U.S. Route 285 in Colorado

U.S. Route 285 (US 285) is the section north-south highway in Colorado that starts at the New Mexico state line and ends at I-25, US 87, and SH 30 in Denver.

U.S. Highway 285 marker
U.S. Highway 285
Map
US 285 highlighted in red
Route information
Auxiliary route of US 85
Maintained by CDOT
Length263.87 mi[1] (424.66 km)
Major junctions
South end US 285 at the New Mexico state line
Major intersections
North end I-25 / US 87 / SH 30 in Denver
Location
CountryUnited States
StateColorado
CountiesConejos, Alamosa, Rio Grande, Saguache, Chaffee, Park, Jefferson, Arapahoe, Denver
Highway system
  • Colorado State Highway System
I-270 US 287

Route description

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US 285 southbound past its northern terminus at I-25/US 87 and SH 30 in Denver

Heading north from the Colorado border, US 285 passes through the main part of the San Luis Valley, eventually reaching Alamosa. As the highway heads north, it begins to ascend to the northern end of the valley and eventually climbs over Poncha Pass, elevation 9,012 feet (2,747 m), and drops sharply down the other side into the Arkansas River Valley.

The highway brushes Salida and follows the Arkansas River north up the valley, then takes a sharp eastward turn just before the small town of Buena Vista. 285 then climbs over Trout Creek Pass, elevation 9,346 feet (2,849 m), and enters the high-altitude South Park basin.

A few miles north, the highway passes through Fairplay and the historic South Park City site, then reaches its highest elevation: 10,051 feet (3,064 m), at the summit of Red Hill Pass. US 285 then leaves the South Park basin and climbs over Kenosha Pass, elevation 10,001 feet (3,048 m), and skirts the south side of the Mount Evans massif as it descends its way through the foothills range towards Denver.

As the highway leaves the Rocky Mountains and reaches Denver's southwest suburbs, it becomes Hampden Avenue, an important artery in the south Denver metro area, then reaches its northern terminus at I-25. The high speed, dual-carriageway segment of US 285 that aligns with Hampden Avenue in the grid system is locally known as the Hampden Avenue Freeway.

On March 14, 2008 both houses of the Colorado legislature, in a unanimous vote, named the section between Kenosha Pass and C-470 the Ralph Carr Memorial Highway.[2][3]

History

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The short segment between US 50 at Salida and US 24 at Buena Vista closely parallels the original U.S. Route 650,[4] which was designated in 1926, but eliminated in 1936 when US 285 was commissioned along its present extent from Sanderson to Denver, mostly replacing state-numbered highways.

Between Bailey and Como, US 285 mostly follows the route of the Denver, South Park and Pacific Railroad, part of the original narrow gauge transcontinental railroad.

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Junction list

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All exits are unnumbered.

CountyLocationmi[1]kmDestinationsNotes
Conejos0.0000.000 
 
US 285 south – Santa Fe, Tres Piedras
Continuation into New Mexico
Antonito5.2008.369 
 
SH 17 west – Chama
South end of SH 17 concurrency
Romeo12.70720.450 
 
SH 142 east – Manassa, San Acacio
La Jara19.81731.892 
 
SH 136 east – Sanford
20.41832.860 
 
SH 15 west – Capulin, Monte Vista
AlamosaEstrella26.82943.177 
 
SH 368 west
31.25750.303 
 
SH 370 west – Waverly
Alamosa34.10254.882 
 
  US 160 east / SH 17 (Sixth Street east) – Fort Garland
6th St. is a one-way street, outbound access only; north end of SH 17 concurrency; south end of US 160 concurrency
34.17554.999   US 160 / SH 17 (Main Street)Main St. is a one-way street, inbound access only; no southbound access to Main St.
Rio GrandeMonte Vista51.15982.332 
 
 
 
US 160 west (First Avenue west) / SH 15 south (Broadway south) – Del Norte
North end of US 160 concurrency
Rio GrandeSaguache
county line
62.904101.234  SH 112 – Del Norte, Hooper
SaguacheSaguache86.290138.870 
 
SH 114 west – Parlin
Villa Grove100.518161.768 
 
SH 17 south – Moffat, Hooper
ChaffeePoncha Springs126.480203.550 
 
US 50 east – Salida, Cleora, Wellsville, Howard
South end of US 50 concurrency
126.853204.150 
 
US 50 west – Maysville, Monarch, Sargents, Parlin
North end of US 50 concurrency
133.883215.464 
 
SH 291 east – Salida
Johnson Village148.065238.288 
 
US 24 west – Buena Vista
South end of US 24 concurrency
Park161.789260.374 
 
US 24 east – Hartsel
North end of US 24 concurrency
Fairplay181.971292.854 
 
SH 9 south – Garo, Hartsel
South end of SH 9 concurrency
182.989294.492 
 
SH 9 north – Alma Junction, Blue River
North end of SH 9 concurrency
224.537361.357 
 
 
 
CR 43 north (Deer Creek Road) / CR 72 south – Deer Creek, Id-Ra-Ha-Je
Interchange
Jefferson231.000371.758Elk Creek Road – Shaffers CrossingInterchange
Conifer235.316378.704Foxton Road / Kennedy Gulch RoadInterchange
235.945379.717  CR 73 / Pleasant Park Road – EvergreenRight-in/right-out interchange; CR 73 is former SH 73
Main StreetInterchange; northbound exit only
Aspen Park236.659380.866Light Lane
Conifer Town Center Parkway
Northbound signage; right-in/right-out interchange
Southbound signage; interchange
237.062381.514Main Street / Conifer Road
Barkley Road
Northbound signage; right-in/right-out interchange
Southbound signage; right-in/right-out interchange
237.794382.692Meyer Parkway / Conifer Road – Aspen ParkRight-in/right-out interchange
238.877384.435South Turkey Creek RoadInterchange
244.121392.875North Turkey Creek Road – TinytownInterchange
Indian Hills246.167396.167Parmalee Gulch RoadPartial interchange
248.443399.830 
 
 
 
SH 8 east to SH 74 – Morrison, Evergreen
South end of freeway, western terminus of SH-8
250.082402.468  
 
 
 
SH 470 to I-25 / I-70
Cloverleaf interchange; split into separate east (to I-25) and west (to I-70) exits; SH 470 exits 5A-B
Lakewood252.052405.638Simms Street
253.512407.988 
 
SH 391 north (Kipling Street)
Southern terminus of SH 391
255.034410.437  SH 121 (Wadsworth Boulevard)
City and County of Denver256.547412.872 
 
SH 95 north (Sheridan Boulevard)
North end of freeway, southern terminus of SH-95
ArapahoeSheridan258.063415.312  SH 88 (Federal Boulevard)Interchange
258.41415.87Bryant StreetRight-in/right-out interchange; northbound entrance and exit only
259.326417.345  US 85 (Santa Fe Drive)Interchange; split into separate north and south exits southbound
Englewood260.167418.698BroadwayInterchange; former SH 75
261.716421.191 
 
SH 177 south (University Boulevard)
Northern Terminus of SH 177
ArapahoeDenver
county line
EnglewoodDenver line262.688422.755 
 
SH 2 north (Colorado Boulevard)
Southern Terminus of SH-2
City and County of Denver263.874424.664   I-25 (US 87) / SH 30 (Hampden Avenue east)Northern terminus of US 285; I-25 exit 201; highway continues east as SH 30 (Hampden Ave.)
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References

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  1. ^ a b "Highway Data". OTIS - Online Transportation Information System. Colorado DOT. Archived from the original on September 10, 2012. Retrieved September 1, 2017.
  2. ^ "Get your car ready for Carr highway | Politics West". www.politicswest.com. Archived from the original on July 15, 2011. Retrieved January 17, 2022.
  3. ^ "Colorado renames highway to honor Gov. Ralph Carr - Asiaxpress.com - News". Asiaxpress.com. March 17, 2008. Retrieved November 22, 2013.
  4. ^ Sanderson, Dale. "End of US highway 650". US Ends .com. Retrieved October 21, 2014.
  U.S. Route 285
Previous state:
New Mexico
Colorado Next state:
Terminus
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