Interstate 270 East

U.S. 36 (Denver-Boulder Turnpike) transitions into Interstate 270 east on the overpass carrying eastbound motorists above Interstate 25. A loop ramp (Exit 0) follows for I-25 north to Thornton, Northglenn and Fort Collins.

08/11/16

Costing $4.8 million, the 1,400 foot long flyover from I-25 south to I-270 east opened to traffic on November 23, 2005.¹ A weaving traffic pattern ensues for motorists bound for adjacent Exit 1 for Interstate 76 east.

08/11/16

Interstate 270 spans Washington Street ahead of the separation with Exit 1 for Interstate 76 east to north Commerce City, Brighton and Fort Morgan.

08/11/16

Two mainline exits remain along the freeway beyond Interstate 76. Interstate 270 crosses the South Platte River into Commerce City in 1.5 miles.

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I-76 east combines with U.S. 6 and U.S. 85 through industrial areas of north Commerce City. U.S. 85 splits with the freeway to Brighton while I-76 and U.S. 6 continue together to Sterling.

08/11/16

The 2,200 foot long flyover shuttling motorists high above I-270 onto Interstate 76 east opened to traffic in 2008. It was the first bridge in the Denver area to use an automated de-cing system.²

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Reassurance marker for Interstate 270 east posted ahead of the York Street overpass.

08/11/16

A half diamond interchange adds traffic from York Street to I-270 eastbound ahead of this shield assembly. Traffic counts recorded by CDOT in 2015 increased beyond the on-ramp by 5,000 to 101,000 vehicles per day on this stretch.

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The two lane bridges over the South Platte River were completed by 1970. The South Platte River flows northeast from Denver, mostly along the I-76 corridor, to Big Springs, Nebraska.

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Interstate 270 bee lines southeast from the bridge over Burlington Ditch one mile to the cloverleaf interchange (Exits 2A/B) with U.S. 6-85/SH 2 (Vasquez Boulevard).

08/11/16

Interstate 270 concludes 3.75 miles ahead at succeeding off-ramps for Quebec Street and I-70 east and Central Park Boulevard.

08/11/16

The Denver skyline comes into view from a viaduct taking I-270 over SH 265 (Brighton Boulevard), BNSF and Union Pacific Railroad lines.

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Forthcoming Exit 2A connects with Colorado Boulevard (SH 2) south into the Northeast Park Hill neighborhood of Denver. SH 2 lines Colorado Boulevard south 9.84 miles from U.S. 6-85 (Vasquez Boulevard) to end at U.S. 285 at Cherry Hills Village.

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Vasquez Boulevard carries U.S. 6/85 southwest to the Elyria Swansea community of north Denver. The two routes combine with Interstate 70 west to I-25 along a hidden concurrency.

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Exit 2B loops away from I-270 east for Vasquez Boulevard north through Commerce City. SH 2 branches northeast from U.S. 6-85 nearby to follow old U.S. 6 along the BNSF Railroad. U.S. 6/85 continue through an industrial area to the Norwood Park community and I-76 east.

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The remainder of Interstate 270 east runs alongside Sand Creek to the wye interchange with Interstate 70 eastbound.

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Exit 4 departs one mile ahead for Quebec Street. Quebec Street(former SH 35) was to be a freeway corridor, starting at I-270 and continuing south via the former Stapleton International Airport to 6th Avenue. Only a portion of the freeway, including the Smith Road interchange, was constructed. The rest was never built and dropped following the decommissioning of SH 35 and closure of Stapleton Airport.

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Rocky Mountain Arsenal was closed as a military facility and repurposed as a National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge spreads east of Quebec Parkway and north of 56th Avenue in Adams County.

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Dick's Sporting Goods Park, home of the Colorado Rapids MLS franchise, is located in the Prairie Gateway area north of 56th Avenue and east of Quebec Street.

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Interests to Denver International Airport (DEN) are directed eastward onto Interstate 70. The terminal of Stapleton Airport was previously located south of Interstates 70 and 270 along Quebec Street.

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Quebec Street arcs northeast to Northfield Boulevard along the Stapleton development in north Denver. The street runs along the Commerce City line northward from there to 56th Avenue. Central Park Boulevard follows northward through Stapleton via Exit 5.

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Eastbound Interstate 270 reaches the loop ramp (Exit 4) for Quebec Street. Quebec Street meets I-70 just to the south at Northeast Park Hill in Denver.

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Two lanes continue east across Interstate 70 to split with ramps for Central Park Boulevard (Exit 5) and the freeway mainline through industrial areas of Stapleton.

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Interstate 70 is a heavily traveled freeway across north Denver. CDOT recorded 152,000 vpd at I-270 in 2015.

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Exit 5 links the east end of I-270 with the adjacent diamond interchange joining Interstate 70 with Central Park Boulevard. Costing $50 million, the exchange opened to traffic on October 31, 2011.³

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An end Interstate 270 shield stands above the off-ramp (Exit 279) from I-70 to Central Park Boulevard. U.S. 36 joins I-70 but remains unsigned to Exit 292.

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Merging onto Interstate 70 east at the Central Park Boulevard overpass. The overpass carries six lanes of traffic along with 12 foot wide sidewalks and bicycle lanes. Central Park Boulevard comprises a major arterial through the Stapleton residential community and the Northfield retail area.³

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The 0.923 mile extension of I-270 (Route 270B) was initially signed as Future I-270. The pull through panel for Aurora and Limon was eventually swapped out with a half mile sign for I-76 east (Exit 1).

08/27/04

Approaching the South Platte River along Interstate 270 eastbound. U.S. 36 is not acknowledged along the mainline freeway.

08/27/04

Replaced guide sign for Vasquez Boulevard, U.S. 85 and SH 2. A new overhead added U.S. 6 for Exits 2A/B.

08/27/04

Interstate 270 ends 1.25 miles ahead of the Havana Street off-ramp (Exit 280) from I-70 east. The Central Park Boulevard interchange was added here by 2011.

08/27/04