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Trip from Wheat Ridge, CO to Broomfield, CO

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

21m

Distance

12.9 mi

21 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$2

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

4 AM
0h 20m ★
6 AM
0h 22m
8 AM
0h 25m
10 AM
0h 23m
12 PM
0h 22m
3 PM
0h 23m
5 PM
0h 25m
8 PM
0h 20m ★

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
Google Maps Waze Apple Maps
Download GPX
city in Jefferson County, Colorado, USA

Wheat Ridge, CO

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Broomfield, CO, CO

Broomfield, CO

Owen.outdoors

Trip Overview

If you are looking for a quick commute between Wheat Ridge and Broomfield, this 12.9-mile trip is an efficient way to navigate the Mountain West. You can expect to spend about 21 minutes behind the wheel, making this an ideal day trip that requires no overnight stay. With a fuel budget of just $2, the drive is incredibly economical for a brief excursion. The route follows a mix of major thoroughfares, including Sheridan Boulevard, the Denver–Boulder Turnpike, and North Wadsworth Boulevard. Because the journey is so short, you have plenty of flexibility to plan your departure time around your own schedule.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Sheridan Boulevard 4.6 mi 7m
Denver–Boulder Turnpike 3.6 mi 4m
North Wadsworth Boulevard 1 mi 1m
Heartland Expressway 0.6 mi <1m
CO 121 0.2 mi <1m
Teller Street 0.2 mi <1m
West 38th Avenue 0.2 mi <1m
West Midway Boulevard 0.2 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Sheridan Boulevard — 4.6 mi, about 7m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Wheat Ridge, CO and Broomfield, CO.

1

Start on this road

24 ft · 7 sec · this road
2

Turn left onto Teller Street

0.2 mi · 38 sec · Teller Street
3

At end of road, turn left onto CR 180

0.2 mi · 34 sec · West 38th Avenue
4

Turn right onto CO 121

1.0 mi · 1 min · North Wadsworth Boulevard
5

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 34 sec
Toward I 70 East, I 76 East: Denver, Fort Morgan Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6

Keep slight left at fork

0.6 mi · 1 min
Toward I 76 East: Fort Morgan Use the left / right lanes.
7

Merge onto I 76

0.6 mi · 44 sec · Heartland Expressway
8

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 40 sec
Exit 1B Toward CO 95: Sheridan Boulevard Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Turn left onto CO 95

4.6 mi · 7 min · Sheridan Boulevard
Use the left / straight lanes.
10

Turn left

0.3 mi · 37 sec
Toward US 36 West: Boulder Use the left lane.
11

Keep slight left at fork

0.2 mi · 23 sec
Toward US 36 West
12

Merge onto US 36

0.9 mi · 1 min · Denver–Boulder Turnpike
13

Keep slight right at fork onto US 36

1.9 mi · 2 min · Denver–Boulder Turnpike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14

Keep slight right at fork onto US 36

0.8 mi · 52 sec · Denver–Boulder Turnpike
15

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 42 sec
Toward CO 121: Wadsworth Parkway Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16

Turn right onto CO 121

0.2 mi · 30 sec · CO 121
17

Continue on US 287

204 ft · 5 sec · US 287
18

Turn right onto West Midway Boulevard

0.2 mi · 31 sec · West Midway Boulevard
Use the right lane.
19

Turn right onto Nickel Street

0.1 mi · 22 sec · Nickel Street
Use the right lane.
20

Turn left onto West 3rd Avenue

273 ft · 17 sec · West 3rd Avenue
Use the left lane.
21

Turn left

192 ft · 14 sec
22

Arrive at destination

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 19

5 decision points cluster between mile 1.4 and 9.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

6
1.4 mi into trip | ~3m in

Take the ramp toward I 70 East, I 76 East: Denver, Fort Morgan

Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 70 East, I 76 East: Denver, Fort Morga...
7
1.7 mi into trip | ~3m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 76 East: Fort Morgan

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the left / right lanes. Toward I 76 East: Fort Morgan
7
2.9 mi into trip | ~5m 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
6
7.8 mi into trip | ~13m in

Turn left toward US 36 West: Boulder

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane. Toward US 36 West: Boulder
6
9.2 mi into trip | ~15m 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.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$1.94 one way

$3.89 round trip

$3.83/gal 25.4 MPG avg 5 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.05 $2.06 $4.12
premium $4.39 $2.23 $4.46
diesel $5.61 $2.85 $5.70

Estimated Tolls: $0.24

Denver–Boulder Turnpike (3.6 mi) $0.24

Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$2

Tolls

$0

Total

$2

Estimated CO2 emission: 4.5 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 $1.35 $0.62
Efficient EV 3.2 0 $1.13 $0.52
EV Truck/SUV 5.2 0 $1.81 $0.83

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.

Forecast as of Apr 13, 2026

Origin

Wheat Ridge, CO

Night in Wheat Ridge on Saturday

Local time

10:38 PM

MDT

Current temp

73°F

Mostly Sunny

SSW 7 to 10 mph 4% chance Live forecast

Red Flag Warning

Red Flag Warning issued April 13 at 3:00AM MDT until April 13 at 8:00PM MDT by NWS Denver CO

Red Flag Warning

Red Flag Warning issued April 13 at 12:18AM MDT until April 13 at 9:00PM MDT by NWS Pueblo CO

Destination

Broomfield, CO

Night in Broomfield on Saturday

Local time

10:38 PM

MDT

Current temp

72°F

Mostly Sunny

SSW 7 to 10 mph 4% chance Live forecast

Red Flag Warning

Red Flag Warning issued April 13 at 3:00AM MDT until April 13 at 8:00PM MDT by NWS Denver CO

Red Flag Warning

Red Flag Warning issued April 13 at 12:18AM MDT until April 13 at 9:00PM MDT by NWS Pueblo CO

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

1 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

21m 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 mixed driving experience as you transition between local roads and more substantial highway segments. Approximately 35% of your trip is spent on highways, providing a balance between stop-and-go city navigation and faster movement. The longest uninterrupted stretch you will encounter is a 4.6-mile segment on Sheridan Boulevard, which helps break up the journey. As you move through the route, the road character shifts from local boulevard traffic to the higher-speed flow of the Denver–Boulder Turnpike. It is a straightforward drive that prioritizes utility and speed over long-distance cruising.

35% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 4.6 mi on Sheridan Boulevard.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

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 around 1.4 miles in.

Driving Effort 10/10

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 19 decision points packed into just 12.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 21m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 1.4 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 2.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

Elevation Profile

High-altitude sections with notable climbs

5,471 ft 5,286 ft

Total Climb

333 ft

Total Descent

403 ft

Highest Point

5,471 ft

~8.3 mi in

Elevation Range

185 ft

Notable High Points

5,356 ft at ~4.6 miles +23 ft prominence
5,471 ft at ~8.3 miles +27 ft prominence
5,468 ft at ~12 miles +78 ft prominence

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

On the drive from Wheat Ridge, CO to Broomfield, CO, road signs begin pointing toward Fort Morgan along the way.

Fort Morgan

1.4 mi in | ~3m

About the Cities

Arriving in Broomfield, CO

Full guide →

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 21m. Total distance: 12.9 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

21m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (35%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Scenic Drive

Mixed highway & surface route profile.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 4.6 miles on Sheridan Boulevard. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Expect about $0.24 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 1.4 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 2.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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Explore More

Return Trip

Broomfield, CO to Wheat Ridge, CO

Plan the drive back the other way.

11.9 mi 22m

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