I 70 Colorado

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.

1 week ago -Interstate 70 (I-70) is a transcontinental Interstate Highway in the United States, stretching from Cove Fort, Utah, to Baltimore, Maryland. In Colorado, the highwaytraverses an east–west route across the center of the state. In western Colorado, the highway connects the metropolitan areas ...

1 month ago -The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has claimed the section of I-70 throughGlenwood Canyonin Colorado, completed in 1992, to be the last piece of the Interstate Highway System, as originally planned, to open to traffic. I-70 Stories & Updates · COtrip Help · The Mountain Rules · Plan a trip to Colorado · The I-70 Mountain Corridor is a challenging drive. Learn how to be prepared and follow chain and traction laws.

Skip the drive with easy shuttle options. Download the COtrip Planner app or visit COtrip.org before traveling. Interstate Highway 70spans 2,100 miles across the United States, crossing the entire state of Colorado.

The eastern end of the highway lies west of Baltimore, Maryland. From there it bisects the country until it reaches Cove Fort in Central Utah, where it merges into Interstate 15. The I-70 Mountain Corridor in Coloradospans from the Denver metro area in the east to Glenwood Springs in the west, cutting through the heart of the Rocky Mountains.

Spanning the Centennial State, Interstate 70 travels450 miles from the desert in Grand Valley to Burlington on the High Plains. Entering the state from Utah near Grand Junction, Interstate 70 follows the U.S. 6-50 corridor along the Colorado River.

Colorado. They improve connectivity, travel safety, and reliability between east and west by uniting the state through the Rocky · Mountains and the Continental Divide. I-70 has had tremendous impact on tourism in Colorado and improved the efficiency and safety of movement of people and October 9, 2025 -Explore the most scenic spots along Colorado’s I‑70 - from Glenwood Canyon to the Eisenhower Tunnel - with tips for stops, views, and hidden gems.

July 10, 2024 -What it’s really like to drive I-70 Colorado—funny stories, real hazards, and must-know tips for the Denver to Grand Junction drive.