Colorado State Highway 21
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Powers Boulevard | ||||
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Map of El Paso County in central Colorado with SH 16 highlighted in red | ||||
| Route information | ||||
| Maintained by CDOT | ||||
| Length: | 20.56 mi[1] (33.09 km) | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| North end: |
 SH 83 near Black Forest | |||
 US 24 in Colorado Springs | ||||
| South end: |
 SH 16 in Fountain | |||
| Location | ||||
| Counties: | El Paso | |||
| Highway system | ||||
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Colorado State Highways
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State Highway 21 is an expressway in El Paso County, in eastern Colorado Springs. The highway serves as an eastern bypass for the city of Colorado Springs. Officially, the routing is from SH-16(Mesa Ridge Parkway) in the south to Interquest Parkway/SH 83 in the north.
Route description
For most of its routing the highway is a four to six-lane, limited access highway. In the north, it begins as a semi-freeway with a 60 mph speed limit, and becomes a six lane expressway with a 55 mph speed limit in the city of Colorado Springs after Union Boulevard and remains so throughout the entire route. The northern section, from Research Parkway to Interquest Parkway/SH 83 is constructed to interstate highway standards with sufficient right-of-way to construct planned overpasses and on/off-ramps. CDOT completed interchanges and bridges at Union Boulevard and Briargate Parkway in 2013 and an interchange at Old Ranch Road in 2015. Future interchanges at Research Parkway, SH 83 and a future freeway to freeway interchange planned for the SH 21/I-25/Northgate Blvd interchange will be constructed based on the availability of funding and need. The whole routing from I-25 to Proby Parkway is planned as a controlled-access freeway. The southern portion (from Research Parkway) is a limited-access highway with interchanges constructed at Woodmen Road and Platte Ave/US 24. It ends at Mesa Ridge Parkway in Security-Widefield.
History
The route was established on October 1, 2007.[2] When defined, its routing included the entire length of Powers Boulevard.
Junction list
The entire route is in El Paso County.
| Location | mi | km | Exit | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fountain | 131 | 211 | SH 16 west (Mesa Ridge Parkway) – Fountain | Southern terminus; road continues west as SH 16 | |
| Colorado Springs | 139 | 224 | US 24 west (Fountain Boulevard) – Manitou Springs | South end of US 24 overlap | |
| 140 | 230 | Stewart Avenue | Interchange; northbound entrance only | ||
| 141 | 227 | 141 | US 24 east (Platte Avenue) – Limon | Interchange; north end of US 24 overlap | |
| 149 | 240 | 149 | Woodmen Road | Interchange; signed as exits 149A (east) and 149B (west) northbound | |
| 152 | 245 | 151 | Union Boulevard, Briargate Parkway | Interchange | |
| 153 | 246 | — | Old Ranch Road | Interchange | |
| Black Forest | 154 | 248 | SH 83 north (Interquest Parkway) – Colorado Springs, Denver | Northern terminus | |
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
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References
- ↑ "Segment list for SH 21". Retrieved 2007-05-12.
- ↑ Salek, Matthew E. (January 30, 2010). "Colorado Routes 20–39". Retrieved March 3, 2010.