Origin
Westminster, CO
Late night in Westminster on Tuesday
Local time
2:56 AM
MDT
Current temp
36°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Westminster, 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
13m
Distance
8.7 mi
14 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$1
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 12m
★
6 AM
0h 14m
8 AM
0h 16m
10 AM
0h 15m
12 PM
0h 14m
3 PM
0h 15m
5 PM
0h 16m
8 PM
0h 13m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Westminster, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Broomfield, CO
Owen.outdoors
Trip Overview
This quick 8.7-mile drive from Westminster to Broomfield in Colorado's Mountain West region should take you about 13 minutes, making it an easy addition to your itinerary rather than a multi-day commitment. With a projected fuel cost of just $1, this is a budget-friendly option. The majority of the journey unfolds on highway stretches, offering a straightforward transit between these two nearby cities. You'll primarily navigate via the Denver–Boulder Turnpike and West 80th Avenue. This route is ideal for a single-day trip, allowing for flexibility in your schedule.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Denver–Boulder Turnpike | 6.2 mi | 7m |
| West 80th Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| CO 121 | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Lowell Boulevard | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| West Midway Boulevard | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Federal Boulevard | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| West 78th Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Nickel Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
— 6.2 mi, about 7m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Westminster, CO and Broomfield, CO.
1
Start on Newton Street
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
·
Newton Street
2
Turn right onto West 78th Avenue
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
West 78th Avenue
3
At end of road, turn right onto North Turnpike Drive
106 ft
·
10 sec
·
North Turnpike Drive
4
Turn left onto Lowell Boulevard
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
Lowell Boulevard
Use the left lane.
5
Turn right onto West 80th Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
West 80th Avenue
6
Turn right onto US 287
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
·
Federal Boulevard
Use the right lane.
7
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Toward US 36 West: Boulder
Use the right lane.
8
Merge onto US 36
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
9
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36
2.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
10
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36
0.8 mi
·
52 sec
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
12
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
42 sec
Toward CO 121: Wadsworth Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Turn right onto CO 121
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
CO 121
14
Continue on US 287
204 ft
·
5 sec
·
US 287
15
Turn right onto West Midway Boulevard
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
West Midway Boulevard
Use the right lane.
16
Turn right onto Nickel Street
0.1 mi
·
22 sec
·
Nickel Street
Use the right lane.
17
Turn left onto West 3rd Avenue
273 ft
·
17 sec
·
West 3rd Avenue
Use the left lane.
18
Turn left
192 ft
·
14 sec
19
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 165 decision points cluster between mile 0.3 and 8.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
0.3 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
Lowell Boulevard
Turn left onto Lowell Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
US 287 / Federal Boulevard
Turn right onto US 287 / Federal Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
5 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. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
7.7 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Take the exit toward CO 121: Wadsworth Parkway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward CO 121: Wadsworth Parkway
6
8.5 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
Nickel Street
Turn right onto Nickel Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.31 one way
$2.62 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
3 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $1.39 | $2.78 |
| premium | $4.39 | $1.51 | $3.01 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $1.92 | $3.84 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.43
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
(6.2 mi)
$0.43
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$1
Tolls
$0
Total
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 3 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 | 2.6 | 0 | $0.91 | $0.42 |
| Efficient EV | 2.2 | 0 | $0.76 | $0.35 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 3.5 | 0 | $1.22 | $0.56 |
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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Broomfield, CO
Late night in Broomfield on Tuesday
Local time
2:56 AM
MDT
Current temp
59°F
Showers And Thunderstorms Likely
N 9 to 15 mph
69% chance
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
23 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
13m on the road
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.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a highway-focused drive for this short trip, with 74% of the route utilizing faster roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 6.2 miles along the Denver–Boulder Turnpike. While primarily highway, the drive incorporates sections of West 80th Avenue and CO 121, offering a slight variation in road type. The character is predominantly one of efficient transit, minimizing time on slower local roads to get you to your destination quickly.
74% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 6.2 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 West 80th Avenue. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near Lowell Boulevard.
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 16 decision points packed into just 8.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 13m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (Lowell Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 1 miles (US 287 / Federal Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 5 miles (US 36 / Denver–Boulder Turnpike): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting 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
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 13m. Total distance: 8.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
13m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (74%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 6.2 miles on Denver–Boulder Turnpike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.43 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: at 0.3 miles (Lowell Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 1 miles (US 287 / Federal Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 5 miles (US 36 / Denver–Boulder Turnpike): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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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