State Route 128 and 13 in Colorado

State Route 128 in Colorado

According to topschoolsintheusa, State Route 128, commonly known as State Highway 128 or SH 128 is a state route in the U.S. state of Colorado. The road forms an east-west route through the north of the Denver metropolitan area and consists of two parts with a combined length of 16 kilometers.

Travel directions

State Highway 128 in Broomfield, near US 287.

SH 128 is formed by 120th Avenue. The western starting point is on SH 93 south of Boulder, the eastern terminus is at the junction with Interstate 25 in Westminster. SH 128 is cut halfway through, there is a short physical break in Broomfield, and a portion of 120th Avenue through Broomfield is numbered US 287. The western part varies from single-lane to double-lane with 2×2 lanes, the eastern part is a major urban arterial with 2×3 lanes.

History

SH 128 is one of the original state highways from the 1920s. The road was originally 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) between Federal Boulevard (current US 287) and Washington Street (then US 85). At the time, this area was rural, still well north of Denver. In 1965, SH 128 was extended west from US 36 to Indiana Street and continued to SH 93 in 1967. Portions of the route were later upgraded to urban arterial.

The situation in Broomfield is complex due to the convergence of US 36 and US 287 and some busy connections. Circa 2011, the road was physically constructed between Wadsworth Parkway and Wadsworth Boulevard with an overpass over US 36. Later, the link between Wadsworth Boulevard and US 287 was constructed.

Traffic intensities

4,000 vehicles travel daily on SH 93, rising rapidly east to 10,000 to 20,000 vehicles in Broomfield. The eastern section handles 38,000 vehicles per day, increasing to 57,000 vehicles at the junction with I-25.

State Route 13 in Colorado

State Route 13, commonly known as State Highway 13 or SH 13 is a state route in the U.S. state of Colorado. The road forms a north-south route in the northwest part of the state, from Interstate 70 at Rifle through Meeker and Craig to the Wyoming state border near Baggs. SH 13 is 206 kilometers long.

Travel directions

The SH 13 between Rifle and Meeker.

Road number plates of the SH 13 and SH 64 at Meeker.

In the town of Rifle, SH 13 begins at a junction with Interstate 70, more than 250 miles west of Denver. The road then heads 60 kilometers north to Meeker, through a narrow and very elongated valley. The road here runs between 1,600 and 2,200 meters above sea level, but has no clear mountain pass. From Meeker, SH 13 heads north through mountainous terrain over an approximately 2,300 m high mountain pass, through an area that is quite dry. The mountains are partly barren. Through a number of canyons you reach Craig, a small but regional center in northwestern Colorado. Through Craig, SH 13 has five lanes including center turn lane and there is US 40double numbered. The final section from Craig heads north over a plateau at 2,000m, just west of a mountain range with peaks up to 3,300m. This area is quite barren. This is followed by the border with the state of Wyoming, after which State Route 789 in Wyoming continues to Baggs and Interstate 80 in Wyoming.

History

SH 13 was one of the original state highways of the early 1920s. The road has always run between Rifle and the Wyoming state border. The road was paved in the 1930’s and 1940’s and was completely paved by 1946.

SH 13 has some through importance as a connection between I-70 and I-80, although there is no clear north-south route connecting both I-70 and I-80, limiting through traffic. Rifle, Meeker and Craig are small towns, actually large villages, but they are the only towns of size in the wider area. SH 13 is the main north-south route in this area, mainly due to the lack of alternative roads.

The route was originally proposed as part of US 789, which was to run from the Mexico border at Nogales, Arizona, to the Canada border at Sweetgrass, Montana. However, the number was rejected by AASHTO, although US 89 was later developed, which ran a bit more west and never passed through Colorado.

Traffic intensities

Typically 2,000 to 3,000 vehicles travel between towns each day, with peaks of 14,000 vehicles in Rifle, 7,000 vehicles in Meeker and 5,000 vehicles in Craig. The section between Craig and the Wyoming border handles 1,000 vehicles per day.