Colorado’s Ten Most Congested Roads and What They’re Costing Us
If you live in Denver, Colorado Springs, or another urban area in Colorado, traffic is an unfortunate part of your daily life. However, traffic congestion isn’t just an issue in the big cities. Roads across the state are plagued by backups caused by car crashes, poor road design, weather, and other factors.
Sitting in traffic on some of the most congested freeways in the U.S. comes at a personal cost.
As of 2025, it was estimated that drivers throughout Colorado experienced the following annual costs due to congestion:
- Colorado Springs drivers lost 54 hours, $1,268, and 21 gallons of fuel
- Denver drivers lost 67 hours, $1,675, and 26 gallons of wasted fuel
- Grand Junction drivers lost 13 hours, $326, and four gallons of fuel
- Northern Colorado motorists lost 25 hours, $639, and nine gallons of fuel
- Pueblo motorists lost 31 hours, $827, and 10 gallons of fuel
These figures are just the estimated costs to individuals and their personal budgets. They don’t account for the costs to businesses, schools, and other entities.
The Ten Most Congested Road Segments in Colorado
The following Colorado highways have previously been identified as some of the most congested roadways and portions of roadways in the entire state. While many serve or are located near major metropolitan areas like Denver, others pass through less populated regions.
They include:
- A 10.8-mile segment of SH 470, from SH 85 to Yosemite Street in Littleton and Lone Tree
- A 9.9-mile segment of I-25 in Denver, from near Hampden Avenue to Speer Boulevard
- A 2.5-mile portion of Parker Road in Aurora, from near Hampden Avenue to Dartmouth Avenue
- A 4.5-mile segment of SH 88 west of I-25 to Parker Road in Greenwood Village and Aurora
- An 8.5-mile portion of I-25 in Lone Tree and Denver, from north of Lincoln Avenue to Hamden Avenue
- 4.6 miles of I-70 in Vail and West Vail, from west of Chamonix Road to Vail Road
- A 2.3-mile segment of SH 85 in Littleton, from near Blakeland Drive to Mineral Avenue
- 1.7 miles of Powers Boulevard in Colorado Springs, beginning north of Fountain Boulevard to Platte Avenue
- A four-mile segment of SH 85 in Englewood and Denver, from Hampden Avenue to I-25
- SH 287 in Westminster, for three miles between SH 36 and 104th Avenue
Altogether, these roads saw approximately one million vehicles per day that year, despite the combined length of all ten segments being approximately 50 miles.
The Dangers of Backed-Up Roadways
Aside from the frustration, lost time, and wasted fuel that those stuck on congested roads face, there’s also a risk of traffic accidents arising from reckless driving. Impatient motorists might be tempted to speed or make illegal lane changes in an effort to get ahead of slower traffic, thereby endangering others on the road.
Other motorists might be distracted by music, electronic devices, or passengers and fail to see traffic slowed or stopped ahead of them. Such distractions can lead to rear-end and multi-vehicle wrecks that cause concussions, whiplash, and back and neck injuries. The threat of a serious or fatal crash increases when drivers are impaired by drugs or alcohol.
Contact Our Denver Car Accident Lawyers at Zaner Law Personal Injury Lawyers for a Free Consultation
Once you know where and when congestion tends to occur throughout Colorado, you can look for alternate routes or other ways to avoid these areas. When this isn’t possible, remember to give yourself additional time to get where you’re going, and always remain alert to your surroundings.
Finally, it’s crucial to be patient and drive defensively. If you do these things, you’ll eventually reach your destination safely. If you need legal help after a crash on one of these roads or anywhere else in Colorado, call the Denver car accident lawyers at Zaner Law Personal Injury Lawyers for a free consultation.
We are located in Denver, CO, proudly serving all of Denver County.
Zaner Law Personal Injury Lawyers
1610 Wynkoop Street, Suite 120
Denver, CO 80202
(720) 613 9706
