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|length_ref=<ref name="dot">{{cite web|url=http://apps.coloradodot.info/dataaccess/Highways/index.cfm?fuseaction=Description&route=074&begRefPt=0&endRefPt=500&Printable=true|title=Segment Descriptions for Highway 074|publisher=[[Colorado Department of Transportation]]|author=Division of Transportation Development|accessdate=May 20, 2010}}</ref>
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[[File:Smoke over Elk Meadow.jpg|thumb|left|alt=A photograph of a sign on a traffic light showing the road|SH 74 intersection with Squaw Pass Road near Bergen Park]]
[[File:Smoke over Elk Meadow.jpg|thumb|left|alt=A photograph of a sign on a traffic light showing the road|SH 74 intersection with Squaw Pass Road near Bergen Park]]


SH 74 begins when ramps from I-70 westbound branch off the freeway on the north side and cross the highway diagonally southwestward. Access to SH 74 from I-70 eastbound is provided via [[U.S. Route 40 in Colorado|U.S. Route 40]] (US 40) a slight distance to the west. From I-70, Evergreen Parkway, as the route is named, heads southeast through El Rancho, meeting an intersection with Swede Gulch Road, numbered as US 40. The route heads westward before turning southeastward into a coniferous forest setting as a four-lane divided highway.<ref name="sky-30"/><ref name="geometrics">{{cite web|url=http://apps.coloradodot.info/dataaccess/Highways/index.cfm?fuseaction=Geometrics&route=074&begRefPt=0&endRefPt=19&Printable=true|title=Geometric Information for Highway 074|author=Colorado Department of Transportation|accessdate=November 27, 2011}}</ref> The roadway then meets Kerr Gulch Road, designated as County Road 23 (CR 23), near which the speed limit on the highway increases from {{convert|40|to|50|mph}}.<ref name="sld">{{cite web|title=Straight Line Diagram: Route 074A|author=Colorado Department of Transportation|url=http://dtdapps.coloradodot.info/sld/|accessdate=November 26, 2011}}</ref> Evergreen Parkway then turns westward and passes Fillius Park to the north in the community of Hidden Valley. The terrain in the region is mountainous.<ref name="classification">{{cite web|url=http://apps.coloradodot.info/dataaccess/Highways/index.cfm?fuseaction=Classification&route=074&begRefPt=0&endRefPt=19&Printable=true|title=Classification Information for Highway 074|author=Colorado Department of Transportation|accessdate=November 27, 2011}}</ref> After intersecting Bergen Parkway, which heads southwest toward Bergen Park, SH 74 turns southerly. As the route heads south, Elk Meadow Park appears to the west and a residential area appears to the east. After intersecting Squaw Pass Road and crossing the Troublesome Creek,<ref name="structure>{{cite web|url=http://apps.coloradodot.info/dataaccess/Highways/index.cfm?fuseaction=Structure&route=074&begRefPt=0&endRefPt=500&Printable=true|title=Structure List for Highway 074|author=Colorado Department of Transportation|accessdate=November 27, 2011}}</ref> the parkway travels along the west side of Buchanan Park, where several ponds are located. The west side of SH 74 becomes Elk Meadow Open Space Park, where open grassland is dotted with occasional trees. The road then narrows to two lanes and climbs steeply at milepost five<ref name="sky-30"/>as the speed limit drops to {{convert|45|mph|abbr=on}}. The speed limit continues to drop gradually all the way to {{convert|25|mph|abbr=on}} at mile eight.<ref name = "sld"/> While passing Wah Keeney Park, the road turns southeastward and continues to the community of Hiwan Hills. SH 74 enters the town of Evergreen, passing by a lake of the same name along the Bear Creek in Dedisse Park. Here, it intersects CR 74, which heads west along the Upper Bear Creek.<ref name="google">{{google maps|url=http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=Unknown+road&daddr=39.6346,-105.32924+to:Unknown+road&hl=en&ll=39.699395,-105.337987&spn=0.032722,0.066047&sll=39.691602,-105.298119&sspn=0.130903,0.264187&geocode=FTfRXQIdWdC4-Q%3BFajGXAIdqM24-Smt8ytmbJ5rhzHGQCOZ4X6Ofg%3BFVYVXQIdItu6-Q&vpsrc=6&mra=dpe&mrsp=1&sz=13&via=1&t=m&z=15|title=SH 74|accessdate=November 26, 2011}}</ref> The pavement at this point is aged and in a poor condition.<ref name="sky-30">[[#sky|Colorado Department of Transportation]], p. 30</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://apps.coloradodot.info/dataaccess/Highways/index.cfm?fuseaction=SurfaceCondition&route=074&begRefPt=0&endRefPt=19&Printable=true|title=Surface Condition for Highway 074|author=Colorado Department of Transportation|accessdate=November 27, 2011}}</ref>
SH 74 begins when ramps from I-70 westbound branch off the freeway on the north side and cross the highway diagonally southwestward. Access to SH 74 from I-70 eastbound is provided via [[U.S. Route 40 in Colorado|U.S. Route 40]] (US 40) a slight distance to the west. From I-70, Evergreen Parkway, as the route is named, heads southeast through El Rancho, meeting an intersection with Swede Gulch Road, numbered as US 40. The route heads westward before turning southeastward into a coniferous forest setting as a four-lane divided highway.<ref name="sky-30"/><ref name="geometrics">{{cite web|url=http://apps.coloradodot.info/dataaccess/Highways/index.cfm?fuseaction=Geometrics&route=074&begRefPt=0&endRefPt=19&Printable=true|title=Geometric Information for Highway 074|author=Division of Transportation Development|publisher=Colorado Department of Transportation|accessdate=November 27, 2011}}</ref> The roadway then meets Kerr Gulch Road, designated as County Road 23 (CR 23), near which the speed limit on the highway increases from {{convert|40|to|50|mph}}.<ref name="sld">{{cite web|title=Straight Line Diagram: Route 074A|author=Colorado Department of Transportation|url=http://dtdapps.coloradodot.info/sld/|accessdate=November 26, 2011}}</ref> Evergreen Parkway then turns westward and passes Fillius Park to the north in the community of Hidden Valley. The terrain in the region is mountainous.<ref name="classification">{{cite web|url=http://apps.coloradodot.info/dataaccess/Highways/index.cfm?fuseaction=Classification&route=074&begRefPt=0&endRefPt=19&Printable=true|title=Classification Information for Highway 074|author=Division of Transportation Development|publisher=Colorado Department of Transportation|accessdate=November 27, 2011}}</ref> After intersecting Bergen Parkway, which heads southwest toward Bergen Park, SH 74 turns southerly. As the route heads south, Elk Meadow Park appears to the west and a residential area appears to the east. After intersecting Squaw Pass Road and crossing the Troublesome Creek,<ref name="structure>{{cite web|url=http://apps.coloradodot.info/dataaccess/Highways/index.cfm?fuseaction=Structure&route=074&begRefPt=0&endRefPt=500&Printable=true|title=Structure List for Highway 074|author=Division of Transportation Development|publisher=Colorado Department of Transportation|accessdate=November 27, 2011}}</ref> the parkway travels along the west side of Buchanan Park, where several ponds are located. The west side of SH 74 becomes Elk Meadow Open Space Park, where open grassland is dotted with occasional trees. The road then narrows to two lanes and climbs steeply at milepost five<ref name="sky-30"/>as the speed limit drops to {{convert|45|mph|abbr=on}}. The speed limit continues to drop gradually all the way to {{convert|25|mph|abbr=on}} at mile eight.<ref name = "sld"/> While passing Wah Keeney Park, the road turns southeastward and continues to the community of Hiwan Hills. SH 74 enters the town of Evergreen, passing by a lake of the same name along the Bear Creek in Dedisse Park. Here, it intersects CR 74, which heads west along the Upper Bear Creek.<ref name="google">{{google maps|url=http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=Unknown+road&daddr=39.6346,-105.32924+to:Unknown+road&hl=en&ll=39.699395,-105.337987&spn=0.032722,0.066047&sll=39.691602,-105.298119&sspn=0.130903,0.264187&geocode=FTfRXQIdWdC4-Q%3BFajGXAIdqM24-Smt8ytmbJ5rhzHGQCOZ4X6Ofg%3BFVYVXQIdItu6-Q&vpsrc=6&mra=dpe&mrsp=1&sz=13&via=1&t=m&z=15|title=SH 74|accessdate=November 26, 2011}}</ref> The pavement at this point is aged and in a poor condition.<ref name="sky-30">[[#sky|Colorado Department of Transportation]], p. 30</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://apps.coloradodot.info/dataaccess/Highways/index.cfm?fuseaction=SurfaceCondition&route=074&begRefPt=0&endRefPt=19&Printable=true|title=Surface Condition for Highway 074|author=Division of Transportation Development|publisher=Colorado Department of Transportation|accessdate=November 27, 2011}}</ref>
[[File:Drive from Evergreen to Denver-1.jpg|right|alt=A photograph of the road along a creek|thumb|SH 74 winding along the Bear Creek in Idledale]]
[[File:Drive from Evergreen to Denver-1.jpg|right|alt=A photograph of the road along a creek|thumb|SH 74 winding along the Bear Creek in Idledale]]
SH 74, now known as Bear Creek Road, curves eastward and northward as it winds out of town and enters a mountainous area. Narrowing to two lanes,<ref name="geometrics"/> the route follows the path of the Bear Creek, curving northeasterly toward Kittredge with Pence Park on the east side.<ref name="sky-31">[[#sky|Colorado Department of Transportation]], p. 31</ref> In Kittredge, the route meets CR 120 (Myers Gulch Road), which heads southeast toward [[Indian Hills, Colorado|Indian Hills]].<ref name="countymap">{{cite web|format=pdf|url=http://www.dot.state.co.us/App_DTD_DataAccess/Downloads/CountyMaps/Jefferson.pdf|title=Map of Jefferson County|author=Colorado Department of Transportation|accessdate=2010-05-23}}</ref> Where the speed limit is raised to {{convert|35|mph|abbr=on}}, the route again meets Kerr Gulch Road, which bypasses the large curve which SH 74 took. From Kittredge, SH 74 winds eastward on the north side of the Bear Creek. The roadway enters Idledale north of the Lair O the Bear Park, where it intersects Grapevine Road. East of the town, an abandoned section of SH 74 exists,<ref name="sky-31"/> which now serves as a path to private areas.<ref>{{cite book|title=Joytown to Starbuck to Idledale|last=Lomond|first=Carole|date=1996|publisher=Views Publishing Company|location=Idledale|pages=2–5}}</ref> The route enters the Bear Creek Canyon Park, where it curves along the creek in a more rocky terrain. SH 74 also passes through Red Rocks Park along the stream. Exiting the park, SH 74 enters Morrison, where Bear Creek Road meets SH 8 at an intersection. From here, SH 8 serves as the continuation of the road as Morrison Road toward Denver.<ref name="Morrisonmap">{{cite web|format=pdf|url=http://www.dot.state.co.us/App_DTD_DataAccess/Downloads/CityMaps/Morrison.pdf|title=Map of Morrison, Colorado|author=Colorado Department of Transportation|accessdate=2010-05-23}}</ref>
SH 74, now known as Bear Creek Road, curves eastward and northward as it winds out of town and enters a mountainous area. Narrowing to two lanes,<ref name="geometrics"/> the route follows the path of the Bear Creek, curving northeasterly toward Kittredge with Pence Park on the east side.<ref name="sky-31">[[#sky|Colorado Department of Transportation]], p. 31</ref> In Kittredge, the route meets CR 120 (Myers Gulch Road), which heads southeast toward [[Indian Hills, Colorado|Indian Hills]].<ref name="countymap">{{cite nap|format=pdf|url=http://www.dot.state.co.us/App_DTD_DataAccess/Downloads/CountyMaps/Jefferson.pdf|title=Map of Jefferson County|cartography=Division of Transportation Development|publisher=Colorado Department of Transportation|accessdate=May 23, 2010}}</ref> Where the speed limit is raised to {{convert|35|mph|abbr=on}}, the route again meets Kerr Gulch Road, which bypasses the large curve which SH 74 took. From Kittredge, SH 74 winds eastward on the north side of the Bear Creek. The roadway enters Idledale north of the Lair O the Bear Park, where it intersects Grapevine Road. East of the town, an abandoned section of SH 74 exists,<ref name="sky-31"/> which now serves as a path to private areas.<ref>{{cite book|title=Joytown to Starbuck to Idledale|last=Lomond|first=Carole|date=1996|publisher=Views Publishing Company|location=Idledale|pages=2–5}}</ref> The route enters the Bear Creek Canyon Park, where it curves along the creek in a more rocky terrain. SH 74 also passes through Red Rocks Park along the stream. Exiting the park, SH 74 enters Morrison, where Bear Creek Road meets SH 8 at an intersection. From here, SH 8 serves as the continuation of the road as Morrison Road toward Denver.<ref name="Morrisonmap">{{cite map|format=pdf|url=http://www.dot.state.co.us/App_DTD_DataAccess/Downloads/CityMaps/Morrison.pdf|title=Map of Morrison, Colorado|cartography=Division of Transportation Development|publisher=Colorado Department of Transportation|accessdate=May 23, 2010}}</ref>


The route is maintained by the [[Colorado Department of Transportation]] (CDOT), who is responsible for maintaining and constructing transportation infrastructure in Colorado, including highways.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.coloradodot.info/about|title=About CDOT|author=Colorado Department of Transportation|accessdate=February 18, 2011}}</ref> As part of this role, CDOT periodically conducts surveys on their highways to measure traffic volume. This is expressed in terms of [[average annual daily traffic]] (AADT), which is a measure the average daily traffic volume on a particular road. In 2009, CDOT calculated that as few as 3,200 vehicles used SH 74 daily near Idledale, and as many as 23,000 vehicles used SH 74 near the interchange with I-70 as well in Evergreen.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://apps.coloradodot.info/dataaccess/Traffic/index.cfm?fuseaction=TrafficInfoByRoutePrintable&route=074&begRefPt=0&endRefPt=500|title=Traffic Information for Highway 74|author=Colorado Department of Transportation|accessdate=November 25, 2011}}</ref> No part of the route is listed on the [[National Highway System (United States)|National Highway System]],<ref>{{cite map|url=http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/nhs/maps/co/denver_co.pdf|title=National Highway System: Denver-Aurora, Colorado|format=pdf|date=March 2005|publisher=Federal Highway Administration|format=PDF|accessdate=February 18, 2011}}</ref> a system of roads that are important to the nation's economy, defense, and mobility.<ref>{{cite web|last=Adderly|first=Kevin |url=http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/nhs/|title=The National Highway System|work=Planning, Environment, and Realty|publisher=Federal Highway Administration|date=August 26, 2010|accessdate=December 5, 2011}}</ref>
The route is maintained by the [[Colorado Department of Transportation]] (CDOT), who is responsible for maintaining and constructing transportation infrastructure in Colorado, including highways.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.coloradodot.info/about|title=About CDOT|author=Colorado Department of Transportation|accessdate=February 18, 2011}}</ref> As part of this role, CDOT periodically conducts surveys on their highways to measure traffic volume. This is expressed in terms of [[average annual daily traffic]] (AADT), which is a measure the average daily traffic volume on a particular road. In 2009, CDOT calculated that as few as 3,200 vehicles used SH 74 daily near Idledale, and as many as 23,000 vehicles used SH 74 near the interchange with I-70 as well in Evergreen.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://apps.coloradodot.info/dataaccess/Traffic/index.cfm?fuseaction=TrafficInfoByRoutePrintable&route=074&begRefPt=0&endRefPt=500|title=Traffic Information for Highway 74|author=Division of Transportation Development|publisher=Colorado Department of Transportation|accessdate=November 25, 2011}}</ref> No part of the route is listed on the [[National Highway System (United States)|National Highway System]],<ref>{{cite map|url=http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/nhs/maps/co/denver_co.pdf|title=National Highway System: Denver-Aurora, Colorado|format=pdf|date=March 2005|publisher=Federal Highway Administration|format=PDF|accessdate=February 18, 2011}}</ref> a system of roads that are important to the nation's economy, defense, and mobility.<ref>{{cite web|last=Adderly|first=Kevin |url=http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/nhs/|title=The National Highway System|work=Planning, Environment, and Realty|publisher=Federal Highway Administration|date=August 26, 2010|accessdate=December 5, 2011}}</ref>


== History ==
== History ==

Revision as of 03:15, 6 December 2011

State Highway 74 marker
State Highway 74
A map with a red line zigzagging in a rough "L"
A map of central Colorado with SH 74 delineated in red
Route information
Maintained by CDOT
Length18.110 mi[1] (29.145 km)
Existed1923–present
Major junctions
West end I-70 at El Rancho
Major intersections US 40 at El Rancho
East end SH 8 at Morrison
Location
CountryUnited States
StateColorado
CountiesJefferson
Highway system
  • Colorado State Highway System
← SH 72→ SH 75

State Highway 74 (SH 74) is an state highway in the U.S. state of Colorado. Running 18.11 miles (29.15 km) from Interstate 70 (I-70) to SH 8, the highway forms a rough curve running northwest–southeast. The section of the route north of the town of Evergreen is known as Evergreen Parkway and is a segment with a wider roadway than that east of Evergreen. The other section is known as Bear Creek Road and primarily parallels the Bear Creek, passing through the towns of Kittredge and Idledale. The route, which is on the outskirts of Denver, passes through several of the city's, including Bergen, Dedisse and Red Rocks parks.

An early road following the current path was established in the late 19th century for miners and loggers. As floods ravaged the road along Bear Creek through the early 20th century, measures were taken to prevent damage. Other sites along the Bear Creek, such as a Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) camp in Red Rocks Park, make the Bear Creek Canyon Scenic Mountain Drive, as the section between Idledale and Morrison is called, have given the route a listing on the National Register of Historic Places. An early designation of the route number went further west than its current-day designation; this section was truncated by the late 1930s. Another eastern segment was added from Morrison east toward Denver in the 1940s, but that section too was removed. Newer improvements to the road include widening the Evergreen Parkway segment to four lanes and constructing an interchange with the I-70.

Route description

A photograph of a sign on a traffic light showing the road
SH 74 intersection with Squaw Pass Road near Bergen Park

SH 74 begins when ramps from I-70 westbound branch off the freeway on the north side and cross the highway diagonally southwestward. Access to SH 74 from I-70 eastbound is provided via U.S. Route 40 (US 40) a slight distance to the west. From I-70, Evergreen Parkway, as the route is named, heads southeast through El Rancho, meeting an intersection with Swede Gulch Road, numbered as US 40. The route heads westward before turning southeastward into a coniferous forest setting as a four-lane divided highway.[2][3] The roadway then meets Kerr Gulch Road, designated as County Road 23 (CR 23), near which the speed limit on the highway increases from 40 to 50 miles per hour (64 to 80 km/h).[4] Evergreen Parkway then turns westward and passes Fillius Park to the north in the community of Hidden Valley. The terrain in the region is mountainous.[5] After intersecting Bergen Parkway, which heads southwest toward Bergen Park, SH 74 turns southerly. As the route heads south, Elk Meadow Park appears to the west and a residential area appears to the east. After intersecting Squaw Pass Road and crossing the Troublesome Creek,[6] the parkway travels along the west side of Buchanan Park, where several ponds are located. The west side of SH 74 becomes Elk Meadow Open Space Park, where open grassland is dotted with occasional trees. The road then narrows to two lanes and climbs steeply at milepost five[2]as the speed limit drops to 45 mph (72 km/h). The speed limit continues to drop gradually all the way to 25 mph (40 km/h) at mile eight.[4] While passing Wah Keeney Park, the road turns southeastward and continues to the community of Hiwan Hills. SH 74 enters the town of Evergreen, passing by a lake of the same name along the Bear Creek in Dedisse Park. Here, it intersects CR 74, which heads west along the Upper Bear Creek.[7] The pavement at this point is aged and in a poor condition.[2][8]

A photograph of the road along a creek
SH 74 winding along the Bear Creek in Idledale

SH 74, now known as Bear Creek Road, curves eastward and northward as it winds out of town and enters a mountainous area. Narrowing to two lanes,[3] the route follows the path of the Bear Creek, curving northeasterly toward Kittredge with Pence Park on the east side.[9] In Kittredge, the route meets CR 120 (Myers Gulch Road), which heads southeast toward Indian Hills.[10] Where the speed limit is raised to 35 mph (56 km/h), the route again meets Kerr Gulch Road, which bypasses the large curve which SH 74 took. From Kittredge, SH 74 winds eastward on the north side of the Bear Creek. The roadway enters Idledale north of the Lair O the Bear Park, where it intersects Grapevine Road. East of the town, an abandoned section of SH 74 exists,[9] which now serves as a path to private areas.[11] The route enters the Bear Creek Canyon Park, where it curves along the creek in a more rocky terrain. SH 74 also passes through Red Rocks Park along the stream. Exiting the park, SH 74 enters Morrison, where Bear Creek Road meets SH 8 at an intersection. From here, SH 8 serves as the continuation of the road as Morrison Road toward Denver.[12]

The route is maintained by the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), who is responsible for maintaining and constructing transportation infrastructure in Colorado, including highways.[13] As part of this role, CDOT periodically conducts surveys on their highways to measure traffic volume. This is expressed in terms of average annual daily traffic (AADT), which is a measure the average daily traffic volume on a particular road. In 2009, CDOT calculated that as few as 3,200 vehicles used SH 74 daily near Idledale, and as many as 23,000 vehicles used SH 74 near the interchange with I-70 as well in Evergreen.[14] No part of the route is listed on the National Highway System,[15] a system of roads that are important to the nation's economy, defense, and mobility.[16]

History

In 1873, John Evans, then a former governor of the Territory of Colorado,[17] constructed a toll road from Morrison to Evergreen via the Bear Creek canyon.[18] The early road offered access to various mining and logging resources along the creek.[19] This road had over twenty bridges over the Bear Creek, most of which were made of wood from the surrounding region.[20] By the late 1870s, toll roads became no longer common, and the path became one maintained by Jefferson County, used primarily to access mining camps.[21][22]

A photograph looking down on a large amphitheater amid a rocky area
Open-air amphitheater built by the CCC

SH 74 passes through many of Denver's mountain parks, including Bergen Park and Dedisse Park. Established in 1909 by Colorado governor Robert W. Speer, the system encompassed several areas west of the city, comprising the first city-owned park system in the world.[23] SH 27, as the Bear Creek Canyon Scenic Mountain Drive was designated at the time, ran past the Denver Motor Club in Idledale in addition to newly purchased parks. During the 1910s, Denver was granted the ability to enforce laws pertaining to these parks; a speed limit of 20 miles per hour (32 km/h) was set along the roadway uphill and 15 miles per hour (24 km/h) downhill.[24][25] In one of the parks, Red Rocks Park near Morrison, a CCC camp was established in 1935 as part of a New Deal work relief program.[26] The enlistees here built a large amphitheater in the park.[27] Numbered camp SP-13-C, it is the only CCC camp left in the state. Both the camp and the section of SH 74 between Idledale and Morrison, known as the Bear Creek Canyon Scenic Mountain Drive, are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[28][29]

Bear Creek was especially prone to flooding, as was seen in the year 1896 when Morrison, at the eastern terminus of SH 74, was almost destroyed. On occasion, sightseers along the road were threatened by floods, such as one in 1925 where cars on the road were carried into the river. To control flooding along the creek and therefore preserve safety along the road, the Denver manager of parks sought to build a dam near Evergreen. The dam, finished three years after the flood, created Evergreen Lake.[30] Following a September 1938 flood, crews from a federal work program built walls along the side of the creek, measuring from 7 feet (2.1 m) to 34 feet (10 m) high. The Works Progress Administration (WPA), as this program was called, installed over 4,500 feet (1,400 m) of masonry from Morrison to Idledale at points where previous floods had damaged the roadway.[31]

A photograph of a house on land behind a lake
A house along Evergreen Lake in Dedisse Park near SH 74

From 1923 through the early 1930s, the SH 74 designation was from Echo Lake at what is now an intersection between SH 103 and SH 5 east along Squaw Pass Road to Bergen Park. From here, it followed its current designation to Morrison.[32] SH 74 was paved from Morrison to Evergreen using an oil surface resembling asphalt in late 1928.[33] This oil surface, which was approximately 1 inch (25 mm) deep, prevented erosion along the roadway in the Bear Creek canyon during floods.[20] By 1938, the section west of Bergen Park was redesignated as SH 68, and SH 74 was turned northward to US 40.[25] The east end was extended into Denver along Alameda Avenue by 1947.[34] This section terminated at what was then SH 87 in Denver.[35] In 1956, the Colorado State Highway Department opted to realign sections of SH 74 away from Bear Creek.[27] A section of the road between Evergreen and Kittredge was resurfaced and widened the next year.[36] By then, the eastern terminus of the route had been cut back to its original and current ending point in Morrison.[37][38] Construction on I-70 through the region was completed in 1972 and included an interchange at El Rancho at the northwest end of SH 74.[39] During the 1990s, CDOT sought to further upgrade SH 74 from I-70 to Evergreen to an expressway. Work on this project began in 1993 to improve the interchange between Evergreen Parkway and I-70 and widen the roadway to its current state, costing CDOT $8 million.[40]

Major intersections

The entire route is located in Jefferson County.

Location Mile[1] Destination Notes
El Rancho 0.000
I-70 / US 40 east 		Interchange
0.374
US 40 west
Morrison 18.110 SH 8
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References

  1. ^ a b Division of Transportation Development. "Segment Descriptions for Highway 074". Colorado Department of Transportation. Retrieved May 20, 2010.
  2. ^ a b c Colorado Department of Transportation, p. 30
  3. ^ a b Division of Transportation Development. "Geometric Information for Highway 074". Colorado Department of Transportation. Retrieved November 27, 2011.
  4. ^ a b Colorado Department of Transportation. "Straight Line Diagram: Route 074A". Retrieved November 26, 2011.
  5. ^ Division of Transportation Development. "Classification Information for Highway 074". Colorado Department of Transportation. Retrieved November 27, 2011.
  6. ^ Division of Transportation Development. "Structure List for Highway 074". Colorado Department of Transportation. Retrieved November 27, 2011.
  7. ^ "SH 74" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved November 26, 2011.
  8. ^ Division of Transportation Development. "Surface Condition for Highway 074". Colorado Department of Transportation. Retrieved November 27, 2011.
  9. ^ a b Colorado Department of Transportation, p. 31
  10. ^ Template:Cite nap
  11. ^ Lomond, Carole (1996). Joytown to Starbuck to Idledale. Idledale: Views Publishing Company. pp. 2–5.
  12. ^ Map of Morrison, Colorado (pdf) (Map). Cartography by Division of Transportation Development. Colorado Department of Transportation. Retrieved May 23, 2010.
  13. ^ Colorado Department of Transportation. "About CDOT". Retrieved February 18, 2011.
  14. ^ Division of Transportation Development. "Traffic Information for Highway 74". Colorado Department of Transportation. Retrieved November 25, 2011.
  15. ^ National Highway System: Denver-Aurora, Colorado (PDF) (Map). Federal Highway Administration. March 2005. Retrieved February 18, 2011.
  16. ^ Adderly, Kevin (August 26, 2010). "The National Highway System". Planning, Environment, and Realty. Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved December 5, 2011.
  17. ^ Houston Jr., Robert B. (2005). Two Colorado Odysseys: Chief Ouray Porter Nelson. p. 3. ISBN 0595358608.
  18. ^ Nell's Topographic and Township Map of the State of Colorado (Map). Cartography by Louis Nell. Chain & Hardy. 1884. Retrieved March 13, 2011.
  19. ^ Colorado Department of Transportation, p. 25
  20. ^ a b Cowden, R. (1934). Location of Bear Creek Canyon Highway. University of Colorado Highway Conference. pp. 44–47.
  21. ^ Johnson, Fred (1918). "Over the Hard Pan, Today and 38 Years Ago". Colorado Highways Bulletin: 9.
  22. ^ Colorado Department of Transportation (2010). "I-70 Mountain Corridor PEIS Section 4(f) Evaluation Technical Report" (PDF). p. 12. Retrieved November 27, 2011.
  23. ^ Warwick M. Downing (1931). "How Denver Acquired Her Celebrated Mountain Parks" (pdf). Municipal Facts, March-April 1931.
  24. ^ City and County of Denver (1919). "Denver Municipal Facts". Denver Municipal Magazine (September–October): 15.
  25. ^ a b Colorado Department of Transportation, p. 28
  26. ^ Merrill, Perry (1981). Roosevelt's Forest Army, A History of the Civilian Conservation Corps. p. 196.
  27. ^ a b Colorado Department of Transportation, p. 29
  28. ^ Marriott, Paul (1998). Saving Historic Roads: Design and Policy Guidelines. New York: John Wiley & Sons. pp. 182–183.
  29. ^ Gleyre, L.A. (1936). History of the Civilian Conservation Corps in Colorado. Denver: Press of the Western Newspaper Union.
  30. ^ Colorado Department of Transportation, p. 27
  31. ^ "Stone and Cement Set to Guard Bear Creek Road". Rocky Mountain News. May 28, 1939. p. 2.
  32. ^ Denver, San Francisco, Los Angeles (Map). Rand McNally. 1927. Retrieved November 25, 2011.
  33. ^ Colorado State Highway Department (1928). "News of the Month". Colorado Highways (October): 14.
  34. ^ Shell Map of Colorado (Map). Shell Oil Company. 1956. § D2. Retrieved November 25, 2011.
  35. ^ Various Regions and Cities in Colorado (Map). Shell Oil Company. 1947. Retrieved November 26, 2011.
  36. ^ "$68.8 million Budget for Colorado Roads". Rocky Mountain construction (June 15): 2. 1957.
  37. ^ Various Regions and Cities in the Northwestern United States (Map). Shell Oil Company. 1956. Retrieved November 26, 2011.
  38. ^ Various Regions and Cities in the Southwestern United States (Map). Shell Oil Company. 1956. Retrieved November 26, 2011.
  39. ^ Colorado Department of Transportation. "Interstate 70: Construction Timeline". Retrieved November 27, 2011.
  40. ^ "Sign of the Times: Evergreen Parkway Exit Signals Growth". Rocky Mountain News. May 16, 1993.

Works cited

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