Origin
Todd Creek, CO
Morning in Todd Creek on Tuesday
Local time
9:42 AM
MDT
Current temp
53°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Todd Creek, CO to Arvada, 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
34m
Distance
23.8 mi
38 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Good
7 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 31m
★
6 AM
0h 34m
8 AM
0h 40m
10 AM
0h 36m
12 PM
0h 36m
3 PM
0h 36m
5 PM
0h 40m
8 PM
0h 32m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Todd Creek, CO
Keith Cassill
Arvada, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 23.8-mile drive from Todd Creek to Arvada, Colorado, is easily managed in about 34 minutes, making it a perfect day trip. You'll primarily navigate using the Heartland Expressway, CanAm Highway, and E-470, with highway driving making up 48% of the journey. The estimated fuel cost for this short hop within the Mountain West region is around $4. Given its brevity, there's no need to break this trip into multiple days; you can comfortably complete it in a single day without feeling rushed. This route offers a practical way to travel between these two Colorado locations.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Heartland Expressway | 10.5 mi | 12m |
| CanAm Highway | 3.9 mi | 4m |
| E-470 | 2.6 mi | 2m |
| Ralston Road | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| Ehler Parkway | 1 mi | 1m |
| Yosemite Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| East 153rd Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Quebec Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Heartland Expressway
— 10.5 mi, about 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Todd Creek, CO and Arvada, CO.
1
Start on this road
50 ft
·
9 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto Emporia Street
0.2 mi
·
52 sec
·
Emporia Street
3
Turn right onto East 153rd Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
East 153rd Avenue
4
Turn left onto Yosemite Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Yosemite Street
5
At end of road, turn right onto Ehler Parkway
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Ehler Parkway
6
Turn left onto Quebec Street
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
·
Quebec Street
7
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Toward E470 Toll South: Denver International Airport
Use the left lane.
8
Merge onto E470
2.6 mi
·
2 min
·
E-470
9
Take the exit
1.0 mi
·
2 min
Exit 38
Toward US 85: Brighton, Commerce City
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Toward US 85 South: Commerce City
11
Merge onto US 85
3.9 mi
·
4 min
·
CanAm Highway
Use the left / straight lanes.
12
Merge onto I 76; US 6; US 85
10 mi
·
12 min
·
Heartland Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
26 sec
Exit 1B
Toward CO 95: Sheridan Boulevard
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Turn right onto CO 95
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
Sheridan Boulevard
15
Turn left onto Ralston Road
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Ralston Road
Use the left lane.
16
Turn right onto Ammons Street
227 ft
·
13 sec
·
Ammons Street
17
Turn left
41 ft
·
3 sec
18
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 155 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 21.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Emporia Street
Turn left onto Emporia Street
Navigation decision point
5
1.5 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
Ehler Parkway
At end of road, turn right onto Ehler Parkway
Navigation decision point
7
2.8 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Take the ramp toward E470 Toll South: Denver International Airport
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward E470 Toll South: Denver International Ai...
8
5.7 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Take the exit toward US 85: Brighton, Commerce City
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 38
Toward US 85: Brighton, Commerce City
7
21.4 mi into trip
|
~29m in
Take the exit toward CO 95: Sheridan Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 1B
Toward CO 95: Sheridan Boulevard
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.59 one way
$7.17 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $3.80 | $7.59 |
| premium | $4.39 | $4.12 | $8.23 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.25 | $10.51 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.31
E-470
(2.6 mi)
$0.31
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Tolls
$0
Total
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.1 | 0 | $2.50 | $1.14 |
| Efficient EV | 6 | 0 | $2.08 | $0.95 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.5 | 0 | $3.33 | $1.52 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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
Arvada, CO
Morning in Arvada on Tuesday
Local time
9:42 AM
MDT
Current temp
35°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
18 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
34m 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?
Expect a mixed drive on this route, blending stretches of open highway with other road types. With nearly half the journey on highways, you'll experience periods of faster travel. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 10.5 miles on the Heartland Expressway. The road's character shifts throughout the 34-minute drive, offering a varied driving experience rather than a monotonous one. This dynamic profile means you'll transition between quicker highway segments and potentially more local road conditions.
48% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 10.5 mi on Heartland Expressway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Emporia 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 23.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 34m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Emporia Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.5 miles (Ehler Parkway): Navigation decision point; at 2.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Todd Creek, CO and Arvada, CO, road signs point toward E470 Toll South: Denver International Airport and Commerce City.
E470 Toll South: Denver International Airport
2.8 mi in
|
~6m
Commerce City
5.7 mi in
|
~9m
About the Cities
Arriving in Arvada, CO
Full guide →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
- • Arvada Flour Mill — historic mill in Arvada, Colorado, USA
- • Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities — art center in Arvada, 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 34m. Total distance: 23.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
34m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (48%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 10.5 miles on Heartland Expressway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.31 in tolls one way, starting with E-470. 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 Arvada, 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 (Emporia Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.5 miles (Ehler Parkway): Navigation decision point; at 2.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Arvada, 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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