The Central City Parkway is a
four-lane, highway in
Clear Creek and
Gilpin counties in
Colorado
Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of t ...
, United States, that connects
Interstate 70
Interstate 70 (I-70) is a major east–west Interstate Highway System, Interstate Highway in the United States that runs from Interstate 15, I-15 near Cove Fort, Utah, to a park and ride lot just east of Interstate 695 (Maryland), I-695 in ...
/
U.S. Route 6
U.S. Route 6 (US 6), also called the Grand Army of the Republic Highway, honoring the American Civil War veterans association, is a main route of the U.S. Highway system. While it currently runs east-northeast from Bishop, California, to P ...
/
U.S. Route 40 (I-70/US 6/US 40), immediately south of
Central City
In urban planning, a core city, principal city metropolitan core, or central city, is the largest or most important city or cities of a metropolitan area. A core city is surrounded by smaller satellite cities, towns, and suburbs. A central city ...
(and about } east of
Idaho Springs
The City of Idaho Springs is the Statutory City that is the most populous municipality in Clear Creek County, Colorado, United States. Idaho Springs is a part of the Denver–Aurora–Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 ...
) with Nevadaville Road and Nevada Street in the historic mining town and gambling area of Central City. (Nearly the entire route is within the
city limits
City limits or city boundaries refer to the defined boundary or border of a city. The area within the city limit can be called the city proper. Town limit/boundary and village limit/boundary apply to towns and villages. Similarly, corporate limi ...
of Central City.) of Opened on November 19, 2004, the Parkway provides direct access to Central City. The length of the Parkway can be traveled in about twelve minutes. As part of the opening ceremonies in 2004, 1996
Indianapolis 500
The Indianapolis 500, formally known as the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, and commonly called the Indy 500, is an annual automobile race held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) in Speedway, Indiana, United States, an enclave suburb of Indi ...
winner,
Buddy Lazier
Robert Buddy Lazier (born October 31, 1967) is an American auto racing driver, best known for winning the 1996 Indianapolis 500 and the 2000 Indy Racing League season championship.
Lazier began his career in the 1980s by competing in such s ...
, made the trip from I-70 to Central City's historic downtown in three minutes.
Route description
The parkway begins at a
diamond interchange
A diamond interchange is a common type of road junction, used where a controlled-access highway crosses a minor road.
Design
The freeway itself is grade-separated from the minor road, one crossing the other over a bridge. Approaching the ...
(Exit 243) on I-70/US-6/US 40. At the interchange, CR 314 serves as a frontage road. Heading northward, the parkway abruptly turns left.
After passing through several hills in a forested area, the road curves around again and heads northeastward, winding through hills. At the Clear Creek-Gilpin county line, the road turns northward, then northeastward, passing into a more heavily forested area.
Through the drive, the road continues to wind between northward and westward before entering the vicinity of
Central City
In urban planning, a core city, principal city metropolitan core, or central city, is the largest or most important city or cities of a metropolitan area. A core city is surrounded by smaller satellite cities, towns, and suburbs. A central city ...
, where it meets its terminus at a
T intersection
A three-way junction (or three-way intersection) is a type of road intersection with three arms. A Y junction (or Y intersection) generally has three arms of equal size coming at an acute or obtuse angle to each other; while a T junction (or T ...
with Nevadaville Road. The roadway continues northeast as Nevada Street.
History
![Central City Parkway Archway](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/de/Central_City_Parkway_Archway.jpg)
Limited-stakes gambling was approved by Colorado voters in 1990 in the towns of Central City,
Black Hawk Black Hawk and Blackhawk may refer to:
Animals
* Black Hawk (horse), a Morgan horse that lived from 1833 to 1856
* Common black hawk, ''Buteogallus anthracinus''
* Cuban black hawk, ''Buteogallus gundlachii''
* Great black hawk, ''Buteogallus ur ...
and
Cripple Creek. Black Hawk lies a mile closer to the Denver area along
State Highway 119, the primary route to the area from I-70, spurring planning for a direct route to Central City from I-70 that began in 1993.
In the mid-1990s, the city of Black Hawk backed a proposal for a state-funded widening of Highway 119 including a tunnel that would link to I-70 one mile (1.6 km) closer to Denver than Central City's off-ramp. Central City continued with its plans for a south access highway despite the city of Black Hawk acquiring land in the path of the proposed road. The issue was brought before a Denver grand jury that decided Black Hawk officials had misspent taxpayer money. Central City then sued Black Hawk for $100 million; Black Hawk countersued. Prior to dropping the lawsuit, the road was funded by bonds with a 30-year tax levy on business property to pay for the road.
Six months before the parkway opened, a report issued by gambling industry consultant Gaming & Resort Development predicted the road would be more beneficial to Black Hawk than to Central City.
Central City's gaming revenues have substantially increased since the road's opening in November 2004 but have not reached industry and city projections. Since the Parkway's opening, three casinos in Central City have opened and two, under the same ownership, have closed (The Teller House in July 2005 and Scarlet's Casino in September 2006).
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Century Casinos opened in July 2006.
Between I-70 and Central City, there is only one public exit road from the Central City Parkway: the Hidee Mine Road at mile 6.3. This road leads to th
Hidee Gold Mine
which offers mine tours and gold panning, and is open to the public.
Major intersections
See also
References
External links
Central City Parkway official website (archived)
at The Highways of Colorado
{{authority control
Roads in Colorado
Central City, Colorado
Transportation in Gilpin County, Colorado
Transportation in Clear Creek County, Colorado