U.S. Route 6 in Colorado

This article is about the section of U.S. Route 6 in Colorado. For the entire route, see U.S. Route 6.

U.S. Highway 6 (US 6) is a part of the United States Numbered Highway System that travels from Bishop, California, to Provincetown, Massachusetts. In the U.S. state of Colorado, US 6 is an east–west highway stretching from Utah to Nebraska. Much of the route overlaps other highways in Colorado, and, as a result, much of US 6 is unsigned.

U.S. Highway 6
Grand Army of the Republic Highway
US 6 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by CDOT
Length	467.284 mi^[1] (752.021 km)
Major junctions
West end	I-70 / US 6 / US 50 at the Utah state line
Major intersections	US 50 in Grand Junction US 24 in Minturn US 40 near Empire SH 470 near Golden I-25 / US 85 / US 87 / US 287 in Denver I-270 in Commerce City I-76 from Commerce City to Fort Morgan US 34 in Fort Morgan US 385 in Holyoke
East end	US 6 at the Nebraska state line
Location
Country	United States
State	Colorado
Counties	Mesa, Garfield, Eagle, Summit, Clear Creek, Jefferson, Denver, Adams, Weld, Morgan, Washington, Logan, Phillips
Highway system
United States Numbered Highway System List Special Divided Colorado State Highway System Interstate US State Scenic
← SH 5 → SH 7

Route description

 

The 6th Avenue Freeway in Denver, looking east from Knox Court

US 6 is concurrent with Interstate 70 (I-70) for a significant portion of its length from the Utah state line to Denver. When the highway enters the western Denver suburbs, US 6 coincidentally aligns with 6th Avenue in the grid system, where it is known as 6th Avenue Freeway. Once it reaches I-25, US 6 travels north briefly, then follows I-76 for most of its length east of Denver. It is unsigned while it is overlapped.

 

Loveland Pass in 1964

The highest altitude along US 6 is 11,990 feet (3,650 m) at Loveland Pass, where it crosses the Continental Divide. It continues down the Clear Creek valley until it reaches I-70, where it is briefly overlapped until I-70 leaves the Clear Creek valley. US 6 continues down Clear Creek and into Denver, where it turns into a freeway with six lanes. East of Denver, it continues east while joined with I-76 until it reaches Sterling, where it diverges from the Interstate. The last town in Colorado through which it passes is Holyoke.

 

US 6 in Lakewood

 

US 6 in Summit County

History

Major intersections

County	Location	mi^[1]	km	Exit	Destinations	Notes
Mesa	​	0.000	0.000		I-70 west (US 6 / US 50 west) – Salina	Continuation into Utah
	​	1.814	2.919	2	Rabbit Valley	Exit number follows I-70
	Mack	11.106	17.873		I-70 east	Eastern end of I-70 overlap; I-70 exit 11
	Loma	15.132	24.353		SH 139 to I-70 – Loma, Rangely	To I-70 via SH 139 south
	Fruita	19.955	32.114		SH 340 east (Coulson Street) to I-70	Western terminus of SH 340
	Grand Junction	26.080	41.972		I-70 BL begins / I-70 – Denver, Utah	Western end of I-70 BL overlap; I-70 exit 26; diverging diamond interchange
		28.244	45.454		Patterson Road / 24 Road Redlands Parkway south	Partial interchange
		30.447	49.000		I-70 BL / US 50 east – Montrose	Eastern end of I-70 BL/US 50 overlap; no westbound exit
		34.859	56.100		I-70 BL west	Western end of I-70 BL overlap
	Clifton	37.267	59.975		SH 141 south	Northern terminus of SH 141
		37.726	60.714		I-70 BL east to I-70 – Utah, Denver	Eastern end of I-70 BL overlap
	​	46.510 43.682	74.851 70.299		I-70 west	Western end of I-70 overlap; I-70 exit 44; westbound left exit and eastbound left entrance; mileposts change to reflect I-70 mileage
	​	45.332	72.955	46	Cameo	Exit numbers follow I-70
	​	46.867	75.425	47	James M. Robb – Colorado River State Park, Island Acres	Former port of entry
	​	49.015	78.882	49	SH 65 south to SH 330 east – Grand Mesa, Collbran
	​	61.648 64.249	99.213 103.399		I-70 east	Eastern end of I-70 overlap;^[2] I-70 exit 62; mileposts change to reflect US 6 mileage
Garfield	Parachute	72.284– 72.688	116.330– 116.980		I-70 / Frontage Road	Dumbbell interchange; I-70 exit 72
	Rifle	88.895	143.063		I-70	I-70 exit 87
		91.240	146.837		SH 13 north – Meeker, Craig	East end of state maintenance;^[3] west end of SH 13 overlap
					SH 13 south to I-70	East end of SH 13 overlap; westbound access via Whiteriver Avenue
	Chacra	110.806 109.000	178.325 175.418		I-70 west	West end of state maintenance;^[3] western end of I-70 overlap; I-70 exit 109; mileposts change to reflect I-70 mileage
	​	111.328	179.165	111	South Canyon	Exit number follows I-70
	Glenwood Springs	114.295 116.898	183.940 188.129		I-70 east / Gilstrap Court / Midland Avenue / Mel Ray Road / Highway 6 west – Glenwood Springs Mall	Dumbbell interchange; east end of state maintenance; Highway 6 west is former US 6/ US 24 west; I-70 exit 114; mileposts change to reflect US 6 mileage
		118.645	190.941		Devereaux Road	West end of state maintenance^[4]
		118.983 116.380	191.485 187.295		SH 82 east (Grand Avenue) / I-70 west / E. 6th Street / Laurel Street – Aspen	Partial dumbbell interchange with I-70; western end of I-70 overlap; I-70 exit 116; western terminus of SH 82; mileposts change to reflect I-70 mileage
	​	118.640	190.933	119	No Name	Exit numbers follow I-70
	​	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 Road
Eagle	​	133.384– 134.053	214.661– 215.737	133	Dotsero
	Gypsum	139.533 141.818	224.557 228.234		I-70 east – Denver	Eastern end of I-70 overlap; I-70 exit 140; mileposts change to reflect US 6 mileage
		141.993	228.516		Frontage Road / Trail Gulch Road	Roundabout; east end of state maintenance;^[5] Frontage Rd. is former US 6 west
	Eagle	149.718	240.948		Church Street / Eby Creek Road (I-70 BS north) to I-70	Roundabout; west end of state maintenance;^[6] southern terminus of I-70 BS
	Wolcott	159.500	256.690		SH 131 north – Steamboat Springs	Western end of SH 131 overlap
	​	159.889	257.316		SH 131 south to I-70	Eastern end of SH 131 overlap
	Eagle-Vail	172.185	277.105		I-70 east	I-70 east exit 169; no access to I-70 west
	​	174.541 171.105	280.897 275.367		I-70 west – Aspen     US 24 east – Minturn, Leadville	Western end of I-70 overlap; I-70 exit 171; western terminus of US 24; mileposts change to reflect I-70 mileage
	Vail	173.319	278.930	173	West Vail	Exit numbers follow I-70
		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	SH 91 south – Copper Mountain, Leadville	Northern terminus of SH 91
	​	197.854	318.415	198	Officers Gulch
	Frisco	200.995	323.470	201	Main Street
		202.352	325.654	203	SH 9 south – Frisco, Breckenridge	Western end of SH 9 overlap
	Silverthorne	205.423 208.659	330.596 335.804		SH 9 north (Blue River Parkway) / I-70 east – Silverthorne	Eastern end of I-70/SH 9 overlap; I-70 exit 205; mileposts change to reflect US 6 mileage
Loveland Pass		225.552	362.991	Elevation 11,990 feet (3,650 m)
Clear Creek	​	229.896 216.185	369.982 347.916		I-70 west – Grand Junction	Western end of I-70 overlap; mileposts change to reflect I-70 mileage
	​	218.346	351.394	218	Herman Gulch Road	Exit numbers follow I-70
	​	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	US 40 west – Empire, Granby	Western end of US 40 overlap
	​	223.047	358.959	223	Lawson	Eastbound exit only
	​	234.209	376.923	234	Downieville, Lawson
	​	235.005	378.204	235	Dumont	Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
	​	237.680	382.509	238	Fall River Road
	Idaho Springs	238.885	384.448	239	I-70 BL east – Idaho Springs
		239.652	385.683	240	SH 103 south / Mount Evans Scenic Byway – Mount Evans	Northern terminus of SH 103
		241.125	388.053	241	I-70 BL west / County Road 314
	​	242.980	391.038	243	Hidden Valley, Central City
	​	244.260 257.079	393.098 413.729		I-70 – Denver	Interchange; eastern end of I-70 overlap; I-70 exit 244; no ramp to I-70 east.; mileposts change to reflect US 6 mileage
	​	257.296	414.078		US 40 east to I-70 east	Eastern end of US 40 overlap
	​	257.751	414.810		SH 119 north – Black Hawk, Central City	Southern terminus of SH 119
Jefferson	Golden	271.600	437.098		SH 58 east / SH 93 north – Golden, Boulder	Western terminus of SH 58
		273.397	439.990		SH 470 east – Colorado Springs	SH 470 exits 0A-B northbound
		275.120	442.763		US 40 (Colfax Avenue)
		276.003	444.184	—	I-70 west – Grand Junction	West end of 6th Avenue freeway; westbound exit and eastbound entrance; I-70 exit 261 eastbound
	Lakewood	276.998	445.785	—	Indiana Street
		277.002	445.792	—	Union Boulevard / Simms Street
		277.310	446.287	—	SH 391 (Kipling Street)
		278.795	448.677	—	Garrison Street
		280.830	451.952	—	SH 121 (Wadsworth Blvd)
		281.984	453.809	—	SH 95 (Sheridan Blvd)
		282.330	454.366	—	Knox Court
City and County of Denver		283.86	456.83	—	SH 88 (Federal Blvd) / Bryant Street
		284.470 209.210	457.810 336.691	—	6th Avenue east	No westbound exit; I-25 exit 209A; 6th Avenue freeway continues east
				—	I-25 south (US 85 / US 87 south) – Colorado Springs	West end of I-25/US 85/US 87 overlap; I-25 exit 209B; mileposts change to reflect I-25 mileage
		209.479	337.124	209C	8th Avenue	Exit numbers follow I-25
		210.310	338.461	210A	US 40 / US 287 (Colfax Avenue) – Downtown Denver
		210.415	338.630	210B	Auraria Parkway	Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
		210.532	338.818	210C	17th Avenue	Eastbound exit and entrance; westbound access is via exit 211
		211.109	339.747	211	23rd Avenue / 20th Avenue	20th Ave. not signed eastbound
		211.464	340.318	212A-B	Speer Boulevard – Downtown Denver	Signed as exits 212A (south) and 212B (north)
		212.096	341.335	212C	20th Street
				—	I-25 HOV/toll lanes	South end of I-25 reversible HOV/toll lanes; eastbound exit and westbound entrance
		212.769	342.419	213	Park Avenue / W. 38th Avenue
		213.625 274.062	343.796 441.060	—	I-25 north (US 87 north) – Thornton, Ft. Collins	East end of I-25/US 87 overlap; I-25 exit 214A
				—	I-70 west – Grand Junction	Western end of I-70 overlap; I-70 exit 274; mileposts change to reflect I-70 mileage
		274.607	441.937	275A	Washington Street	No exit number eastbound; exit numbers follow I-70
		275.252	442.975	275B	SH 265 north (Brighton Boulevard)
		275.545	443.447	275C	York Street / Josephine Street	Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
		276.080 290.98	444.308 468.29		I-70 east	Eastern end of I-70 overlap; I-70 exit 276A; mileposts change to reflect US 6 mileage
Adams	Commerce City	292.145	470.162		SH 2 south (Colorado Blvd) to I-70 east	Interchange; western end of SH 2 overlap; westbound exit and eastbound entrance
		292.743	471.124		I-270 (US 36) – Boulder, Limon	Partial cloverleaf interchange; no eastbound exit to I-270 east; I-270 exits 2A-B
		293.42	472.21		SH 2 east (Old)	Interchange; no westbound exit; eastern end of SH 2 overlap; no CDOT maintenance on this stretch of SH 2
		293.763	472.766		Mill Road	Interchange
		294.235– 294.651	473.525– 474.195		SH 265 south
		295.000	474.756		SH 224 west (74th Avenue) to I-76 west
	​	296.32 9.483	476.88 15.261		I-76 west – Arvada	Interchange; western end of I-76 overlap; westbound left exit and eastbound left entrance; I-76 exit 9; mileposts change to reflect I-76 mileage
	​	10.466	16.843	10	88th Avenue	Exit numbers follow I-76
	​	11.549	18.586	11	96th Avenue
	​	12.502	20.120	12	US 85 north – Greeley, Brighton	Eastern end of US 85 overlap; no eastbound entrance
	Brighton	16.477	26.517	16	SH 2 south (Sable Boulevard) / 120th Avenue – Denver International Airport
		18.079	29.095	18	E-470 south to I-70 east – Limon, Denver International Airport	Westbound exit and eastbound entrance; E-470 exit 35
		19.723	31.741	20	136th Avenue
		21.081	33.927	21	Eagle Boulevard
		22.407	36.061	22	Bromley Lane
Adams–Weld county line	Lochbuie	25.145	40.467	25	SH 7 west – Lochbuie, Brighton
Weld	Hudson	31.480	50.662	31	SH 52 – Hudson, Fort Lupton
		34.412	55.381	34	Kersey Road
	​	38.925	62.644	39	Keenesburg ( I-76 BS)
	​	47.972	77.203	48	Roggen
	​	49.236	79.238	49	Painter Road	Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
	​	57.219	92.085	57	County Road 91
	​	59.799	96.237	60	SH 144 east – Orchard
Morgan	​	63.883 343.519	102.810 552.840		I-76 east	Eastern end of I-76 overlap;^[7] no westbound access to I-76 east; I-76 exit 64; mileposts change to reflect US 6 mileage
	​	345.928	556.717		SH 52 west / SH 39 north to I-76 west – Goodrich, Hoyt	Western end of SH 52 overlap; southern terminus of SH 39
	​	346.425 66.288	557.517 106.680	66B	I-76 west     US 34 west – Greeley, Estes Park	Exit number is for US 34; exit numbers follow I-76; western end of I-76/US 34 overlap;^[7] I-76 exit 66A; mileposts change to reflect I-76 mileage
	​	73.130	117.691	73	Long Bridge Road
	​	75.280	121.151	75	I-76 BL / US 34 east (SH 52 east) – Fort Morgan	Eastern end of US 34/SH 52 overlap; western terminus of I-76 BL
	​	78.852	126.900	79	SH 144 – Weldona
	Fort Morgan	80.139	128.971	80	SH 52 – Raymer, Fort Morgan
		81.648	131.400	82	Barlow Road – Fort Morgan
	​	85.713	137.942	86	Dodd Bridge Road
	​	88.695	142.741	89	Hospital Road
	Brush	89.643	144.266	90	SH 71 to US 34 (I-76 BL) – Brush, Akron, Limon, Snyder
	​	91.693 371.69	147.566 598.18		I-76 east / I-76 BL west (US 34 Spur south) to US 34 / SH 71 – Brush	Eastern end of I-76 overlap; western end of I-76 BL overlap; I-76 exit 92; mileposts change to reflect US 6 mileage; US 34 Spur unsigned
Washington	​	383.254	616.788		County Road Q to I-76
Logan	Atwood	397.955	640.446		SH 63 south – Akron	Northern terminus of SH 63
	Sterling	404.644	651.211		US 138 east (3rd Street north) / SH 14 west (Chestnut Street west) – Julesburg, Fort Collins	SH 14 is former US 6 west; western terminus of SH 138; eastern terminus of SH 14
		404.734	651.356		Front Street	Interchange; no westbound entrance
		406.568	654.308		I-76 BL ends / I-76 – Fort Morgan, Julesburg	Eastern terminus of I-76 BL; eastern end of I-76 BL overlap; I-76 exit 125
	​	406.794	654.671		SH 61 south – Otis	Northern terminus of SH 61
	Fleming	424.964	683.913		SH 55 north (Logan Avenue)	Southern terminus of SH 55
Phillips	Haxtun	436.496	702.472		SH 59 – Yuma, Sedgwick
	Holyoke	454.06	730.74		US 385 (Interocean Avenue)
	​	467.284	752.021		US 6 east – Imperial	Continuation into Nebraska
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Concurrency terminus       Electronic toll collection       HOV only       Incomplete access

References

1. Colorado Department of Transportation, Highway Data October 8, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, accessed July 2007
2. "Highway 006M between 62.305 and 88.895". CDOT Online Transportation Information System. Retrieved March 27, 2021.
3. "SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON U.S. ROUTE NUMBERING SPRING 2015 REPORT TO THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON HIGHWAYS" (PDF). AASHTO. May 14, 2015. p. 2. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
4. "Highway 006K between 0 and 0.338". CDOT Online Transportation Information System. Retrieved March 27, 2021.
5. "Highway 006N between 141.818 and 141.993". CDOT Online Transportation Information System. Retrieved March 27, 2021.
6. "Highway 006E between 149.718 and 174.541". CDOT Online Transportation Information System. Retrieved March 27, 2021.
7. "Highway 006I between 343.519 and 346.697". CDOT Online Transportation Information System. Retrieved March 28, 2021.

External links

Template:Attached KML/U.S. Route 6 in Colorado

KML is from Wikidata

Colorado Highways: US 6

U.S. Route 6
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