State Route 9 in Colorado
| SH 9 | |||
| Get started | Canon City | ||
| End | Kremmling | ||
| Length | 139 mi | ||
| Length | 224 km | ||
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According to Beautyphoon, State Route 9, commonly known as State Highway 9 or SH 9 is a state route in the U.S. state of Colorado. The road forms a north-south route through the Rocky Mountains, from US 50 west of Cañon City to US 40 in Kremmling, via Breckenridge Ski Resort. SH 9 is 224 kilometers long.
Travel directions
The SH 9 near Fairplay.
The SH 9 over Hoosier Pass.
SH 9 begins 15 kilometers west of Cañon City at an intersection with US 50 and then heads northwest. The starting point is at 1,900 meters altitude. The road follows a sparsely populated and dry valley to the northwest and passes over a 2,500 meter high mountain pass. It is easy to drive and has hardly any curves. The mountains in the area are about 3,000 meters high. On the first 100 kilometers to Fairplay there is only one village, Hartsel, where the US 24 crosses.
The part from Hartsel to Fairplay leads through a high valley at 2,700 meters altitude. Here the mountains are further away and the road leads through a dry landscape with few major differences in height. US 285 is crossed in the mining village of Fairplay. The road leads north of Fair Play through an area of higher mountains, first through Alma, the highest town in the United States, and then over the 3,517-foot Hoosier Pass, but just barely rises above the tree line. The highest mountain in the immediate area is the 4,347 meter high Quandary Peak. Then you descend to the ski resort of Breckenridge, which lies at an altitude of 3,000 meters. This area has many hotels and inns with ski runs on both sides of the valley. From Breckenridge to Interstate 70in Frisco the SH 9 has 2×2 lanes at a short distance.
SH 9 is a short stretch between Frisco and Silverthorne with I-70 double-numbered. From Silverthorne, SH 9 heads northwest through a scenic valley surrounded by high mountains. There are no other places up to the end point of Kremmling, but the road does lead past a reservoir. The SH 9 ends in the center of Kremmling on the US 40 at 2,200 meters altitude.
History
SH 9 was one of the original state highways of 1923. At that time, SH 9 ran from Hartley via Fairplay and Breckenridge to Kremmling. In 1939, SH 9 was extended to US 50 west of Cañon City, creating the current route.
At the time, the road was only tarred between the mining villages of Fairplay and Alma, a short distance away. Several parts of SH 9 were paved in the 1940s, but it took until the late 1970s for the southernmost part of the road to be completely paved. In 1971, I-70 opened between Frisco and Silverthorne over which SH 9 was routed.
Skiing has been possible in Breckenridge since the 1960s. It has since developed into one of the most important ski areas in the United States, with the corresponding traffic. Every weekend there is peak traffic from the Denver area to Breckenridge. In 2005, a new line of SH 9 opened around downtown, eliminating Main Street traffic. Later, parts of SH 9 between Breckenridge and Frisco were widened to 2×2 lanes.
Traffic intensities
Every day, 400 to 700 vehicles drive the southernmost section between US 50 and Hartsel and 1,700 vehicles between Hartsel and Fairplay. This rises to 3,700 vehicles over Hoosier Pass, then peaks at 22,000 vehicles on various sections through Breckenridge and Frisco. About 3,000 vehicles a day drive between Silverthorne and Kremmling.
State Route 91 in Colorado
| SR-91 | |||
| Get started | leadville | ||
| End | Copper Mountain | ||
| Length | 23 mi | ||
| Length | 36 km | ||
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State Route 91, commonly known as State Highway 91 or SH 91 is a state route in the U.S. state of Colorado. The road forms a north-south route through the Rocky Mountains, from Leadville to Copper Mountain. SH 91 is 36 kilometers long.
Travel directions
SH 91 branches off from US 24 at Leadville, 3,100 meters above sea level. The road then heads north through a narrow valley surrounded by high mountains with peaks of up to 4,200 meters. The road goes over the easy-to-ride Fremont Pass at 3,450 meters. Next to the pass is a large open mine. The road then descends through a deep valley of high mountains to the ski resort town of Copper Mountain, where SH 91 ends at Interstate 70.
History
SH 91 is one of the original 1920s state highways. The original route was a lot longer and also went over the Loveland Pass to Empire. The road was mostly paved in the late 1930s, except for the highest part of Fremont Pass which was not paved until 1954. From 1938 the entire route became part of US 6. However, in 1941 Vail Pass was completed, leading US 6 along that route from Copper Mountain. Interstate 70 was built over the portion of SH 91 between Copper Mountain and Empire in the late 1960s, shortening the road in 1969 to the current portion between Leadville and Copper Mountain.
SH 91 along with US 24 is the alternate route for I-70 when closed over Vail Pass.
Traffic intensities
Every day 4,200 vehicles use the SH 91.
