N/A - Rental car from KDEN to I-25 N

What Nate sez... This is what I do every time I go to Cheyenne.
I got hit with the E-470 scam months after a trip. I had to fill out all kinds of paperwork for my Teutonic Overlords explaining why we couldn't capture that expense. The project was over and billed... Duh!

denverpilot said:
Avoid the whole problem including the I-70/I-270/I-25 traffic mess by doing this...

6u4e8yja.jpg


Pena Blvd to Tower Road exit
Tower north to 104th.
104th west to US 85
US 85 almost to the town of Platteville, CO
West on CO-66/County Road 30
Rejoin I-25 far enough north to avoid the crap :)
Continue on to Ft Collins

Takes 14 minutes longer than the all Interstate route if traffic is no factor. The I-270 and I-25 merge point is always jammed horribly at rush hour. This route keeps moving other than there being a few stop lights, and it's a nicer drive with stuff to see.

Only thing to watch is the cops in the towns on US-85 are serious about the speed limits in the towns. No big deal. Just slow up for a few blocks and then back to 55. It moves right along.

That'd be how I'd avoid the toll. US-85 is the Union Pacific rail line between Denver and Cheyenne, so you'll probably get to see some trains alongside too.
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SkyHog said:
Its dirt simple, and you don't even have to worry about it - they use a license plate reader at each station, and will bill the mail to the rental places. They will then look up who had the car at that time, and will bill you for it.

In my experience, however, I've actually never been charged by the rental companies.
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it goes on your credit card
 
And just when you thought you had the answer, there is a move afoot in Washington to allow states to charge tolls on interstates (pretty much any). Likely that toll transponders will be required (opening the door, of course) to track your every move.
 
wsuffa said:
And just when you thought you had the answer, there is a move afoot in Washington to allow states to charge tolls on interstates (pretty much any). Likely that toll transponders will be required (opening the door, of course) to track your every move.
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They already do it here by calling it a mixed HOV and Toll lane. You see about three cars and a bus in it.
 
Clark1961 said:
Ummm, cabbies didn't have a say. Fastracks was an RTD referendum. On the other hand, cab service has gotten worse in the past year or so. I've called for cabs and basically been ignored (excuses offered but no service) by licensed taxis. By law they have to serve since they have the license.
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If you know how to work the system you can get über to pick you up at the airports and save rather than use a cab. It doesn't make cab drivers happy though.
 
If you need to be along I25, say to visit the shops in Loveland, then from Tower 120th will take you through to I25 easier than 104th.

And if you do that then just before you cross Colorado you'll pass my house on your right. (Well, no, I don't live in the Kohl's; behind that.)
 
Turns out it's going to be a drive instead of a flight. Heading on I-70 W, to I-25 N to Ft Collins.
 
Matthew said:
Turns out it's going to be a drive instead of a flight. Heading on I-70 W, to I-25 N to Ft Collins.
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You can still avoid the traffic and I-270 via various routes. If you're coming through at rush hour you definitely want to. If not, I-70 to I-270 to I-25 is fine.

Will you be returning via the reverse route? I-70 out past Tower Road is one lane for construction, east bound, right now.

Actually now that I think about it , it's one lane both directions for a short while there. Bottleneck. Annoying.

Here...

www.cotrip.org will have the latest messes, closures for accidents, whatever... 24/7. ;)
 
paflyer said:
Taxation without representation
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Yep, it's 'pay for infrastructure services used', that's what 'tourism taxes' are all about. It's part of the capital collection system that builds, improves, expands, and maintains airports, plus Port Authorities are supposed to be making money to cover expenses for the locals.
 
Henning said:
Yep, it's 'pay for infrastructure services used', that's what 'tourism taxes' are all about. It's part of the capital collection system that builds, improves, expands, and maintains airports, plus Port Authorities are supposed to be making money to cover expenses for the locals.
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Tourism taxes are a time-honored tradition that extend well beyond infrastructure. Some are infrastructure-only (like the ones that pay for stadiums or airports), but many just go to the regular fund. Look at the places that have ~10+% hotel taxes or taxes/fees that reach to 50% of the base price of a car rental - much of that that money is going to other than infrastructure.
 
denverpilot said:
Avoid the whole problem including the I-70/I-270/I-25 traffic mess by doing this...

6u4e8yja.jpg


Pena Blvd to Tower Road exit
Tower north to 104th.
104th west to US 85
US 85 almost to the town of Platteville, CO
West on CO-66/County Road 30
Rejoin I-25 far enough north to avoid the crap :)
Continue on to Ft Collins

Takes 14 minutes longer than the all Interstate route if traffic is no factor. The I-270 and I-25 merge point is always jammed horribly at rush hour. This route keeps moving other than there being a few stop lights, and it's a nicer drive with stuff to see.

Only thing to watch is the cops in the towns on US-85 are serious about the speed limits in the towns. No big deal. Just slow up for a few blocks and then back to 55. It moves right along.

That'd be how I'd avoid the toll. US-85 is the Union Pacific rail line between Denver and Cheyenne, so you'll probably get to see some trains alongside too.
Click to expand...

OK - I'll look into this.

Schedule has changed, I'll be doing that trip in the next couple of weeks. Will be driving I-70, and not flying into DIA.
 
Definitely do not plan I70 to I25 north. They are doing construction between 84th and 92nd that chokes northbound I25 to a stand still.

E470, for a toll, takes you around all of that or, like I said earlier, Tower to 120th is my usual route.

Oh, and I would skip 85 as I don't think it would gain anything. Just shoot 104th or 120th all the way to I25.
 
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Matthew said:
Turns out it's going to be a drive instead of a flight. Heading on I-70 W, to I-25 N to Ft Collins.
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Where are you coming from? Best to avoid Denver all together if you can. There's a lot of other options that will do that for you (for example, if you can get to I76 instead).
 
JohnF said:
Definitely do not plan I70 to I25 north. They are doing construction between 84th and 92nd that chokes northbound I25 to a stand still.

E470, for a toll, takes you around all of that or, like I said earlier, Tower to 120th is my usual route.

Oh, and I would skip 85 as I don't think it would gain anything. Just shoot 104th or 120th all the way to I25.
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I'll have to dig out the highway maps and check that route.

I-70 to Tower (north)
Tower to 104th (west)
104th to I-25 (N)

or

I-70 to Tower (north)
Tower to 120th (west)
120th to I-25 (N)

?

Will probably be hitting Denver around 10-noon on a weekday.

E-470 is really convenient, just adds $10-$12 per car per trip (roughly the cost from I-70 to/from I-25). For the time saved, it really isn't that bad a deal. But we'll be moving 2 cars, so it can start to add up.

SkyHog said:
Where are you coming from? Best to avoid Denver all together if you can. There's a lot of other options that will do that for you (for example, if you can get to I76 instead).
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Coming from KC on I-70. I haven't considered the northern route that direction, just never done it. But then again, all my trips out that way have been to Co Springs and not north of Denver.
 
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Matthew said:
I'll have to dig out the highway maps and check that route.

I-70 to Tower (north)
Tower to 104th (west)
104th to I-25 (N)

or

I-70 to Tower (north)
Tower to 120th (west)
120th to I-25 (N)

?

Will probably be hitting Denver around 10-noon on a weekday.

E-470 is really convenient, just adds $10-$12 per car per trip (roughly the cost from I-70 to/from I-25). For the time saved, it really isn't that bad a deal. But we'll be moving 2 cars, so it can start to add up.




Coming from KC on I-70. I haven't considered the northern route that direction, just never done it. But then again, all my trips out that way have been to Co Springs and not north of Denver.
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Looks like about a 30 minute difference to go I-76 instead, but that's without taking into account the cluster**** in Denver. Expect an extra hour or more to go through Denver.
 
SkyHog said:
Looks like about a 30 minute difference to go I-76 instead, but that's without taking into account the cluster**** in Denver. Expect an extra hour or more to go through Denver.
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I'm just trying to get from KC to Ft Collins.
 
murphey said:
I70 to Tower Rd.

North on Tower to 120th

West on 120th to I25

North to Ft Collins exit.
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That'll work. 10-noon won't be that bad on the highways in town, either, but if the one-lane construction on I-70 is still going on, that's a slow down. It usually keeps moving but it's congested.
 
denverpilot said:
That'll work. 10-noon won't be that bad on the highways in town, either, but if the one-lane construction on I-70 is still going on, that's a slow down. It usually keeps moving but it's congested.
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There's major construction on I-25 from just north of I-70 to 104th. Drove it Monday.
 
Not sure I would call it major construction. They still have all lanes open. Think they are extending the hov lane, not sure.

Living up by Fort Collins I take e470 when going to DIA (or coming home from Highlands Ranch between 3 and 6 pm for that matter) The other route's are quite a bit more time consuming.
Anymore I swear it doesn't matter what time of the day you drive through denver, traffic just sucks! Need to be before 6am or after 7pm to miss it IMHO.
 
Ok, getting the schedules set. Looks like we'll be making the drive in the next 2 weeks.
 
I just drove I-70 eastbound out of Colorado and thought I might have teeth shaken out by it. So we came home via I-76 which was just as bad and down to one lane in multiple locations where traffic came to abrupt halts for no reason.

2200 miles round trip and Colorado Interstates were by far the worst roads on the entire trip.

They've also gone full retard and decided all the new stuff will be concrete complete with never ending tire whine and expansion joints so you can bounce up and down for 200 miles.
 
denverpilot said:
They've also gone full retard and decided all the new stuff will be concrete complete with never ending tire whine and expansion joints so you can bounce up and down for 200 miles.
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Aww. They went concrete on a lot of interstates here in the KC area. Lasts way longer than asphalt, they say. Right. After all the joints deteriorate every 5 yrs and have to be repaired, over and over... It's way simpler just to roll out a layer of asphalt as needed.


Will be heading west on 70 to 25N late next week.
 
murphey said:
I70 to Tower Rd.
North on Tower to 120th
West on 120th to I25
North to Ft Collins exit.
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Finally going through with it. Should be motoring through Sat, around 11am.

Will be dropping daughter off at CSU.
 
Matthew said:
Finally going through with it. Should be motoring through Sat, around 11am.

Will be dropping daughter off at CSU.
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Care to meet for dinner someplace? Always happy to have an excuse for a POA dinner.
 
Sounds good, but we might have our hands full. Are you fairly close up there? Last time I was there we ate dinner at CB & Potts and a Mexican place that had outstanding tacos al pastor.

My nephew and his wife live nearby, we'll probably keep it a family affair.

Thanks a lot for the offer. I might be back sometime in the fall for a visit.
 
Would be good to see ya but understand if it isn't going to work. Drive safely.
 
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