Colorado'stransportation consists of a network ofhighway,surface street,rail, andair options. While thepublic transportation system inDenver is much more complex and developed than other parts of the state, tourism and growth have led to extensive needs statewide.
Colorado is a landlocked state, so ground and air transportation are the primary focus of the state. Also, due to low population density outside the Denver and Colorado Springs metropolitan areas, highways are the primary transportation method for most residents.
The main north–south route in Colorado isInterstate 25 (I-25). The I-25 corridor follows the front range of the Colorado Rockies and connects Denver, Colorado Springs,Pueblo,Fort Collins,Greeley,Trinidad, and other small cities.I-70 crosses Colorado from west to east and is a primary viaduct for tourists and locals to visit mountain communities. When it was completed, the section of I-70 passing throughGlenwood Canyon was the most expensive section of Interstate Highway ever built in the United States with a total cost of $490 million for the 12-mile-long (19 km) stretch.[1]
Due towinter weather conditions, sections of I-70 are regularly closed during the winter and are expensive to maintain.
Colorado maintainsstate highways for high-volume travel routes that not part of the two national systems.
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In 2011, Colorado ranked among the five deadliest states for debris/litter–caused vehicle accidents per total number of registered vehicles and population size. Figures derived from theNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) show at least 16 persons in Colorado were killed each year in motor vehicle collisions with non-fixed objects, including debris, dumped litter, animals, and their carcasses.[citation needed]
In theUnited States, including Colorado, most civil aviation incidents are investigated by theNational Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), as well as theColorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI). When investigating an aviation disaster, NTSB investigators piece together evidence from the crash and determine the likely cause(s), whereas the CBI will also investigate if there is any involved criminal actions.
Denver'sRegional Transportation District, known locally as RTD, is the largest public transportation system in Colorado. The RTD system provides bus,light rail, andcommuter rail transportation services in the majority of theDenver-Aurora-Boulder Combined Statistical Area. Through its FasTracks initiative, RTD is working to rapidly build light rail and bus rapid transit.
Other transportation services exist throughout the state. Some systems, such as inColorado Springs, focus on the local area. Other systems, such as theRoaring Fork Transportation Authority (connectingGlenwood Springs,Aspen,Carbondale, andRifle) offer regional connections. Intercity bus service is provided by a number of carriers includingBurlington Trailways,Bustang,Express Arrow, andGreyhound Lines.
Alamosa,Aurora,Boulder,Brush,Berthoud,Colorado Springs,Delta,Denver,Durango,Englewood,Frisco,Fort Collins,Fort Morgan,Glenwood Springs,Grand Junction,Greeley,Lamar,Limon,Longmont,Loveland,Montrose,Pueblo,Rocky Ford,Springfield,Sterling,Trinidad,Vail, andWalsenburg |
Denver International Airport handles the majority of air traffic in Colorado and is the fifth busiest airport in the world.Colorado Springs Airport also handles commercial flights and offers service to national destinations. The majority of other airports in the state handle on regional or private aviation needs.
Centennial Airport, located in Arapahoe County, is one of the busiest general aviation airports in the country and primarily handles private and corporate traffic.
TheUnion PacificCentral Corridor begins north of Denver, passing through theMoffat Tunnel at theContinental Divide.
Denver'sRegional Transportation District operates acommuter rail andlight rail system serving local transit needs.
Amtrak operates two long-distance passenger train routes through Colorado—theCalifornia Zephyr andSouthwest Chief—as well as theWinter Park Express seasonalski train.Front Range Passenger Rail service on theI-25 corridor betweenFort Collins andPueblo is under development.
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