Origin
Boulder, CO
Late night in Boulder on Tuesday
Local time
2:06 AM
MDT
Current temp
53°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Boulder, CO to Broomfield, CO
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
19m
Distance
13.1 mi
21 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 17m
★
6 AM
0h 19m
8 AM
0h 22m
10 AM
0h 20m
12 PM
0h 20m
3 PM
0h 20m
5 PM
0h 22m
8 PM
0h 18m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Boulder, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Broomfield, CO
Owen.outdoors
Trip Overview
Spanning just 13.1 miles, the journey from Boulder to Broomfield is a quick 17-minute commute that keeps you firmly within the Mountain West region of Colorado. Because this trip is so brief, it is perfectly suited for a single-day outing, requiring no overnight stays or complex logistics. You can expect to spend roughly $2 on fuel for the entire transit, making it an incredibly budget-friendly option. Navigating this route involves sticking to local thoroughfares rather than major interstate systems. It is an ideal choice if you need a straightforward, hassle-free transition between these two Colorado hubs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Denver–Boulder Turnpike | 10.3 mi | 12m |
| 28th Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Arapahoe Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| CO 121 | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| West Midway Boulevard | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Nickel Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| West 3rd Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| US 287 | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
— 10.3 mi, about 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Boulder, CO and Broomfield, CO.
1
Start on this road
87 ft
·
6 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto 19th Street
143 ft
·
13 sec
·
19th Street
3
Turn left onto Arapahoe Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Arapahoe Avenue
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
4
Turn right onto US 36
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
28th Street
5
Turn straight onto US 36
3.4 mi
·
4 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36
1.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
7
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
8
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36
2.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
9
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36
0.2 mi
·
15 sec
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
10
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
48 sec
Toward CO 121: Wadsworth Parkway
Use the slight right lane.
11
Turn left onto CO 121
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
CO 121
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
12
Continue on US 287
204 ft
·
5 sec
·
US 287
13
Turn right onto West Midway Boulevard
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
West Midway Boulevard
Use the right lane.
14
Turn right onto Nickel Street
0.1 mi
·
22 sec
·
Nickel Street
Use the right lane.
15
Turn left onto West 3rd Avenue
273 ft
·
17 sec
·
West 3rd Avenue
Use the left lane.
16
Turn left
192 ft
·
14 sec
17
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 145 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 13 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Arapahoe Avenue
Turn left onto Arapahoe Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
6
11.7 mi into trip
|
~15m in
Take the exit toward CO 121: Wadsworth Parkway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward CO 121: Wadsworth Parkway
5
12.7 mi into trip
|
~17m in
|
West Midway Boulevard
Turn right onto West Midway Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
12.9 mi into trip
|
~18m in
|
Nickel Street
Turn right onto Nickel Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
13 mi into trip
|
~18m in
|
West 3rd Avenue
Turn left onto West 3rd Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.97 one way
$3.95 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
5 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $2.09 | $4.18 |
| premium | $4.39 | $2.27 | $4.53 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.89 | $5.78 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.70
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
(10 mi)
$0.70
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Tolls
$1
Total
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.9 | 0 | $1.38 | $0.63 |
| Efficient EV | 3.3 | 0 | $1.15 | $0.52 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5.2 | 0 | $1.83 | $0.84 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Broomfield, CO
Late night in Broomfield on Tuesday
Local time
2:06 AM
MDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
3 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
19m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is defined by its turn-heavy local nature, requiring you to navigate through city streets rather than cruising on an open highway. With a highway share of 0%, your time behind the wheel is spent entirely on surface roads like 19th Street, Arapahoe Avenue, and 28th Street. Expect a technical, active driving experience where you will be managing frequent intersections and local traffic patterns. Since there are no long, uninterrupted stretches, you should stay alert as the road requires constant attention and frequent adjustments. It is a practical, utilitarian route that prioritizes direct movement over scenic interstate speed.
83% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 10.3 mi on Denver–Boulder Turnpike.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Denver–Boulder Turnpike and 28th Street. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Arapahoe Avenue.
Driving Effort
9/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 14 decision points packed into just 13.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 19m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Arapahoe Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 11.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 12.7 miles (West Midway Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving in Broomfield, CO
Full guide →Founded 2001
Broomfield is a combined city and county of about 77,000 in the Denver Metropolitan Area of the western U.S. state of Colorado. Broomfield lies 14 miles (23 km) northwest of Denver and 12 miles (19 km) southeast of Boulder. The only other combined city and county in Colorado is the City and County of Denver, the state capital.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 19m. Total distance: 13.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
19m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (83%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 10.3 miles on Denver–Boulder Turnpike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.70 in tolls one way, starting with Denver–Boulder Turnpike. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Broomfield, CO before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Arapahoe Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 11.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 12.7 miles (West Midway Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Broomfield, CO before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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