Colorado State Highway 21

State Highway 21 (SH 21) is an expressway in El Paso County, in eastern Colorado Springs. The highway serves as an eastern bypass for the city of Colorado Springs. Officially, the routing is from SH 16 (Mesa Ridge Parkway) in Fountain to InterQuest Parkway/SH 83 in the north side of Colorado Springs.

State Highway 21
Powers Boulevard
Map of El Paso County in central Colorado with SH 21 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by CDOT
Length	22.60 mi[1] (36.37 km)
Existed	2007[2]–present
Major junctions
South end	SH 16 in Fountain
	US 24 in Colorado Springs
North end	SH 83 in Colorado Springs
Location
Counties	El Paso
Highway system
Colorado State Highways Interstate U.S. State Scenic ← SH 17 SH 22 →

Route description

SH 21 northbound in Colorado Springs

End of SH 21 at SH 83 in Colorado Springs

For most of its routing the highway is a four to six-lane, limited access highway. In the north, it begins as a semi-freeway with a 60 mph speed limit, and becomes a six lane expressway with a 55 mph speed limit in the city of Colorado Springs after Union Boulevard and remains so throughout the entire route. The northern section, from Research Parkway to Interquest Parkway/SH 83 is constructed to interstate highway standards with sufficient right-of-way to construct planned overpasses and on/off-ramps. CDOT completed interchanges and bridges at Union Boulevard and Briargate Parkway in 2013 and an interchange at Old Ranch Road in 2015. Future interchanges at Research Parkway, SH 83 and a future freeway to freeway interchange planned for the SH 21/I-25/Northgate Blvd interchange will be constructed based on the availability of funding and need. The whole routing from I-25 to Proby Parkway is planned as a controlled-access freeway. The southern portion (from Research Parkway) is a limited-access highway with interchanges constructed at Woodmen Road and Platte Ave/US 24. SH 21 and US 24 overlap between Platte Ave, and Fountain Blvd. It ends at SH-16 also known as Mesa Ridge Parkway in Security-Widefield.

History

The route was established on October 1, 2007.[2] When defined, its routing included the entire length of Powers Boulevard.

Future

In mid October 2019, the City of Colorado Springs started construction on Phase 1 of SH 21 between I-25 and Voyager Parkway, which is expected to be completed by the end of 2020. Phase 2, between Voyager Parkway and SH 83, is still being planned and does not yet have a timetable for construction and completion.[3]

Junction list

The entire route is in El Paso County.

Exit numbers are offset by 131.

Location	mi	km	Exit	Destinations	Notes
Fountain	0	0.0		SH 16 west (Mesa Ridge Parkway) – Fountain	Southern terminus; road continues west as SH 16
Colorado Springs	8	13		US 24 west (Fountain Boulevard) – Manitou Springs	South end of US 24 overlap
	9	14		Stewart Avenue	Interchange; northbound entrance only
	10	16	141	US 24 east (Platte Avenue) – Limon	Interchange; north end of US 24 overlap
	18	29	149	Woodmen Road	Interchange; signed as exits 149A (east) and 149B (west) northbound
	20	32	151	Union Boulevard, Briargate Parkway	Interchange
	22	35	153	Old Ranch Road	Interchange
	23	37	154	SH 83 north (Interquest Parkway) – Colorado Springs, Denver	Current northern terminus, future interchange, road continues north as SH 83
	26	42	157	Voyager Parkway	Future interchange
	27	43	158	I-25 / US 85 / US 87/North Gate Boulevard	Future northern terminus
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Concurrency terminus             Incomplete access       Route transition

References

1. "Segment list for SH 21". Retrieved 2007-05-12.
2. Salek, Matthew E. (January 30, 2010). "Colorado Routes 20–39". Retrieved March 3, 2010.
3. Middaugh, Jenna. "'It'll be faster': Work to start soon to connect Powers to I-25". KKTV. Gray Digital Media. Retrieved December 10, 2019.

External links

Template:Attached KML/Colorado State Highway 21

KML is from Wikidata