Interstate 25 in Colorado

(Redirected from I-25 in Colorado)

In the US state of Colorado, Interstate 25 (I-25) follows the north–south corridor through Colorado Springs and Denver. The highway enters the state from the north near Carr and exits the state near Starkville. The highway also runs through the cities of Fort Collins, Broomfield, Loveland, and Pueblo. The route is concurrent with U.S. Route 87 (US 87), which is unsigned, through the entire length of the state. I-25 replaced US 87 and most of US 85 for through traffic.

Interstate 25
Map
I-25 and US 87 highlighted in red
Route information
Length298.87 mi[1] (480.98 km)
Existed1958–present
Major junctions
South end I-25 / US 85 / US 87 near Trinidad
Major intersections
North end I-25 / US 87 near Wellington
Location
CountryUnited States
StateColorado
CountiesLas Animas, Huerfano, Pueblo, El Paso, Douglas, Arapahoe, Denver, Adams, Broomfield, Weld, Larimer
Highway system
  • Colorado State Highway System
US 24I-25 SH 26
SH 86US 87 SH 88

Historical nicknames for this route have included the Valley Highway (through Denver), Monument Valley Highway (through Colorado Springs), and the Pueblo Freeway (through Pueblo). Within El Paso County, the route has been dedicated as the Ronald Reagan Highway.[2][3] In Pueblo County, the route is called John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway.

I-25 is also considered to be part of the unofficial Pan-American Highway.[4]

Route description

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New Mexico state line to Pueblo

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Northbound I-25 between Colorado Springs and Denver

Following the Santa Fe Trail from New Mexico, I-25 enters Colorado while concurrent with US 85 and US 87. It is a typical four-lane Interstate Highway, and its entire route in Colorado lies close to the east side of the Rocky Mountains. The route turns from north to west-northwest as I-25 serves Wootton. After leaving Wootton, I-25 turns back up north and bypasses near the east side of the Trinidad Lake State Park, home of the Trinidad Lake.

Trinidad, a city near the Trinidad Lake, is the first major city that lies along I-25. For the next 30 miles (48 km), I-25 continues north through the rural areas of Colorado until it reaches the small city of Walsenburg, where State Highway 25C (Interstate 25 Business, I-25 Bus.) junctions with US 160. I-25 then continues in a north-northwest direction until it bypasses the Orlando Reservoir, then turns north from there until it reaches Colorado City. In Colorado City, I-25 interchanges with the east end of the Frontier Pathways Scenic and Historic Byway (SH 165) at exit 74.

After leaving the city, I-25 follows in a north-northeast orientation until it reaches the St. Charles Reservoir just before entering the city of Pueblo, with the first exit within the southern city limits of Pueblo at exit 94.[5] The Arkansas River in Pueblo serves as a feeder to the Lake Pueblo State Park, home of Pueblo Lake, which is located to the west of the western city limits of Pueblo.[6]

Pueblo to Denver

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I-25 northbound at the US 285/SH 30 interchange in Denver

After leaving Pueblo, I-25 continues up north with the Union Pacific Railroad line paralleling closely to the route on the right side after interchanging with Porter Draw at exit 106. By exit 119, the Fountain Creek joins along and travels parallel with I-25, and continues all the way to the Fountain Creek Regional Park in Widefield. I-25 gradually turns from a general north direction to the north-northwest and serves the census-designated place of Buttes at exit 122.

 
Cheyenne Mountain, as seen from I-25 near Fort Carson. Note the communications antennas at the summit, which are radio antennas for stations broadcasting in Colorado Springs.

As soon as US 85 leaves I-25 at exit 128, I-25 enters the city limits of Fountain. Basically, I-25 serves as the border between the western city limits of Fountain on the east side of I-25 and Fort Carson on the west side. Exit 132 (SH 16) serves the north side of the Fountain Creek Regional Park as well as the entrance to Fort Carson and connects to SH 21 (Powers Boulevard), the eastern bypass for the Colorado Springs metro area. By the time I-25 reaches exit 138, the route crosses into the city limits of Colorado Springs, where the stack interchange with US 24 at exit 139 serves the Evergreen Cemetery and Prospect Lake. I-25 turns west at exit 140, along with Fountain Creek, where it interchanges with US 85, US 87, and State Highway 25 Business (State Highway 25 Bus., I-25 Bus.). I-25, again, turns back north by exit 141. Swinging around the west side of downtown Colorado Springs at exit 142,[5] and to the north of the city lies the Colorado College, and is served at exit 143 (Uintah Street). Continuing north and northeast, the highway intersects the north terminus of State Highway 25 Bus. and US 85. The Interstate leaves Colorado Springs between exits 153 and 156, where I-25 enters the United States Air Force Academy, going through the east side of the institution.

 
Map showing I-25 and nearby freeways and major highways in the Denver Metropolitan area

I-25 leaves El Paso County and enters Douglas County at Monument Hill, elevation 7,352 ft (2,241 m), north of Monument. I-25 then continues north through more rural and hilly areas east of the Rocky Mountains until reaching Castle Rock at exit 181. I-25 continues through rural and hilly portions of Douglas County until interchanging with E-470, the partial beltway of Denver as the toll road serves the Centennial Airport and the much larger Denver International Airport.

After entering Arapahoe County, I-25 cuts through the Denver Technological Center (DTC) between Dry Creek Road and Belleview Avenue (exits 196 and 199). I-25 enters Denver at the I-225 interchange, a spur that detours motorists to I-70 through Aurora, at exit 200. I-25 turns in a westerly direction between Evans Avenue (exit 203) and Colorado Boulevard (exit 204). University of Denver lies just to the south of the Interstate at exit 205. It then turns back north after exit 207. I-25 curves around the west side of downtown Denver,[5] where it can be accessed by I-70 Bus. at exit 210.[5] I-25 then interchanges with I-70 at exit 214 right before leaving the City and County of Denver.[6]

Denver to Wyoming state line

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As I-25 leaves Denver, the route continues up north through unincorporated areas of Adams County and interchanges with I-76, I-270, and the Denver-Boulder Turnpike (US 36). Due to the complexity of this triangle-shaped interchange, it was known to be one of many malfunction junctions throughout the United States. Beyond that interchange, the Interstate enters the northern suburbs of the Denver metro area, such as Thornton and Northglenn, and at exit 220, I-25 slips its way through a narrow path between the Badding Reservoir (west side) and the Croke Lake (east side). Development begins to drop off after exit 223 (120th Avenue) after continuing north into Westminster and eastern Broomfield.

At exit 228, I-25 interchanges with the northern terminuses of E-470 and Northwest Parkway at a stack interchange, with the Larkridge Mall just to the north, served by 160th Avenue (SH 7). As I-25 continues north, it moves through rolling farm and grasslands with the Front Range and high mountains clearly visible to the west while passing through a medley of lakes and reservoirs. It stays generally flat with few moderate climbs in elevation, while also serving smaller cities like Dacono and Firestone to the east and Longmont to the west. This stretch of I-25 in northern Colorado also has large amounts of truck traffic between SH 7 and Wyoming. After some time in the rural farmlands, the Interstate enters the Fort Collins–Loveland metro area at exit 255, serving Loveland and Greeley to at exits 255 and 257, Windsor at exit 262, and continuing north to the Fort Collins city limits south of Harmony Road. The highway runs on the eastern side of Fort Collins, serving Colorado State University at exits 268 and 269 (which is also the most direct route to downtown). After exit 271, I-25 leaves Fort Collins and rolls into more rural grasslands past Wellington. Exits also become few and far between from here to Wyoming as well after gradually turning north-easterly toward the state line.[5][6]

History

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Construction

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Ancestors and early freeways

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Colorado had begun planning of a modern intercity route along the Front Range as early as 1944, well before the national movement toward an Interstate Highway system.

SH 1, an unpaved road, was completed between Denver and Pueblo by 1919. Average travel time between Pueblo and Colorado Springs on this route was approximately 2.5 hours (or a full 8.5 hours from Pueblo to Denver). This route was upgraded with the help of the federal government to become US 85 and US 87 by 1930, now paved in concrete and shortening the travel time between Pueblo and Colorado Springs to just one hour.

The cities of Denver (in 1948) and Pueblo (in 1949) were first to begin building multilane highway segments along the route of what would eventually become I-25. Construction follows an earlier segment of the Colorado and Southern Railway. Denver's segment was originally known as the Valley Highway and was completed by 1958. The city of Colorado Springs followed a similar theme with their Monument Valley Freeway, begun in 1955 and completed by July 1960. Pueblo's section—the Pueblo Freeway—was complete by July 1959.[3]

Interstate completion

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As the national Interstate Highway System began to take shape, actual "interstate" connections began to be made. Wyoming came first in 1964, building a nine-mile (14 km) link north to Cheyenne that was connected to Colorado's 17-mile (27 km) stretch.

Linking to New Mexico in the south would prove more problematic as the planned route had to stretch over Raton Pass, and its accompanying 1,800-foot (550 m) elevation change, within just 13 mi (21 km). Once again, US 85 and US 87 were used, but it had to be regraded in places to meet Interstate design guidelines. Construction began in 1960, with a link to the city of Trinidad completed by 1963. The Trinidad Segment (as CDOT now calls the Raton Pass span) was not fully completed until 1968.

The final segment of the Colorado portion of I-25, connecting the cities of Walsenburg and Trinidad, was completed during 1969. This meant that four lanes of high-speed, nonstop freeway were finally open for a full 305 miles (491 km) from New Mexico north to Wyoming.[3][7]

Improvements and expansion

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As both population and traffic increased in Colorado during the 1990s and 2000s, the Colorado Department of Transportation has planned and completed major improvements for the city corridors along I-25.

T-REX (Denver)
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T-REX Logo

The first of these was Transportation Expansion (T-REX), which widened and expanded nearly 17 miles (27 km) of both I-25 and the I-225 bypass in the Denver Metropolitan Area as well as adding various pedestrian and aesthetic improvements. T-REX was also instrumental in expanding Denver's RTD light rail lines to connect outlying communities beyond the city and county of Denver, adding 19 miles (31 km) of new routes.[7][8]

Starting in early 2004, the T-REX project was completed during 2006 at a cost of $1.67 billion, under its projected budget and two years ahead of its originally scheduled conclusion. It has been hailed as a "model for other cities to follow" and "ahead of the curve nationally" by federal transportation and transit authorities.[8]

COSMIX (Colorado Springs)
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COSMIX Logo

As T-REX began to wrap up, CDOT's next major effort began with Colorado Springs Metro Interstate Expansion (COSMIX). It could be argued that COSMIX was even more important to Colorado's interests than T-REX had been, since the Colorado Springs corridor of I-25 had seen immense growth over the past four decades, and experienced major choke points all along the 16-mile (26 km) corridor from exit 135 (Academy Boulevard) in the south to exit 151 (Briargate Parkway) in the north. Originally carrying around 8500 vehicles per day in 1960, usage of the former Monument Valley Freeway had grown to an average of 100,000 vehicles per day by 2005.[9]

The major goals of COSMIX, which began in 2005 and was completed a year and four days ahead of schedule at the very end of December 2007, were a general expansion and widening of the corridor to three lanes in each direction throughout the city, as well as the reconstruction of two main interchanges (at Bijou Street near downtown Colorado Springs, and at Rockrimmon Boulevard and North Nevada Avenue in the city's growing north side).[10] Originally estimated at $225 million, on delivery, COSMIX cost only $150 million, approximately $20 million of which involved land acquisition costs.

COSMIX was the first funded portion of a larger plan for I-25 improvements as detailed in an Environmental Assessment approved by CDOT and FHWA in 2004. A second phase resulted in the widening of the 12-mile (19 km) segment from Woodmen Road (exit 149) to Monument (exit 161) to six lanes and addition of auxiliary lanes at busy interchanges. The Air Force Academy interchange (exit 156) was reconfigured to include just one exit, instead of A/B, and features two new roundabouts for North Gate Boulevard. The widening and paving was completed in December 2014.[11]

An EA-recommended improvement not included in COSMIX due to funding limitations was the reconstruction of the I-25 interchange at Cimarron Street (US 24 West). CDOT completed this project in late 2017.

Accidents and Incidents

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In 1996, Seymour Cray was mortally wounded in a rollover accident while merging onto the highway at the North Academy Boulevard interchange. Cray's death renewed calls to replace the cloverleaf interchange with an alternative design without weave zones.[12]

On October 11, 2023, a freight train derailed on a bridge over Interstate 25 in Pueblo, Colorado. As a result, several train cars fell onto the highway causing the bridge to collapse, 1 person was killed and 1 person was injured.[13]

On June 8, 2024, renowned comic book YouTuber Ben Potter, also known as Comicstorian, was killed in an accident on the interstate, when his vehicle veered off the right side of the road, crossed a frontage road, and rolled multiple times. His death--while under investigation-- shook up the comic book community, and invoked calls for further measures to ensure public safety on the highway.[14]

Future

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As of October 2020, a seven-mile (11 km) segment of I-25 through Pueblo is currently being upgraded. Enhancements include the widening of two bridges, noise wall installation, the softening of curves for better safety, and the addition of acceleration and deceleration lanes.[15] The $69 million project has been completed.[16]

There is much controversy surrounding the future of I-25 in northern Colorado (SH 7 in Broomfield to SH 14 in Fort Collins). Suggestions from adding toll lanes to general expansion to six lanes from the two-lane bottleneck at SH 66 to SH 14 and adding multimodal transportation options have been discussed. The future of the highway remains in question as funding is limited, and agreement is limited as well. The I-25 corridor in Weld and Larimer counties is becoming increasingly heavy with traffic, and something will have to be done soon.[17]

In Colorado Springs, SH 21 (Powers Boulevard) is currently getting extended past SH 83 to its official northern terminus at I-25. This project provides an easier bypass around the north end of the town and will also help connect Voyager Pkwy traffic to the Interstate. Powers Boulevard will eventually become a freeway bypass of the Colorado Springs metro area. The construction is in two phases, I-25 is involved in phase 1, where a new directional T-interchange (Y-interchange) will be built near exit 156 at North Gate Boulevard between milemarkers 149 and 151. The interchange was completed in summer 2021.[18][19]

The Gap is an 18-mile (29 km) stretch of I-25 from south of Castle Rock to Monument, in both Douglas and El Paso counties. It is the only four-lane section of I-25 between Colorado's two largest cities, Denver and Colorado Springs. Over the years, congestion, crashes, and delays have grown due to population growth and more people using the road. Efforts to improve these conditions are underway, and the project is completed with a cost of $350 million, with contributions from Douglas and El Paso counties, Pikes Peak Rural Transportation Authority and a federal INFRA grant.[citation needed]

Exit list

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CountyLocationmi[1]kmExitDestinationsNotes
ColoradoNew Mexico line0.0000.000 
 
I-25 south (US 85 south / US 87 east) / Santa Fe National Historic Trail – Raton
Continuation into New Mexico
460Truck weigh stationNorthbound entrance extends into Colorado; exit number based on New Mexico mileage
Las Animas2.1343.4342Wootton
5.5979.0076Gallinas
7.52912.1178Spring Creek
11.01317.72411Starkville – Trinidad Lake State Park, Fishers Peak State Park
Trinidad13.00020.92113AVan Buren StreetNorthbound exit and southbound entrance
13.31121.42213B 
 
SH 12 west (Main Street) / Santa Fe Trail / Highway of Legends – Trinidad State College
13.90622.38014Commercial Street – Downtown Trinidad
14.85923.91315 
 
 
 
 
 
US 160 east (Kit Carson Trail) / SH 239 north to US 350 / Goddard Avenue – La Junta
South end of US 160 overlap
17.72828.53018El Moro Road
22.90636.86423Hoehne Road
26.85843.22427Ludlow
30.46449.02730Aguilar Road
34.09054.86334  I-25 BS / Highway of Legends – Aguilar
Huerfano40.48565.15441Rugby Road
41.93067.48042Rouse Road
Walsenburg49.00078.85849 
 
 
 
 
I-25 BL north to US 160 west / Highway of Legends – Walsenburg, Alamosa, Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, Lathrop State Park, San Luis Valley
North end of US 160 overlap
50.05480.55450 
 
SH 10 east – La Junta
52.32184.20252 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
I-25 BL north to US 160 west / SH 69 north / SH 12 west / Highway of Legends – Walsenburg, Gardner, Westcliffe, La Veta, Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, Lathrop State ParkModule:Jct error: Invalid "to" argument
55.00088.51455Airport Road
56.00090.12356Redrock Road
58.72794.51259Butte Road
60.08496.69660Huerfano
64.046103.07264Lascar Road
66.749107.42267Apache
PuebloColorado City71.264114.68871Graneros Road
74.367119.68274 
 
SH 165 west – Colorado City, Rye, San Isabel
77.267124.34977Abbey Road, Hatchet Ranch Road
83.461134.31783Brantzell
86.938139.91387Verde Road
87.921141.49588Burnt Mill Road
90.625145.84791Stem Beach
Pueblo94.769152.51694 
 
SH 45 north (Pueblo Boulevard)
95.403153.53695Illinois AvenueSouthbound exit only
95.901154.33896Minnequa Avenue, Indiana AvenueSouthbound exit to Minnequa Avenue, one block north of Indiana Avenue; Northbound exit to and entrance from Indiana Avenue; Southbound entrance from Aqua Avenue, one block south of Indiana Avenue
96.673155.58097AMcCulley Avenue to Northern Avenue
97.447156.82697BAbriendo Avenue
97.691157.21898A 
 
US 50 Bus. (Santa Fe Avenue)
98.545158.59398B 
 
To SH 96 / City Center Drive
98.806159.01399A 
 
To SH 96 / 6th Street
Southbound exit and northbound entrance (from Bradford Avenue)
99.334159.86399B13th StreetSouth end of US 50 Bus. overlap
99.950160.854100A 
 
  US 50 east – La Junta, Pueblo Memorial Airport
South end of US 50 overlap; western terminus of US 50 Bus.
100.681162.030100B29th Street
101.389163.170101 
 
 
 
US 50 west / SH 47 east – Cañon City
North end of US 50 overlap
102.160164.411102Eagleridge Boulevard
103.510166.583104Dillon Drive, Drew Dix Parkway
106.075170.711106Porter Draw
108.000173.809108Purcell Boulevard – Pueblo West
110.238177.411110Pinon
114.000183.465114Young Hollow
115.831186.412116County Line Road
El Paso118.843191.259119Rancho Colorado Boulevard
121.459195.469122Pikes Peak International Raceway
123.189198.253123Clear Spring RanchExit does not sign this destination
124.564200.466125Ray Nixon Road
Fountain127.860205.771128 
 
US 85 north – Fountain
North end of US 85 overlap
131.653211.875132 
 
 
 
SH 16 east (Mesa Ridge Parkway) to SH 21 – Fort Carson Gate 20
Signed as exits 132A (SH 16) and 132B (Ft. Carson) southbound
Stratmoor135.262217.683135  South Academy Boulevard – Colorado Springs Airport
Colorado Springs137.752221.690138Lake Avenue, Circle Drive
138.742223.284139 
 
US 24 east (Martin Luther King Jr. Bypass) – Limon
South end of US 24 overlap
139.747–
139.869
224.901–
225.097
140 
 
SH 115 south (Nevada Avenue, Tejon Street) / US 85 – Cañon City
141.139227.141141 
 
US 24 west (Cimarron Street) – Manitou Springs, Pikes Peak
North end of US 24 overlap
141.849228.284142Bijou Street – Downtown Colorado Springs
142.832229.866143Uintah Street
143.520230.973144Centennial Boulevard
144.622232.747145Fillmore StreetDiverging diamond interchange
146.074235.083146Garden of the Gods Road
147.245–
148.030
236.968–
238.231
148Nevada Avenue (US 85 south), Corporate Drive, Rockrimmon BoulevardSouth end of US 85 overlap
148.830239.519149Woodmen Road
150.303241.889150North Academy Boulevard
151.660244.073151Briargate Parkway
152.899246.067153 
 
To SH 21 (Powers Boulevard) / Interquest Parkway – Black Forest
155Voyager ParkwayFuture northern terminus for SH 21/Powers Blvd. Temporarily signed for Voyager Parkway[20]
Air Force Academy155.930250.945156North Gate Boulevard – North Entrance Air Force Academy
158.199254.597158Baptist Road
Monument160.763258.723161  SH 105 / 2nd Street – Monument, Palmer Lake
El PasoDouglas
county line
163.321262.840163County Line Road – Palmer Lake
Douglas167.464269.507167Greenland
171.820276.517172Upper Lake Gulch Road
172.307277.301173LarkspurSouthbound exit and northbound entrance
173.791279.690174Tomah Road
Castle Rock178.75287.67179Crystal Valley ParkwayFuture interchange[21]
180.808290.982181Plum Creek Parkway
181.853292.664182Wilcox Street, Wolfensberger Road
184.212296.460184 
 
 
 
US 85 north (Meadows Parkway) / SH 86 east (Founders Parkway)
North end of US 85 overlap
185.097297.885185Castle Rock Parkway to North Meadows Drive
Castle Pines186.935300.843187Happy Canyon Road
188.486303.339188Castle Pines Parkway
Lone Tree192.096309.149192RidgeGate Parkway
192.990310.587193Lincoln Avenue
194.314312.718194 
 
 
 
  SH 470 west / E-470 north – Grand Junction, Limon
Eastern terminus and exit 26 on SH-470; southern terminus and exit 1A on E-470; access to Denver International Airport
DouglasArapahoe
county line
Lone TreeCentennial line195.130314.031195County Line Road
ArapahoeCentennial196.141315.658196Dry Creek Road
Greenwood Village197.188317.343197 
 
SH 88 east (Arapahoe Road)
South end of SH 88 overlap
198.292319.120198Orchard Road
199.384320.877199 
 
SH 88 west (Belleview Avenue)
North end of SH 88 overlap
City and County of Denver200.093322.018200 
 
 
 
  I-225 north to I-70 – Limon, Aurora
I-225 exits 1A-B southbound; tri-stack interchange; access to Denver International Airport
201.578324.408201 
 
 
 
US 285 south / SH 30 east (Hampden Avenue)
202.640326.117202Yale Avenue
203.537327.561203Evans Avenue
204.037328.366204  SH 2 (Colorado Boulevard)
205.057330.007205University Boulevard
205.919331.395206Downing Street, Washington Street, Emerson StreetDowning Street not signed southbound
207ALincoln Street, BroadwayLincoln Street not signed southbound
207B 
 
Santa Fe Drive to SH 26 (Alameda Avenue)
Northbound exit and southbound entrance
 
 
US 85 south (Santa Fe Drive)
South end of US 85 overlap; southbound exit and northbound entrance
207.641–
207.990
334.166–
334.727
208  SH 26 (Alameda Avenue)Southbound exit and northbound entrance; northbound access is via exit 207B
209.210336.691209 
 
US 6 west (6th Avenue) – Lakewood
South end of US 6 overlap; signed as exits 209A (east) and 209B (west)
209.479337.124209C8th Avenue
210.310338.461210A   US 40 / US 287 (Colfax Avenue) – Downtown Denver
210.415338.630210BAuraria ParkwayNorthbound exit and southbound entrance
210.532338.818210C17th AvenueNorthbound exit and entrance; southbound access is via exit 211
211.109339.74721123rd Avenue, 20th Avenue20th Avenue not signed northbound
211.464340.318212A-BSpeer Boulevard – Downtown DenverSigned as exits 212A (south) and 212B (north)
212.096341.335212C20th Street
 
 
I-25 Express (HOV/toll lanes)
South end of reversible HOV/toll lanes
19th StreetSouthbound exit and northbound entrance for HOV/toll lanes only
212.769342.419213Park Avenue, West 38th AvenueAccess to Coors Field
213.625–
213.739
343.796–
343.980
214A   I-70 (US 6 east/US 85 north) – Limon, Grand JunctionNorth end of US 6/US 85 overlap; locally known as The Mousetrap; I-70 exit 274; access to Denver International Airport via I-70 east
213.964344.342214B48th AvenueSouthbound exit only
AdamsNorth Washington215.244346.402215 
 
SH 53 north (58th Avenue)
216.301348.103216A 
 
I-76 east – Fort Morgan
Northbound exit and southbound entrance; I-76 exit 5
Welby216.397–
216.779
348.257–
348.872
216B  
 
SH 224 (70th Avenue) / I-76 west – Grand Junction
Signed as exit 216 southbound; SH 224 not signed southbound; I-76 exit 5
  SH 224 (70th Avenue)Northbound exit and southbound right entrance for HOV/toll lanes only
217.006349.237217 
 
   I-270 east / US 36 – Limon, Aurora, Westminster, Boulder
No access to I-270/US 36 east northbound; southbound signed as exits 217A (west) and 217B (east); I-270 exit 0 to I-25 north; access to Denver International Airport via I-270
 
 
US 36 west – Boulder
Southbound right exit and northbound entrance for HOV/toll lanes only
 
 
I-25 Express (HOV/toll lanes)
North end of reversible HOV/toll lanes
Thornton218.463351.58221984th Avenue – Federal Heights
219.815353.758220Thornton Parkway
Northglenn221.027355.708221104th AvenueFormer SH 44
223.049358.963223 
 
SH 128 west (120th Avenue)
Westminster225.000362.102225136th Avenue
226.085363.849226144th Avenue
City and County of Broomfield227.745366.520228 
 
 
 
  E-470 south / Northwest Parkway west – Limon, Broomfield
E-470 / Northwest Parkway exit 47; access to Denver International Airport
229.107368.712229  SH 7 – Lafayette, Brighton
Weld232.094373.519232Erie Parkway, Summit Boulevard – Erie, Dacono
Dacono235.114378.379235  SH 52 – Dacono, Frederick, Fort Lupton
240.114386.426240 
 
SH 119 west / Firestone Boulevard – Firestone, Longmont
Mead243.148391.309243  SH 66 – Longmont, Lyons
245.217394.639245County Road 34 Mead
250.241402.724250 
 
SH 56 west – Berthoud
Johnstown252.261405.975252 
 
SH 60 east – Johnstown, Milliken
Larimer254.216409.121254 
 
 
To SH 60 west – Campion
255.272410.820255 
 
SH 402 west – Loveland
Loveland257.305414.092257  US 34 – Greeley, Loveland
259.309417.317259  Crossroads Boulevard – Fort Collins-Loveland Airport
Windsor262.298422.128262  SH 392 – Windsor, Fort Collins
Fort Collins265.314426.981265Harmony Road
268.475432.069268Prospect Road
269.370–
269.570
433.509–
433.831
269  SH 14 – Fort Collins, AultSigned as exits 269A (east) and 269B (west)
271.373436.733271Mountain Vista Drive
Wellington277.884447.211278 
 
SH 1 south – Wellington
281.338452.770281Owl Canyon Road
287.550462.767288Buckeye Road
Weld292.583470.867293  CR 126 – Carr
298.870480.985 
 
 
 
I-25 north / US 87 north – Cheyenne, Casper
Continuation into Wyoming
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
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Auxiliary routes

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Interstate 225
LocationAurora
Length12 mi[22] (19 km)

In Colorado, I-25 has only one auxiliary route. Interstate 225 (I-225) is a 12-mile-long (19 km) spur route located within the Denver Metro Area. It runs from its parent highway from the Denver Tech Center to I-70 north of Aurora. It is an eastern bypass for travelers on I-25 looking to avoid Downtown Denver traffic and also provides direct connection to Denver International Airport for the southern suburbs of Denver. It is the only auxiliary route for I-25 as there are no other routes in Wyoming and New Mexico.

Business routes

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Interstate 25 Business
LocationAguilar, Walsenburg

Interstate 25 also has two active business routes within the state. In Aguilar, the town is connected to the freeway by Business Spur 25, which runs along Lynn Road and Walsenburg is served by Business Loop 25. There were three former routes that ran through Trinidad, Colorado Springs, and Castle Rock.

References

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  1. ^ a b Colorado Department of Transportation, Highway Data Archived July 14, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, accessed October 2007: note that not every interval between mileposts is exactly a mile, explaining why more exits than expected are at the exact milepost
  2. ^ Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Library Archived July 25, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ a b c "Interstate 25". Dot.state.co.us. Retrieved November 27, 2011.
  4. ^ Sierra County Economic Development Organization. "Transportation and Highways". Archived from the original on September 7, 2007. Retrieved April 19, 2022.
  5. ^ a b c d e The Road Atlas (Map). Rand McNally. 2006. p. 32.
  6. ^ a b c Google Maps street maps and USGS topographic maps, accessed February 2008 via ACME Mapper
  7. ^ a b Kuennen, Tom, ed. Interstate 50: 50 Years of the Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways. 2006: Faircount. pp 118-119. ISBN unavailable.
  8. ^ a b "Metro Denver's multi-modal T-REX takes last step - Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation". Metrodenver.org. Archived from the original on December 15, 2011. Retrieved November 27, 2011.
  9. ^ Kuennen, Tom, ed. Interstate 50: 50 Years of the Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways. 2006: Faircount. pp 118-119. ISBN unavailable.
  10. ^ "Progress of Project". Cosmixproject.com. Archived from the original on January 13, 2010. Retrieved November 27, 2011.
  11. ^ "I-25 Expansion Project Nears Completion | KOAA.com |". Archived from the original on October 17, 2014. Retrieved October 11, 2014.
  12. ^ Johnson, Robert (September 25, 1996). "Cray's Condition Improves". Chippewa Harold. Chippewa Falls, WI. p. 1.
  13. ^ "Truck driver killed when train derailment collapses Colorado bridge, spilling coal cars onto highway".
  14. ^ Langford, Katie (June 11, 2024). "YouTuber Comicstorian creator Ben Potter killed in I-25 crash near Fort Collins". Fort Collins, CO.
  15. ^ Miguel, Michelle (April 16, 2015). "Construction on I-25 through Pueblo starts this summer". KRDO. Retrieved February 25, 2019.
  16. ^ "SB I-25 to close overnight in Pueblo as part of Ilex project". KOAA.com. January 15, 2019. Retrieved February 25, 2019.
  17. ^ "North I-25 (Denver to Wyoming)". coloradodot.info.
  18. ^ "I-25/Powers Boulevard Interchange: About". Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  19. ^ "CO 21 Research Parkway Interchange Study". codot.gov. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  20. ^ "I-25 & Powers Boulevard Interchange: About". Archived from the original on September 27, 2020. Retrieved April 6, 2021.
  21. ^ "Crystal Valley Interchange". Castle Rock, CO - Official Website. Town of Castle Rock and its representatives. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
  22. ^ "Highway Data Explorer". Colorado Department of Transportation. Retrieved April 1, 2022.
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  Interstate 25
Previous state:
New Mexico
Colorado Next state:
Wyoming
  U.S. Route 87
Previous state:
New Mexico
Colorado Next state:
Wyoming