State Highway 121 - Wadsworth Boulevard

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SH 121 follows South Platte Canyon Road and Wadsworth Boulevard (also called Wadsworth Parkway in some areas) along a 30.83 mile long course mostly through Jefferson County. The state highway begins at the entrance to the Lockheed Martin plant, at the south end of Chatfield State Park and near the Platte Canyon Reservoir naer Kassler Road.

Serving suburban locations, Wadsworth Boulevard varies between four and six lanes north to Bear Valley in Denver. Wadsworth Parkway is heavily traveled by commuters making the connection from U.S. 36 and U.S. 287 south to western areas of Denver, as well as Arvada, Wheat Ridge and Lakewood. Much of SH 121 near Broomfield and Westmister in Jefferson County was reconstructed by the early 2000s. The north end is located at U.S. 287 in Broomfiel, just beyond SH 128 and the exchange with U.S. 36 (Denver-Boulder Turnpike).

North

SH 121 (Wadsworth Boulevard) meets the freeway along U.S. 285 at a diamond interchange along the Lakewood city line. U.S. 285 runs east to Bear Valley in Denver and Englewood and west to the town of Morrison.

07/04/12

SH 121 (Wadsworth Boulevard) north at U.S. 40 (Colfax Avenue) in Lakewood. Colfax Avenue is also Business Loop I-70, but that designation is generally not displayed on intersecting roads.

02/02/02

Heading north by the Wheat Ridge neighborhoods of Hillcrest Heights and Clear Creek Vista, SH 121 advances to the eastbound entrance ramp for both I-70 and I-76.

02/02/02

Wadsworth Boulevard spans Clear Creek as it separates with the eastbound ramps for Denver and Fort Morgan. A loop ramp follows for I-70 west to Golden and Grand Junction.

02/02/02

SH 121 (Interlocken Loop) enters a parclo interchange with U.S. 36 (Denver-Boulder Turnpike) just north of SH 128.

04/23/17

SH 121 spans BNSF Railroad tracks and Industrial Lane ahead of the trumpet interchange with U.S. 287.

04/23/17

South

SH 121 south begins at a trumpet interchange with U.S. 287 in Broomfield, 0.35 miles north of a parclo interchange with U.S. 36 (Denver-Boulder Turnpike).

04/23/17

Spanning a BSNF Railroad line and Industrial Lane, SH 121 (Interlocken Loop) curves southwest to the entrance ramp for U.S. 36 west to Boulder.

04/23/17

U.S. 36 (Denver-Boulder Turnpike) is a limited access freeway extending northwest from I-25/270 at Sherrelwood and Welby to Boulder at the University of Colorado.

04/23/17

East from SH 121, U.S. 36 (Denver-Boulder Turnpike) heads into the city of Westminster.

04/23/17

SH 121 enters a signalized intersection with SH 128 (Interlocken Loop, formerly 120th Avenue) just south of U.S. 36. SH 128 heads west to Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport (BJC) and passes by the Rocky Flats (a former Department of Energy facility that is now a national wildlife refuge) en route to SH 93 (Foothills Road).

08/28/04

This scene looks just south of SH 128 (Interlocken Loop) along what was a previously undeveloped stretch of Wadsworth Parkway.

08/28/04

SH 121 shifts east of Olde Town Arvada on the Wadsworth Bypass to a retail corridor preceding I-70 and I-76.

08/28/04

All traffic bound for I-70 and I-76 east departs in unison from SH 121 south. A flyover carries motorists east to a ramp split for I-70 across north Denver and Aurora and I-76 northeast to Commerce City and Fort Morgan. A grade level ramp joins I-70 west to Wheat Ridge, Golden, Idaho Springs and most mountain destinations and ski resorts.

08/28/04

Continuing south, SH 121 leaves Wheat Ridge and enters Lakewood one mile north of the intersection with Colfax Avenue (Business Loop I-70 and U.S. 40). The business route follows Colfax Avenue west to Golden and east to Downtown Denver and the state capitol.

08/28/04

Advancing to U.S. 6 (6th Avenue) on SH 121 (Wadsworth Boulevard) by the Green Acres neighborhood in the city of Lakewood. Sixth Avenue was a city street that was upgraded to an expressway in the late 1950s, and subsequently brought to freeway standards in stages thereafter.

08/10/14

The 6th Avenue freeway along U.S. 6 provides a fast alternate route between Golden and Denver, avoiding Colfax Avenue and Interstate 70. Frontage roads line both sides of the freeway.

08/10/14

Entering the cloverleaf interchange with U.S. 6 on Wadsworth Boulevard south. The US 6 & Wadsworth Boulevard project will remove three of the four loops, realign the north frontage roads, and add signalized intersections with the realigned ramps.

08/10/14

SH 121 south at the U.S. 6 loop ramp for Villa Park, Barnum and Valverde in Denver. A signalized left turn will replace this ramp.

08/10/14

Wadsworth Boulevard continues south from U.S. 6 as a commercial arterial to 1st Avenue and Fairfield Commons Shopping Center. 1st Avenue heads east to O' Kane Park and west to Mid-Lakewood.

08/10/14

Reassurance marker for SH 121 south after 1st Avenue and ahead of the signal with Ellsworth Avenue and the adjacent retail center.

08/10/14

West Virginia Avenue intersects SH 121 at the Lakewood City Commons retail area, just east of the Lakewood city hall.

08/10/14

South from Lakewood City Commons, Wadsworth Boulevard dips through Weir Gulch at Belmar Park.

08/10/14

SH 121 (Wadsworth Boulevard) south intersects the east end of SH 8 (Morrison Road) near Ward Reservoir #1 and the Westgate neighborhood.

08/10/14

SH 8 (Morrison Road) travels 8.68 miles west to the town of Morrison and south to U.S. 285 near Indian Hills. The state highway follows most of old U.S. 285.

08/10/14

Wadsworth Boulevard lowers from the bluff at Westgate to Bear Creek Greenbelt park.

08/10/14

SH 121 (Wadsworth Boulevard) south separates the Denver city / county line from Lakewood. Yale Avenue heads west from Bear Valley in Denver along the north side of Bear Creek Greenbelt.

08/10/14