Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
16m
Distance
8.1 mi
13 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$1
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Federal Heights, CO
Mark Stebnicki
Arvada, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Federal Heights to Arvada is 8.1 miles and takes about 16 minutes via Pecos Street and Ralston Road, with a fuel budget near $1 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Colorado and the Mountain West region, making it a convenient local journey. Expect a drive characterized by frequent turns and local road navigation rather than long highway stretches. It's the kind of drive you can easily fit into an afternoon, perfect for a quick errand or connecting two nearby points without much fuss.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Pecos Street | 2.9 mi | 6m |
| Heartland Expressway | 2 mi | 2m |
| Ralston Road | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| West 85th Avenue | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Sheridan Boulevard | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Ammons Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Federal Heights, CO and Arvada, CO.
Start on West 85th Avenue
At end of road, turn left onto Pecos Street
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 76
Take the exit
Turn right onto CO 95
Turn left onto Ralston Road
Turn right onto Ammons Street
Turn left
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.4 and 6.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
At end of road, turn left onto Pecos Street
Lane positioning matters here
Take the ramp toward I 76 West
Lane positioning matters here
Merge onto I 76 / Heartland Expressway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward CO 95: Sheridan Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Turn left onto Ralston Road
Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$1.22 one way
$2.44 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $1.29 | $2.58 |
| premium | $4.39 | $1.40 | $2.80 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $1.79 | $3.58 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$1
Estimated CO2 emission: 2.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 2.4 | 0 | $0.85 | $0.39 |
| Efficient EV | 2 | 0 | $0.71 | $0.32 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 3.2 | 0 | $1.13 | $0.52 |
Gas CO2
3 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (67% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Federal Heights on Tuesday
Local time
3:11 AM
MDT
Current temp
56°F
Sunny
Destination
Late night in Arvada on Tuesday
Local time
3:11 AM
MDT
Current temp
35°F
Unavailable
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
This route is a turn-heavy local drive, with only 24% of the journey on highways. You'll spend most of your time navigating city streets and local thoroughfares, including Pecos Street and Heartland Expressway. The longest stretch without a turn or significant change in direction is 2.9 miles on Pecos Street. Be prepared for a stop-and-go feel as you transition between different local roads, making it a more engaging, albeit slower, drive than a typical interstate trip.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.4 miles in near Pecos Street.
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 8.1 miles you will encounter 8 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles (Pecos Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 3.7 miles (I 76 / Heartland Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Founded 1859
Arvada is a city of about 125,000 in the Denver Metropolitan Area of the U.S. state of Colorado. A former farming community in Jefferson and Adams counties, the city is now a residential suburb of Denver. Olde Town Arvada lies 7 miles (11 km) northwest of the Colorado State Capitol and 9 miles (14 km) east of the Front Range foothills.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 16m. Total distance: 8.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
16m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (24%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
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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