Origin
Boulder, CO
Late night in Boulder on Tuesday
Local time
3:07 AM
MDT
Current temp
53°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Boulder, CO to Westminster, 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
27m
Distance
19 mi
31 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 25m
★
6 AM
0h 27m
8 AM
0h 32m
10 AM
0h 29m
12 PM
0h 28m
3 PM
0h 29m
5 PM
0h 32m
8 PM
0h 26m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Boulder, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Westminster, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This quick 19-mile drive from Boulder to Westminster, Colorado, is easily manageable in about 27 minutes. Primarily using the Denver–Boulder Turnpike, Sheridan Boulevard, and 28th Street, it's a straightforward trip. With a highway share of 78%, you'll experience a highway-focused drive that's perfect for a single day trip, requiring no overnight stops. Expect to spend around $3 on fuel for this journey. Both Boulder and Westminster are situated within the Mountain West region of Colorado, offering a familiar landscape throughout.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Denver–Boulder Turnpike | 14.9 mi | 17m |
| Sheridan Boulevard | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| 28th Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Arapahoe Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| West 78th Avenue | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| West 80th Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Stuart Place | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Newton Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
— 14.9 mi, about 17m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Boulder, CO and Westminster, 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
2.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
10
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
11
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36
0.8 mi
·
53 sec
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Toward CO 95 South: Sheridan Boulevard
Use the slight right lane.
13
Turn right onto CO 95
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Sheridan Boulevard
14
Turn left onto West 80th Avenue
0.3 mi
·
53 sec
·
West 80th Avenue
Use the left lane.
15
Turn right onto Stuart Place
0.3 mi
·
49 sec
·
Stuart Place
16
Turn slight left onto West 78th Avenue
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
West 78th Avenue
17
Turn right onto Newton Street
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
Newton Street
18
Arrive at destination
Newton Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 155 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 17.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
19th Street
Turn right onto 19th Street
Navigation decision point
6
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Arapahoe Avenue
Turn left onto Arapahoe Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
4
4.8 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
US 36 / Denver–Boulder Turnpike
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36 / Denver–Boulder Turnpike
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
6
16.3 mi into trip
|
~20m in
Take the exit toward CO 95 South: Sheridan Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward CO 95 South: Sheridan Boulevard
6
17.9 mi into trip
|
~23m in
|
West 80th Avenue
Turn left onto West 80th Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.86 one way
$5.73 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $3.03 | $6.06 |
| premium | $4.39 | $3.29 | $6.57 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.19 | $8.39 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.04
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
(14.9 mi)
$1.04
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Tolls
$1
Total
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.7 | 0 | $1.99 | $0.91 |
| Efficient EV | 4.8 | 0 | $1.66 | $0.76 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.6 | 0 | $2.66 | $1.22 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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
Westminster, CO
Late night in Westminster on Tuesday
Local time
3:07 AM
MDT
Current temp
36°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
17 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
27m 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?
The drive is predominantly a highway-focused experience, with 78% of the route utilizing faster roads. You'll encounter the longest uninterrupted stretch on the Denver–Boulder Turnpike, covering 14.9 miles. This section likely offers a consistent pace, allowing you to cover ground efficiently. As you transition to Sheridan Boulevard and 28th Street, expect a shift in the road's character, potentially incorporating more local traffic and intersections as you approach your destination.
78% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 14.9 mi on Denver–Boulder Turnpike.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Denver–Boulder Turnpike and Sheridan Boulevard. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near 19th Street.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 15 decision points packed into just 19 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 27m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (19th Street): Navigation decision point; near the start (Arapahoe Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.8 miles (US 36 / Denver–Boulder Turnpike): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
About the Cities
Arriving in Westminster, CO
Full guide →Founded 1859
Westminster is a city of about 115,000 in the Denver Metropolitan Area of the western U.S. state of Colorado. The city lies northwest of Denver in Adams and Jefferson counties.
Top landmarks
- • Bowles House — listed on the NRHP in Colorado
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 27m. Total distance: 19 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
27m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (78%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 14.9 miles on Denver–Boulder Turnpike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $1.04 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 Westminster, 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 (19th Street): Navigation decision point; near the start (Arapahoe Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.8 miles (US 36 / Denver–Boulder Turnpike): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Westminster, 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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