Peña Boulevard
Encyclopedia
Federico Peña Boulevard, named for former Denver Mayor Federico Peña
, is a 11.1 miles (17.9 km) long freeway located in Adams County
and the City and County of Denver, Colorado
. The freeway, which opened in 1993, provides the only access into the Denver International Airport
which opened at the same time. Peña Boulevard begins as an extension of Airport Boulevard in Aurora
at an interchange with Interstate 70
(I-70) and travels north, then east to an end at the airport, with an intermediate interchange with the E-470
tollway.
with I-70 in Aurora as a continuation of Airport Boulevard. The highway passes into the Gateway neighborhood of Denver, intersecting East 40th Avenue, which provides access to eastbound I-70 for travelers leaving the airport. Continuing north, an intersection with Green Valley Ranch Boulevard provides access to the like named neighborhood to the east of the freeway. East 56th Avenue is the final exit along Peña Boulevard before it turns east near the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge
, and intersects Tower Road, which is home to several airport hotels. A full cloverleaf interchange
with the tolled E-470
provides an alternate route to I-70 for travelers wishing to bypass Denver, and has a 5 mph (2.2 m/s) higher speed limit than Peña Boulevard. The interchange with E-470 is the easternmost exit before entering the Denver International Airport. Once inside of the airport grounds, the freeway intersects the car rental return area, and comes to an end near the parking garages and terminal access roads.
The segment of the freeway between I-70 and E-470 is listed on the National Highway System
(NHS), a system of roads that are important to the nation's economy, defense and mobility. The portion between E-470 and the airport is listed as a NHS Intermodal Connector.
s living in the right-of-way near the interchange
at 56th Avenue. Ten-thousand people were employed during the construction of the airport and the connecting freeway. Originally the toll booths that served the parking lots were located 3.5 mi (5.6 km) from the entrance to the airport causing delays for persons just dropping off people at the airport. The toll booth was removed in 2000, and new booths were installed next to the actual exits from the airport parking garages. Peña Boulevard is named for the former mayor
of Denver, Federico Peña
, who was very influential in bringing about the construction of Denver International Airport
.
Federico Peña
Federico Fabian Peña is a former United States Secretary of Transportation from 1993 to 1997 and United States Secretary of Energy from 1997 to 1998, during the presidency of Bill Clinton....
, is a 11.1 miles (17.9 km) long freeway located in Adams County
Adams County, Colorado
Adams County is the fifth most populous of the 64 counties of the state of Colorado of the United States. The United States Census Bureau estimates that the county population was 441,603 in 2010 census, a 21.4% increase since 2000 census. Adams County is named for Alva Adams, Governor of the...
and the City and County of Denver, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
. The freeway, which opened in 1993, provides the only access into the Denver International Airport
Denver International Airport
Denver International Airport , often referred to as DIA, is an airport in Denver, Colorado. By land size, at , it is the largest international airport in the United States, and the third largest international airport in the world after King Fahd International Airport and Montréal-Mirabel...
which opened at the same time. Peña Boulevard begins as an extension of Airport Boulevard in Aurora
Aurora, Colorado
City of Aurora is a Home Rule Municipality spanning Arapahoe, Adams, and Douglas counties in Colorado. Aurora is an eastern suburb of the Denver-Aurora-Broomfield, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area . The city is the third most populous city in the Colorado and the 56th most populous city in the...
at an interchange with Interstate 70
Interstate 70 in Colorado
Interstate 70 is a transcontinental Interstate Highway in the United States, stretching from Cove Fort, Utah to Baltimore, Maryland. In Colorado, the highway traverses an east–west route across the center of the state. In western Colorado, the highway connects the metropolitan areas of Grand...
(I-70) and travels north, then east to an end at the airport, with an intermediate interchange with the E-470
E-470
E-470 is a 46-mile limited-access tollway traversing the eastern portion of the Denver-Aurora Metropolitan Area in Colorado. The toll road is not a state highway, but is instead maintained by the E-470 Public Highway Authority.-Route description:...
tollway.
Route description
Peña Boulevard begins at an interchangeInterchange (road)
In the field of road transport, an interchange is a road junction that typically uses grade separation, and one or more ramps, to permit traffic on at least one highway to pass through the junction without directly crossing any other traffic stream. It differs from a standard intersection, at which...
with I-70 in Aurora as a continuation of Airport Boulevard. The highway passes into the Gateway neighborhood of Denver, intersecting East 40th Avenue, which provides access to eastbound I-70 for travelers leaving the airport. Continuing north, an intersection with Green Valley Ranch Boulevard provides access to the like named neighborhood to the east of the freeway. East 56th Avenue is the final exit along Peña Boulevard before it turns east near the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge
Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge
The Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge is a United States National Wildlife Refuge located adjacent to Commerce City, Colorado, approximately northeast of downtown Denver...
, and intersects Tower Road, which is home to several airport hotels. A full cloverleaf interchange
Cloverleaf interchange
A cloverleaf interchange is a two-level interchange in which left turns, reverse direction in left-driving regions, are handled by ramp roads...
with the tolled E-470
E-470
E-470 is a 46-mile limited-access tollway traversing the eastern portion of the Denver-Aurora Metropolitan Area in Colorado. The toll road is not a state highway, but is instead maintained by the E-470 Public Highway Authority.-Route description:...
provides an alternate route to I-70 for travelers wishing to bypass Denver, and has a 5 mph (2.2 m/s) higher speed limit than Peña Boulevard. The interchange with E-470 is the easternmost exit before entering the Denver International Airport. Once inside of the airport grounds, the freeway intersects the car rental return area, and comes to an end near the parking garages and terminal access roads.
The segment of the freeway between I-70 and E-470 is listed on the National Highway System
National Highway System (United States)
The National Highway System is a network of strategic highways within the United States, including the Interstate Highway System and other roads serving major airports, ports, rail or truck terminals, railway stations, pipeline terminals and other strategic transport facilities.Individual states...
(NHS), a system of roads that are important to the nation's economy, defense and mobility. The portion between E-470 and the airport is listed as a NHS Intermodal Connector.
History
Construction on the $18 million (equivalent to $ million in ) freeway, which opened in 1993, was halted for 6 weeks during Summer 1992 due to a family of Burrowing OwlBurrowing Owl
The Burrowing Owl is a tiny but long-legged owl found throughout open landscapes of North and South America. Burrowing Owls can be found in grasslands, rangelands, agricultural areas, deserts, or any other open dry area with low vegetation. They nest and roost in burrows, such as those excavated...
s living in the right-of-way near the interchange
Interchange (road)
In the field of road transport, an interchange is a road junction that typically uses grade separation, and one or more ramps, to permit traffic on at least one highway to pass through the junction without directly crossing any other traffic stream. It differs from a standard intersection, at which...
at 56th Avenue. Ten-thousand people were employed during the construction of the airport and the connecting freeway. Originally the toll booths that served the parking lots were located 3.5 mi (5.6 km) from the entrance to the airport causing delays for persons just dropping off people at the airport. The toll booth was removed in 2000, and new booths were installed next to the actual exits from the airport parking garages. Peña Boulevard is named for the former mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Denver, Federico Peña
Federico Peña
Federico Fabian Peña is a former United States Secretary of Transportation from 1993 to 1997 and United States Secretary of Energy from 1997 to 1998, during the presidency of Bill Clinton....
, who was very influential in bringing about the construction of Denver International Airport
Denver International Airport
Denver International Airport , often referred to as DIA, is an airport in Denver, Colorado. By land size, at , it is the largest international airport in the United States, and the third largest international airport in the world after King Fahd International Airport and Montréal-Mirabel...
.