Heading into Denver on I-70 question....

[carl2591]

My wife, daughter and MIL will be heading out west this summer to help daughter drive to summer intern job in Longmont Co..

coming from NC they will be heading out on I-40 to Nashville and up to St Louis to I-70 into denver area..

In looking at map i see a toll road (e-470) that misses the downtown stuff on I-70 heading North to Longmont on I-25.

Was wondering what the toll are from I-70 to I-25 and is it worth the effort.

thanks and hope everyone had a nice easter holiday with family and friends.

edit
was checking on website for the e-470 toll road see they use the no toll booth method. when you drive through a toll area it takes a pic of license and send you bill.. but what is out of state tags.. do they still send a bill??

[mnmhays]

Tolls there aren't any worse than most places...we spent $5-6 last year going from Elizabeth to Ft Collins...and they will do a license plate shot that sends you a bill after the fact. So, nothing special needed, just remember to pay the bill...

[Piggy Bank]

Yes take the toll road. It's new. Very little traffic. Little to no construction.

The rest of Denver metro on standard interstates has very heavy traffic and a lot of construction is typical.

Also taking CO 86 from Limon to the south Denver metro is a lovely drive. Two lane blacktop state highway.

[SunniStream]

I would definitely take the toll road. We actually live in Longmont, and utilize it often. I believe that there are three tolls that you would be encountering. They are 2.50 per toll. If we can be of any assistance, feel free to contact me.

[KJRitchie]

How about turning north on 79 at Bennett, east of Denver then west on 52. 66 miles to Longmont from Bennett that way vs 63 miles from Bennett to Longmont via the toll road. Looks to be a nice quiet straight road north then west. I'm not fond of paying tolls.

Kelvin

[mjwcubed]

yes take the tollroad unless you want to see downtown:-) I live between Denver and Longmont, and leverage that toll road often. It will cut off a lot of time, but as one just pointed out - you will miss a ton of traffic, therefore even more time. Well worth it - and better speed limit:-) I often to refer to that portion of road as my own private autobhan:-)

[HighPlainAS]

We live in WY and have taken the toll road on various occasions. Our last bill ran around $16. Living out of state, it took a few weeks before we received the bill. Yes.. they will send you the bill so don't worry about that part of it! We actually had forgotten about getting the statement and bingo...it arrived.
Do take it....far less traffic.

[whysam]

I also live in Longmont. I only use the tollroad when I'm going to the airport, or if I'm really late to something (and then I usually use the part that is on the west side of I25). I find the tolls to be outrageous. I like the suggestion of highway 86 and then 52. Highway 52 comes back to I25 a few miles south of Longmont, but if you head north on I25 to.CO119, then.west into Longmont, that's pretty easy. Of stay on 52 until you get to CO287 (about 5 miles west of I25), then north into Longmont, you'll be on Main Street.

[carl2591]

thank for all the replys.. I despise toll roads as well but there are times when they become a necessary evil. We have a toll road in raleigh I-540 and i avoid it at every turn. It an outer loop for raleigh with most of it as a regular road and the newer sections as toll.. the traffic is night and day with lite traffic on toll and good/high traffic volume on non toll sections.

The internship is at High County MillWorks there in town. (longmont) they make nice high end display units for retail/speciality stores like Micheal Kors, Waterford Crystal etc..

she is there for 2+ months,, late may to july and then head back to school..

[mayco]

I did my intership in Longmont 35 YEARS AGO!! Oh my gosh! Now both my kids live in the area. Youre gonna have a hard time draging her back home once shes lived in Longmont. Great little town and surrounding area. Headed out that way this Sunday from central Illinois. Take the toll road, its fast and easy.
(Boy am I old)

[woodfox45]

I used the toll road many times from Denver to Boulder when we fly. Our son moved out there in 2001 to Boulder we go every summer usually drive I-80 from Ohio across Nebraska .

[ericpeltier]

Welcome from Boulder CO!
I think the toll road still charges per axle, and that small jaunt might cost $15 or so. If I were coming into Denver during the week between 7am and 7pm, I'd be tempted to toll road. Otherwise, it's a fine drive.

Yes, they will track you down and send the bill.

[ericpeltier]

When in Longmont, take a detour to Estes Park and chill out. Nice town. Even better, drive further through the RMNP and camp in Grand Lake. Grand Lake is quieter than Estes.

[Silver.Sanctuary]

Originally Posted by ericpeltier

Welcome from Boulder CO!
I think the toll road still charges per axle, and that small jaunt might cost $15 or so. If I were coming into Denver during the week between 7am and 7pm, I'd be tempted to toll road. Otherwise, it's a fine drive.

Yes, they will track you down and send the bill.

The time of day is really key here. If you can time your trip through Denver on a weekend and especially off hours as noted above, you are wasting your money on the toll road. Weekdays during prime or rush hour traffic the toll road is worth every penny.

[carl2591]

sounds like fun... not doing any camping.. this is a delivery trip.. wife and MIL will drive back or if just wife fly back.

Wife has been with MIL and have driven out and or/back from YellowStone and Glacier when MIL worked for summer 3 times last time in 2010 so they are used to big drives.

Originally Posted by ericpeltier

When in Longmont, take a detour to Estes Park and chill out. Nice town. Even better, drive further through the RMNP and camp in Grand Lake. Grand Lake is quieter than Estes.