In the
US state
In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...
of
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 ...
, Interstate 25 (I-25) follows the north–south corridor through
Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs is a home rule municipality in, and the county seat of, El Paso County, Colorado, United States. It is the largest city in El Paso County, with a population of 478,961 at the 2020 United States Census, a 15.02% increase since ...
and
Denver
Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...
. 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
A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facere'' ...
,
Loveland, and
Pueblo
In the Southwestern United States, Pueblo (capitalized) refers to the Native tribes of Puebloans having fixed-location communities with permanent buildings which also are called pueblos (lowercased). The Spanish explorers of northern New Spain ...
. The route is
concurrent
Concurrent means happening at the same time. Concurrency, concurrent, or concurrence may refer to:
Law
* Concurrence, in jurisprudence, the need to prove both ''actus reus'' and ''mens rea''
* Concurring opinion (also called a "concurrence"), a ...
with U.S. Route 87 (US 87) through the entire length of the state. I-25 replaced US 87 and most of
US 85 for through traffic.
Historical nicknames for this route have included the Valley Highway (through
Denver
Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...
), Monument Valley Highway (through
Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs is a home rule municipality in, and the county seat of, El Paso County, Colorado, United States. It is the largest city in El Paso County, with a population of 478,961 at the 2020 United States Census, a 15.02% increase since ...
), and the Pueblo Freeway (through Pueblo). Within
El Paso County, the route has been dedicated as the Ronald Reagan Highway.
In
Pueblo County
Pueblo County ( or ) is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2020 census, the population was 168,162. The county seat is Pueblo. The county was named for the historic city of Pueblo which took its name from the Spanish la ...
, the route is called John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway.
I-25 is also considered to be part of the unofficial
Pan-American Highway
The Pan-American Highway (french: (Auto)route panaméricaine/transaméricaine; pt, Rodovia/Auto-estrada Pan-americana; es, Autopista/Carretera/Ruta Panamericana) is a network of roads stretching across the Americas and measuring about in to ...
.
Route description
New Mexico state line to Pueblo
Following the
Santa Fe Trail
The Santa Fe Trail was a 19th-century route through central North America that connected Franklin, Missouri, with Santa Fe, New Mexico. Pioneered in 1821 by William Becknell, who departed from the Boonslick region along the Missouri River, th ...
from
New Mexico
)
, population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano)
, seat = Santa Fe
, LargestCity = Albuquerque
, LargestMetro = Tiguex
, OfficialLang = None
, Languages = English, Spanish ( New Mexican), Navajo, Ker ...
, I-25 enters
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 ...
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 Rocky Mountains, also known as the Rockies, are a major mountain range and the largest mountain system in North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch in straight-line distance from the northernmost part of western Canada, to New Mexico in ...
. 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
Trinidad Lake State Park is a state park west of Trinidad, Colorado, United States. The park protects Trinidad Lake, a dammed reservoir. There are hiking trails, and camping and boating opportunities. The park features historical attractions suc ...
, home of the
Trinidad Lake.
Trinidad
Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands of Trinidad and Tobago. The island lies off the northeastern coast of Venezuela and sits on the continental shelf of South America. It is often referred to as the southernmos ...
, a city near the Trinidad Lake, is the first major city that lies along I-25. For the next , I-25 continues north through the rural areas of Colorado until it reaches the small city of
Walsenburg
The City of Walsenburg is the Statutory City that is the county seat and the most populous municipality of Huerfano County, Colorado, United States. The city population was 3,049 at the 2020 census, down from 3,068 in 2010.
History
Walsenbur ...
, 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
In the Southwestern United States, Pueblo (capitalized) refers to the Native tribes of Puebloans having fixed-location communities with permanent buildings which also are called pueblos (lowercased). The Spanish explorers of northern New Spain ...
, with the first exit within the southern city limits of Pueblo at exit 94.
The
Arkansas River
The Arkansas River is a major tributary of the Mississippi River. It generally flows to the east and southeast as it traverses the U.S. states of Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. The river's source basin lies in the western United Stat ...
in Pueblo serves as a feeder to the
Lake Pueblo State Park
Lake Pueblo State Park is a state park located in Pueblo County, Colorado. It includes of shoreline and of land. Activities it offers include two full-service marinas, recreational fishing, hiking, camping and swimming at a special swim beac ...
, home of
Pueblo Lake, which is located to the west of the western city limits of Pueblo.
Google Maps
Google Maps is a web mapping platform and consumer application offered by Google. It offers satellite imagery, aerial photography, street maps, 360° interactive panoramic views of streets ( Street View), real-time traffic conditions, and rou ...
street maps and USGS
The United States Geological Survey (USGS), formerly simply known as the Geological Survey, is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, a ...
topographic map
In modern mapping, a topographic map or topographic sheet is a type of map characterized by large- scale detail and quantitative representation of relief features, usually using contour lines (connecting points of equal elevation), but historic ...
s, accessed February 2008 vi
ACME Mapper
/ref>
Pueblo to Denver
After leaving Pueblo
In the Southwestern United States, Pueblo (capitalized) refers to the Native tribes of Puebloans having fixed-location communities with permanent buildings which also are called pueblos (lowercased). The Spanish explorers of northern New Spain ...
, I-25 continues up north with the Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad , legally Union Pacific Railroad Company and often called simply Union Pacific, is a freight-hauling railroad that operates 8,300 locomotives over routes in 23 U.S. states west of Chicago and New Orleans. Union Paci ...
line paralleling closely to the route on the right side after interchanging with Porter Draw at exit 106. By exit 119, the Fountain Creek
Fountain Creek is a stream that originates in Woodland Park in Teller County and flows through El Paso County to its confluence with the Arkansas River near Pueblo in Pueblo County, Colorado. The creek,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydr ...
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
A census-designated place (CDP) is a concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only.
CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counterparts of incorporated places, such ...
of Buttes
__NOTOC__
In geomorphology, a butte () is an isolated hill with steep, often vertical sides and a small, relatively flat top; buttes are smaller landforms than mesas, plateaus, and tablelands. The word ''butte'' comes from a French word mea ...
at exit 122.
As soon as US 85 leaves I-25 at exit 128, I-25 enters the city limits of Fountain
A fountain, from the Latin "fons" (genitive "fontis"), meaning source or spring, is a decorative reservoir used for discharging water. It is also a structure that jets water into the air for a decorative or dramatic effect.
Fountains were ori ...
. Basically, I-25 serves as the border between the western city limits of Fountain on the east side of I-25 and Fort Carson
Fort Carson is a United States Army post located directly south of Colorado Springs in El Paso, Pueblo, Fremont, and Huerfano counties, Colorado, United States. The developed portion of Fort Carson is located near the City of Colorado Springs ...
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
Fort Carson is a United States Army post located directly south of Colorado Springs in El Paso, Pueblo, Fremont, and Huerfano counties, Colorado, United States. The developed portion of Fort Carson is located near the City of Colorado Springs ...
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
Colorado Springs is a home rule municipality in, and the county seat of, El Paso County, Colorado, United States. It is the largest city in El Paso County, with a population of 478,961 at the 2020 United States Census, a 15.02% increase since ...
, 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
Fountain Creek is a stream that originates in Woodland Park in Teller County and flows through El Paso County to its confluence with the Arkansas River near Pueblo in Pueblo County, Colorado. The creek,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydr ...
, 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
Colorado Springs is a home rule municipality in, and the county seat of, El Paso County, Colorado, United States. It is the largest city in El Paso County, with a population of 478,961 at the 2020 United States Census, a 15.02% increase since ...
at exit 142, and to the north of the city lies the Colorado College
Colorado College is a private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Colorado Springs, Colorado. It was founded in 1874 by Thomas Nelson Haskell in his daughter's memory. The college enrolls approxi ...
, 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
The United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) is a United States service academy in El Paso County, Colorado, immediately north of Colorado Springs. It educates cadets for service in the officer corps of the United States Air Force and U ...
, going through the east side of the institution.
I-25 leaves El Paso County and enters Douglas County at Monument Hill, elevation , north of Monument
A monument is a type of structure that was explicitly created to commemorate a person or event, or which has become relevant to a social group as a part of their remembrance of historic times or cultural heritage, due to its artistic, hist ...
. I-25 then continues north through more rural and hilly areas east of the Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains, also known as the Rockies, are a major mountain range and the largest mountain system in North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch in straight-line distance from the northernmost part of western Canada, to New Mexico in ...
until reaching Castle Rock at exit 181. I-25 continues through rural and hilly portions of Douglas County until interchanging with E-470
E-470 is a controlled-access toll road that traverses the eastern portion of the Denver metropolitan area in the US state of Colorado. It is the eastern half of the 470 beltway that serves Meridian, Parker, Aurora, Denver International Airpor ...
, the partial beltway of Denver
Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...
as the toll road serves the Centennial Airport
Centennial Airport is a public use airport owned by the Arapahoe County Public Airport Authority in the Denver-Aurora metropolitan area, 15 nautical miles (17 mi, 28 km) southeast of downtown Denver, Colorado, United States. L ...
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
Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...
at the I-225
Interstate 225 (I-225) is an auxiliary Interstate Highway in the U.S. state of Colorado. The freeway is a connector spur route of I-25 that acts as an eastern bypass in the Denver metropolitan area and serves Aurora. It also provides dire ...
interchange, a spur that detours motorists to I-70
Interstate 70 (I-70) is a major east–west Interstate Highway in the United States that runs from I-15 near Cove Fort, Utah, to a park and ride lot just east of I-695 in Baltimore, Maryland, and is the fifth-longest Interstate in the c ...
through Aurora
An aurora (plural: auroras or aurorae), also commonly known as the polar lights, is a natural light display in Earth's sky, predominantly seen in high-latitude regions (around the Arctic and Antarctic). Auroras display dynamic patterns of bri ...
, at exit 200. I-25 turns in a westerly direction between Evans Avenue (exit 203) and Colorado Boulevard (exit 204). University of Denver
The University of Denver (DU) is a private research university in Denver, Colorado. Founded in 1864, it is the oldest independent private university in the Rocky Mountain Region of the United States. It is classified among "R1: Doctoral Univ ...
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
Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...
, where it can be accessed by I-70 Bus. at exit 210. I-25 then interchanges with I-70
Interstate 70 (I-70) is a major east–west Interstate Highway in the United States that runs from I-15 near Cove Fort, Utah, to a park and ride lot just east of I-695 in Baltimore, Maryland, and is the fifth-longest Interstate in the c ...
at exit 214 right before leaving the City and County of Denver.[
]
Denver to Wyoming state line
As I-25 leaves Denver, the route continues up north through unincorporated areas of Adams County and interchanges with I-76
Interstate 76 may refer to:
Interstate Highways in the United States
* Interstate 76 (Colorado–Nebraska)
* Interstate 76 (Ohio–New Jersey), running through Pennsylvania
Video gaming
* ''Interstate '76
''Interstate '76'' is a vehicular ...
, I-270 I-270 may refer to:
* Interstate 270 (disambiguation), one of several highways
* Mikoyan-Gurevich I-270
The Mikoyan-Gurevich I-270 (Design Ж ("Zh") under Mikoyan-Gurevich's in-house designation sequence, USAF/DoD designation: Type 12) was a ...
, and the Denver-Boulder Turnpike
U.S. Route 36 (US 36) is a United States highway that travels from Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado to Uhrichsville, Ohio. In Colorado, the highway traverses an east–west route mostly in the northern portion of the Great Plains. At its ...
( 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
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
. 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
Rauli Somerjoki (born Rauli Aarre Tapani Somerjoki; 30 August 1947-14 January 1987), known professionally as "Badding", was a Finnish rock singer born in the town of Somero into a family of five children. His records were published on such lab ...
(west side) and the Croke Lake (east side). Development begins to drop off after exit 223 (120th Avenue) after continuing north into Westminster
Westminster is an area of Central London, part of the wider City of Westminster.
The area, which extends from the River Thames to Oxford Street, has many visitor attractions and historic landmarks, including the Palace of Westminster, Bu ...
and eastern Broomfield.
At exit 228, I-25 interchanges with the northern terminuses of E-470
E-470 is a controlled-access toll road that traverses the eastern portion of the Denver metropolitan area in the US state of Colorado. It is the eastern half of the 470 beltway that serves Meridian, Parker, Aurora, Denver International Airpor ...
and Northwest Parkway
The Northwest Parkway is a road that runs from U.S. Highway 36 (US 36) to the Interstate 25 (I-25)/ E-470 interchange. Both terminuses are in Broomfield, northwest of Denver. In combination with E-470 () and State Highway&n ...
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
The City of Longmont is a home rule municipality located in Boulder and Weld counties, Colorado, United States. Longmont is located northeast of the county seat of Boulder and north-northwest of the Colorado State Capitol in Denver.
Longmont' ...
to the west. This stretch of I-25 in northern Colorado also has large amounts of truck traffic between SH 7 and Wyoming
Wyoming () is a U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho to the west, Utah to the south ...
. 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
A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facere'' ...
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
Wellington ( mi, Te Whanganui-a-Tara or ) is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the second-largest city in New Zealand by me ...
. Exits also become few and far between from here to Wyoming as well after gradually turning north-easterly toward the state line.
History
Ancestors and early freeways
Colorado had begun planning of a modern intercity route along the Front Range
The Front Range is a mountain range of the Southern Rocky Mountains of North America located in the central portion of the U.S. State of Colorado, and southeastern portion of the U.S. State of Wyoming. It is the first mountain range encountere ...
as early as 1944, well before the national movement toward an Interstate Highway system
The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, commonly known as the Interstate Highway System, is a network of controlled-access highways that forms part of the National Highway System in the United States. T ...
.
SH 1, an unpaved road, was completed between Denver
Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...
and Pueblo
In the Southwestern United States, Pueblo (capitalized) refers to the Native tribes of Puebloans having fixed-location communities with permanent buildings which also are called pueblos (lowercased). The Spanish explorers of northern New Spain ...
by 1919. Average travel time between Pueblo and Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs is a home rule municipality in, and the county seat of, El Paso County, Colorado, United States. It is the largest city in El Paso County, with a population of 478,961 at the 2020 United States Census, a 15.02% increase since ...
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
The Colorado and Southern Railway was an American Class I railroad in the western United States that operated independently from 1898 to 1908, then as part of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad until it was absorbed into the Burli ...
. 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.
Interstate completion
As the national Interstate Highway System
The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, commonly known as the Interstate Highway System, is a network of controlled-access highways that forms part of the National Highway System in the United States. T ...
began to take shape, actual "interstate" connections began to be made. Wyoming
Wyoming () is a U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho to the west, Utah to the south ...
came first in 1964, building a link north to Cheyenne
The Cheyenne ( ) are an Indigenous people of the Great Plains. Their Cheyenne language belongs to the Algonquian language family. Today, the Cheyenne people are split into two federally recognized nations: the Southern Cheyenne, who are enroll ...
that was connected to 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 ...
's stretch.
Linking to New Mexico
)
, population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano)
, seat = Santa Fe
, LargestCity = Albuquerque
, LargestMetro = Tiguex
, OfficialLang = None
, Languages = English, Spanish ( New Mexican), Navajo, Ker ...
in the south would prove more problematic as the planned route had to stretch over Raton Pass
Ratón Pass is a 7,834 ft (2,388 m) elevation mountain pass on the Colorado–New Mexico border in the western United States. It is located on the eastern side of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains between Trinidad, Colorado and Raton, New ...
, and its accompanying elevation change, within just . 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
Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands of Trinidad and Tobago. The island lies off the northeastern coast of Venezuela and sits on the continental shelf of South America. It is often referred to as the southernmos ...
completed by 1963. The Trinidad Segment (as CDOT now calls the Raton Pass
Ratón Pass is a 7,834 ft (2,388 m) elevation mountain pass on the Colorado–New Mexico border in the western United States. It is located on the eastern side of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains between Trinidad, Colorado and Raton, New ...
span) was not fully completed until 1968.
The final segment of the 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 ...
portion of I-25, connecting the cities of Walsenburg
The City of Walsenburg is the Statutory City that is the county seat and the most populous municipality of Huerfano County, Colorado, United States. The city population was 3,049 at the 2020 census, down from 3,068 in 2010.
History
Walsenbur ...
and Trinidad
Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands of Trinidad and Tobago. The island lies off the northeastern coast of Venezuela and sits on the continental shelf of South America. It is often referred to as the southernmos ...
, was completed during 1969. This meant that four lanes of high-speed, nonstop freeway were finally open for a full from New Mexico
)
, population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano)
, seat = Santa Fe
, LargestCity = Albuquerque
, LargestMetro = Tiguex
, OfficialLang = None
, Languages = English, Spanish ( New Mexican), Navajo, Ker ...
north to Wyoming
Wyoming () is a U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho to the west, Utah to the south ...
.[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.]
Modern expansion
As both population and traffic increased in Colorado during the 1990s and 2000s, the Colorado Department of Transportation
The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT, pronounced See Dot) is the principal department of the Colorado state government that administers state government transportation responsibilities in the state of Colorado. CDOT is responsible f ...
has planned and completed major improvements for the city corridors along I-25.
T-REX (Denver)
The first of these was Transportation Expansion (T-REX), which widened and expanded nearly of both I-25 and the I-225
Interstate 225 (I-225) is an auxiliary Interstate Highway in the U.S. state of Colorado. The freeway is a connector spur route of I-25 that acts as an eastern bypass in the Denver metropolitan area and serves Aurora. It also provides dire ...
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
Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...
, adding of new routes.
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.
COSMIX (Colorado Springs)
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 corridor from exit 135 (Academy Blvd) in the south to exit 151 (Briargate Pkwy) 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.
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
Colorado Springs is a home rule municipality in, and the county seat of, El Paso County, Colorado, United States. It is the largest city in El Paso County, with a population of 478,961 at the 2020 United States Census, a 15.02% increase since ...
, and at Rockrimmon Boulevard and North Nevada Avenue in the city's growing north side). 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 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
An air force academy or air academy is a national institution that provides initial officer training, possibly including undergraduate level education, to air force officer cadets who are preparing to be commissioned officers in a national air for ...
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.
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.
Future
, a segment of I-25 through Pueblo is currently under construction. 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. The $69 million project was expected to finish in Spring 2019.
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.
In Colorado Springs, SH 21 (Powers Blvd.) 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 Blvd. 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 N. Gate Blvd. between milemarkers 149 and 151. The interchange was completed in summer 2021.
The Gap is an 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 slated to be completed in 2022 with a cost of $350 million, with contributions from Douglas and El Paso counties, Pikes Peak Rural Transportation Authority and a federal INFRA grant.
Exit list
Related routes
Auxiliary routes
In Colorado, I-25 has only one auxiliary route. Interstate 225 (I-225) is a spur route located within the Denver Metro Area. It runs from its parent highway from the Denver Tech Center Denver Technological Center, better known as The Denver Tech Center or DTC, is a business and economic trading center located in Colorado in the southeastern portion of the Denver Metropolitan Area, within portions of the cities of Denver, Colorado, ...
to I-70
Interstate 70 (I-70) is a major east–west Interstate Highway in the United States that runs from I-15 near Cove Fort, Utah, to a park and ride lot just east of I-695 in Baltimore, Maryland, and is the fifth-longest Interstate in the c ...
north of Aurora
An aurora (plural: auroras or aurorae), also commonly known as the polar lights, is a natural light display in Earth's sky, predominantly seen in high-latitude regions (around the Arctic and Antarctic). Auroras display dynamic patterns of bri ...
. 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
Wyoming () is a U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho to the west, Utah to the south ...
and New Mexico
)
, population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano)
, seat = Santa Fe
, LargestCity = Albuquerque
, LargestMetro = Tiguex
, OfficialLang = None
, Languages = English, Spanish ( New Mexican), Navajo, Ker ...
.
Business routes
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
The City of Walsenburg is the Statutory City that is the county seat and the most populous municipality of Huerfano County, Colorado, United States. The city population was 3,049 at the 2020 census, down from 3,068 in 2010.
History
Walsenbur ...
is served by Business Loop 25. There were three former routes that ran through Trinidad
Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands of Trinidad and Tobago. The island lies off the northeastern coast of Venezuela and sits on the continental shelf of South America. It is often referred to as the southernmos ...
, Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs is a home rule municipality in, and the county seat of, El Paso County, Colorado, United States. It is the largest city in El Paso County, with a population of 478,961 at the 2020 United States Census, a 15.02% increase since ...
, and Castle Rock.
References
External links
Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT)
COSMIX (CDOT project; website no longer being updated)
South I-25 Corridor: Lincoln Avenue through Castle Rock (CDOT project)
The North Forty (CDOT project)
I-25 Trinidad (CDOT project)
{{state detail page browse, type=US, route=87, state=Colorado, statebefore=New Mexico, stateafter=Wyoming
Colorado
25
Transportation in Las Animas County, Colorado
Transportation in Huerfano County, Colorado
Transportation in Pueblo County, Colorado
Transportation in El Paso County, Colorado
Transportation in Douglas County, Colorado
Transportation in Arapahoe County, Colorado
Transportation in Denver
Transportation in Adams County, Colorado
Transportation in Broomfield County, Colorado
Transportation in Weld County, Colorado
Transportation in Larimer County, Colorado
U.S. Route 87