The city of Trinidad is the largest in Las Animas County, with 8,329 as of the 2020 Census. Established in the 1860s, Trinidad lies 12 miles north of the New Mexico state line, east of Picketwire Valley and Trinidad Lake and north of Fishers Peak Mesa. I-25/U.S. 85-87 runs through the city, connecting with SH 12 west to the Sangre De Cristo Mountains and U.S. 160 east to the High Plains of Colorado.
Guide signs posted along Interstate 25 formerly referenced a Business Loop northbound at Exit 13 and southbound at Exit 14B. This route was likely locally maintained, and one shield for it remains posted along Santa Fe Trail as of 2021. Business Route 25 followed Santa Fe Trail (old U.S. 85/87) north from Exit 11 to Main Street at Downtown Trinidad. The business loop likely continued along the former route of U.S. 85 on Main Street east and Commercial Street north across the Purgatoire River, where ramps connect with Interstate 25 at Exit 14.
/ Santa Fe Trail - North
Business Loop I-25 follows County Road 69.3 (Santa Fe Trail) north from the exchange along Interstate 25 at Exit 11.
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Replaced with shield referencing Business Loop I-25 instead of Spur in 2018, the lone shield for the Trinidad business loop appears along Santa Fe Trail north of the CDOT weigh station.
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Exit 13A from I-25 northbound connects with Van Buren Street east to Santa Fe Trail. There is no return access, so a trailblazer directs motorists onto Santa Fe Trail north to Main Street at Downtown Trinidad.
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Business Loop I-25 was referenced from I-25 southbound for Exit 14B, which links with Colorado Avenue west ahead of the five point intersection with Arizona Avenue and Commercial Street south.
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Arizona Street previously extended south with two-way traffic across the Purgatoire River to the ramps with I-25 northbound at SH 12 (University Street).
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Commercial Street angles southeast from Arizona and Colorado Avenues to Interstate 25.
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The viaduct system along Interstate 25 extends south from Commercial Street to Main Street (SH 12) in Trinidad.
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Santa Fe Trail (CR 69.3) south of Van Buren Street.
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Santa Fe Trail shifts westward at Moores Canyon Creek.
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Santa Fe Trail runs along the east side of Interstate 25 to the exchange at Exit 11.
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Construction underway from July 2021 to the end of 2022 converts the diamond interchange joining Santa Fe Trail and Interstate 25 into a dumbbell interchange.
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A roundabout replaced the intersection along Santa Fe Trail (CR 69.3) with the access road across Interstate 25 to CR 69.1.
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SH 12 enters Trinidad northeast from Jansen along the Purgatoire River and BNSF Railroad. The state highway follows a stair stepped route along Robinson Avenue east, San Juan Street north, Stonewall Avenue east, Prospect Street north and University Street east. Prior to August 2004,1 SH 12 concluded at a folded diamond interchange (Exit 14A) with I-25/U.S. 85-87 at University Street between State Street and Nevada Avenue. That exchange closed as part of a reconstruction project rebuilding the elevated roadways for Interstate 25 through the city.
Since the ramps at University Street were removed, SH 12 was extended south across the Purgatoire River along Nevada Avenue to Main Street (old U.S. 160/350) at Santa Fe Trail (old U.S. 85/87), and west to the diamond interchange at Exit 13B. The intersection at University Street and Nevada Avenue was converted to a roundabout by 2015.
Main Street west at Oak Street. U.S. 160/350 formerly ran southwest to Downtown Trinidad along Main Street.
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Main Street west at Ash Street.
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Truss arm traffic signal array at Main Street and Maple Street in Downtown Trinidad.
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Commercial Street north to Arizona Avenue is part of the historical route for U.S. 85 through Trinidad. U.S. 85 also followed Main Street west to Santa Fe Trail south.
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SH 12 ties into Main Street from Nevada Avenue to the north as Business Loop I-25 turned south onto Santa Fe Trail.
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East
Eastbound SH 12 joins Main Street west to the diamond interchange with Interstate 25 at Exit 13B.
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SH 12 ends at Interstate 25.
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- Colorado Highways: Routes 1 to 19 (Matt Salek).
http://mesalek.com/ colo/r1-19.html.
Photo Credits:
04/28/17 by AARoads
Page Updated 01-28-2022.