U.S. Route 34 in Colorado

This article is about the section of U.S. Route 34 in Colorado. For the entire route, see U.S. Route 34.

U.S. Route 34 marker

U.S. Route 34
Route information
Maintained by CDOT
Length: 259.529 mi[1] (417.671 km)
Existed: 1972[2] – present
Major junctions
West end: US 40 in Granby
  US 36 in Estes Park
US 287 in Loveland
I-25 / US 87 near Loveland
US 85 in Greeley
US 6 / I-76 in Fort Morgan
US 385 in Wray
East end: US 34 near Laird
Highway system
Colorado State Highways
← SH 30SH 35 →

U.S. Route 34 in Colorado is a segment of U.S. Route 34. Its west end is at U.S. Highway 40 in Granby and its east end is at the Nebraska border east of Laird, Colorado.

Route description

View of US 34 in Rocky Mountain National Park, at an altitude above 11,000 feet

Granby to Rocky Mountain National Park

The route begins in Granby at US 40. It then follows the Colorado River Valley near Granby Lake and enters Arapaho National Recreational Area.[3]

Trail Ridge Road

Main article: Trail Ridge Road

After entering Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado's Front Range, US 34 follows the North Fork Colorado River through Kawuneeche Valley. It passes over Milner Pass and reaches the Alpine Visitor Center. Then it continues east, passing its highest point at 12,183 feet[4] near the Gore Range. It exits the park at US 36 at Deer Ridge Junction.

US 34 here is the highest continuous highway in the United States.[4]

This section of US 34 requires a $30 national park entrance fee, making this segment into a toll road.

Estes Park to Loveland

From here, it passes by Estes Park as Eisenhower Boulevard, has a business route and enters Loveland, becoming a four-lane expressway. Here, it intersects I-25 and U.S. Highway 287.

Greeley to Nebraska border

At Greeley, it passes by U.S. Highway 85 in a complex interchange[2] and U.S. 34 Business, and crosses the South Platte River. It also has an interchange with SH 257.[5] From here, it is no longer an expressway. It intersects SH 144 and SH 39, then joins I-76 at Wiggins. It leaves, and follows the North Fork Republican River east into Nebraska, where it intersects SH 71, SH 52, SH 63, SH 61, SH 59, and U.S. Highway 385.

History

Parts of the route were originally designated as US 38. US 34 was extended into Colorado in 1939.[2]

Major intersections

CountyLocationmi[1]kmDestinationsNotes
GrandGranby0.0000.000 US 40 – Granby, Denver, Hot Sulphur Springs, Salt LakeWest end of route
Grand Lake14.68323.630West Portal Road – Grand Lake and Villageformer SH 278
LarimerDeer Ridge Junction (RMNP)53.75886.515 US 36 east – Moraine Park, Bear Lake, Estes Park
Rocky Mountain National Park55.54689.393Old Fall River Road – Endovalley
57.68692.837Fall River Entrance Station
Estes Park60.96598.114
US 34 Bus. east (Elkhorn Avenue)
62.08199.910MacGregor Avenue – Devils Gulch, Glen Havenformer SH 262
62.507100.595
US 36 / US 34 Bus. west (Elkhorn Avenue / St. Vrain Avenue) to SH 7 – Lyons
Drake75.584121.641 CR 43 – Glen Havenformer SH 262
​85.617137.787 CR 27 – Masonvilleformer SH 186
Loveland91.924147.937 US 287 south (Cleveland Avenue) – Longmont, Central Business District
92.009148.074
96.250154.899 I-25 (US 87) – Denver, Fort Collins
WeldGreeley102.476164.919
US 34 Bus. east (10th Street) – Greeley		Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
102.804165.447 SH 257 – Windsor, Milliken
111.233179.01223rd Avenue / 27th Street
112.772181.489
US 85 south / US 85 Bus. north (8th Avenue) – Denver, Greeley		West end of US 85 overlap
113.136182.075 US 85 north – CheyenneEast end of US 85 overlap
​115.411185.736
US 34 Bus. west
​117.251188.697 CR 49 – Hudson, Keenesburgformer SH 37 south
Kersey119.178191.798 CR 53 / 1st Street – Kerseyformer SH 37 north
Morgan​144.470232.502 SH 144 – Orchard, Jackson Lake State Park
​149.164240.056 SH 39 / SH 52 – Goodrich, Wiggins
​149.345
66.288		240.347
106.680		 I-76 west (US 6 west) – DenverWestbound exit and eastbound entrance; western end of I-76 overlap
​73.130117.691Long Bridge RoadI-76 exit 73; former SH 144
​75.704
158.794		121.834
255.554		 I-76 east (US 6 east)Eastern end of I-76 overlap
Fort Morgan162.962262.262 SH 52 north (Main Street) to I-76
Brush172.414277.473 SH 71 north (Colorado Avenue) to I-76West end of SH 71 overlap
​173.570279.334 SH 71 south – Last Chance, Limon
​173.852279.788 To US 6 / I-76 – Sterling
WashingtonAkron196.336315.972 SH 63 (Cedar Avenue) – Sterling, Anton
Otis209.305336.844 SH 61 north (Dade Street) – Sterling
YumaYuma223.345359.439 SH 59 (Detroit Street) – Haxtun
Wray249.931402.225 US 385 (Dexter Street) – Holyoke
​259.529417.671 US 34 eastNebraska state line
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Estes Park business loop


U.S. Route 34 Business
Location: Estes Park
Length: 1.690 mi[6] (2.720 km)
Existed: 1964[7]–present

U.S. Highway 34 Business serves Estes Park, Colorado. Both of its termini are at US 34. The business route splits from the main route east of the Rocky Mountain National Park Fall River Entrance Station,[8] in the western city limits of Estes Park and enters town on West Elkhorn Avenue. The main route continues around the northern edge of Estes park on Wonderview Avenue, passing a large number of motels. At Moraine Avenue, It joins US 36 in downtown Estes Park. It returns to US 34 after about 1.7 miles (2.7 km) at an intersection with Wonderview Avenue, Big Thompson Avenue, and North St. Vrain Avenue. The business route was established in 1964.[7]

Entrance sign for Estes Park

The entire route is in Estes Park, Larimer County.

mi[1]kmDestinationsNotes
0.0000.000 US 34Western terminus
1.3062.102 US 36West end of US 36 overlap
1.6902.720 US 34 / US 36Eastern terminus; east end of US 36 overlap
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References

Route map: Bing / Google

KML is from Wikidata
  1. 1 2 3 "Segment Descriptions for Highway 34". Colorado Department of Transportation. Retrieved 2010-03-17.
  2. 1 2 3 Salek, Matthew E. (January 30, 2010). "Colorado US 34". Retrieved March 17, 2010.
  3. ↑ The United States (Map). National Geographic. October 2006.
  4. 1 2 "Destinations: Trail Ridge Road, Colorado". Retrieved March 30, 2010.
  5. ↑ "Interchange Information for Highway 034". Retrieved March 30, 2010.
  6. ↑ "Segment Descriptions for Highway 34". Colorado Department of Transportation. Retrieved 2010-03-24.
  7. 1 2 Salek, Matthew E. (January 30, 2010). "Colo Hwys: US and SH Business Routes". Retrieved March 24, 2010.
  8. ↑ Sanderson, Dale (January 1, 2009). "Highway signs and endpoints in Estes Park". Retrieved March 25, 2010.
U.S. Route 34
Previous state:
Terminus		 Colorado Next state:
Nebraska
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