Glenwood Canyon Traffic Can Savor Delay-Free Season". Rocky Mountain News. p. 14A.
- ^ "Costliest Rural Freeway: $100 an Inch". Fresno Bee. November 26, 1972. p. B4. Retrieved February 6, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ American Society of Civil Engineers. "Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement Award". American Society of Civil Engineers. Archived from the original on May 9, 2008. Retrieved February 24, 2008.
- ^ Edwards & Kelsey. "I-95/I-276 Interchange Project Meeting Design Management Summary – Draft: Design Advisory Committee Meeting #2" (PDF). Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 2, 2013. Retrieved August 3, 2009.
- ^ Sofield, Tom (September 22, 2018). "Decades in the Making, I-95, Turnpike Connector Opens to Motorists". Levittown Now. Retrieved September 22, 2018.
- ^ Weingroff, Richard. "Why Does The Interstate System Include Toll Facilities?". Ask The Rambler. Federal Highway Administration.
- ^ "Central 70 Project". Colorado Department of Transportation. Retrieved February 8, 2021.
- ^ "Project Snapshot" (PDF). Central 70. Colorado Department of Transportation. April 2019. Retrieved February 8, 2021.
- ^ "Central 70 Project". Colorado Department of Transportation. 2022. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
- ^ a b "Army Rights Tipped Truck Carrying Navy Torpedoes". The Spokesman-Review. Spokane, WA. Associated Press. August 2, 1984. p. 10. Retrieved September 24, 2009 – via Google News.
- ^ Getlin, Josh (September 20, 1987). "Record of Risk-Free Transportation Torpedoed by Denver's Experience". Los Angeles Times. p. 26. Retrieved September 24, 2009.
- ^ "Errors Many in Torpedo Incident". Eugene Register-Guard. August 10, 1984. p. 14A – via Google News.
- ^ Kowalski, Robert (February 26, 1990). "Hazardous Cargo at Heart of Controversy". The Denver Post.[page needed]
- ^ Flynn, Kevin (December 16, 2003). "This Mousetrap Wasn't a Snap". Rocky Mountain News. p. 6A.
- ^ Leasca, Stacy (January 13, 2014). "Colorado Replaces Marker 420 with 419.99 to Foil 'Weed Enthusiasts". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 21, 2015.
- ^ a b Padilla, Anica (December 22, 2021). "Who Is Rogel Aguilera-Mederos? Truck Driver Sentenced To 110 Years For Deadly Crash On I-70". KCNC-TV. Retrieved March 24, 2022.
- ^ "Semi driver formally charged after deadly I-70 crash". KMGH-TV. May 3, 2019. Archived from the original on November 30, 2019. Retrieved January 6, 2020.
- ^ Wooley, Bob (October 15, 2021). "Update: Trucker in deadly I-70 trucker trial found guilty on 27 counts". Colorado Community. Retrieved March 24, 2022.
- ^ "CDOT considering additional runaway truck ramp on I-70 near Denver". KDVR. July 25, 2019. Archived from the original on December 20, 2021. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
- ^ "CDOT: Plans underway for new runaway truck ramps on I-70 toward Denver". KDVR. May 15, 2021. Archived from the original on December 20, 2021. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
- ^ Paul, Jesse (August 1, 2021). "I-70 in Glenwood Canyon will remain closed after CDOT finds damage 'unlike anything they had seen before'". The Colorado Sun. Archived from the original on August 3, 2021.
- ^ Miller, Blair (August 10, 2021). "USDOT approves quick disbursement of $11.6M for Glenwood Canyon repairs as CDOT work continues". KMGH. Archived from the original on August 13, 2021.
- ^ "I-70 Glenwood Canyon Safety Closures". Colorado Department of Transportation. August 11, 2021. Retrieved August 14, 2021.
- ^ "I-70 through Glenwood Canyon partially reopens; full reopening may not happen until Thanksgiving". Colorado Sun. August 14, 2021. Retrieved August 14, 2021.
- ^ Geary, Edward A. "Interstate 70". Utah History to Go. State of Utah. Retrieved February 16, 2008.
- ^ a b Colorado Department of Transportation. "Highway Data Explorer, Online Transportation Information System". Colorado Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on September 10, 2012. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
- ^ "Highway 006M between 62.305 and 88.895". CDOT Online Transportation Information System. Retrieved March 27, 2021.
- ^ Lott, Renelle (October 31, 2012). "Ribbon Cutting Marks Upcoming November Opening of new I-70 West Parachute Interchange" (Press release). Garfield County, Colorado. Archived from the original on May 16, 2013. Retrieved February 27, 2013.
- ^ "Highway 006L between 88.895 and 91.24". CDOT Online Transportation Information System. Retrieved March 28, 2021.
- ^ Colorado Department of Transportation. "Highway Data Explorer". Online Transportation Information System. Colorado Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on September 10, 2012. Retrieved August 31, 2017.
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- 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
- Interstate Highways in Colorado
- Colorado River
- Transportation in Mesa County, Colorado
- Transportation in Garfield County, Colorado
- Transportation in Eagle County, Colorado
- Transportation in Summit County, Colorado
- Transportation in Clear Creek County, Colorado
- Transportation in Jefferson County, Colorado
- Transportation in Denver
- Transportation in Adams County, Colorado
- Transportation in Arapahoe County, Colorado
- Transportation in Elbert County, Colorado
- Transportation in Lincoln County, Colorado
- Transportation in Kit Carson County, Colorado