Baseline Road is a major east-west street in
Boulder, Colorado
Boulder is a List of municipalities in Colorado#Home rule municipality, home rule city in Boulder County, Colorado, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 108,250 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the most ...
that extends east of the city through parts of four counties. The western terminus of Baseline Road is at Flagstaff Mountain in the
City of Boulder Mountain Parks. The eastern terminus is at 16800 Watkins Road, about east of
Lochbuie on the boundary between
Adams and
Weld Counties. The total length of Baseline Road is approximately , all of which is within the
Denver-Aurora-Boulder Combined Statistical Area in
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States. It is one of the Mountain states, sharing the Four Corners region with Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. It is also bordered by Wyoming to the north, Nebraska to the northeast, Kansas ...
. Baseline Road runs almost exactly along the 40th line of
latitude
In geography, latitude is a geographic coordinate system, geographic coordinate that specifies the north-south position of a point on the surface of the Earth or another celestial body. Latitude is given as an angle that ranges from −90° at t ...
.
Origin of the name
On May 30, 1854, the
Kansas-Nebraska Act created the
Kansas Territory
The Territory of Kansas was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from May 30, 1854, until January 29, 1861, when the eastern portion of the territory was admitted to the United States, Union as the Slave and ...
and the
Nebraska Territory
The Territory of Nebraska was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from May 30, 1854, until March 1, 1867, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the state of Nebraska. The Nebrask ...
, divided by the
40th parallel north
Following are circles of latitude between the 35th parallel north and the 40th parallel north:
36th parallel north
The 36th parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 36 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses Africa, t ...
. The
Pike's Peak Gold Rush of 1858-1861 lured thousands of gold seekers into the goldfields of the northwestern Kansas Territory and the southwestern Nebraska Territory. On February 28, 1861, the western portion of the Kansas Territory and the southwestern portion of the Nebraska Territory were incorporated into the new
Colorado Territory
The Territory of Colorado was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from February 28, 1861, until August 1, 1876, when it was admitted to the Union as the 38th State of Colorado.
The territory was organized ...
. The 40th parallel became the primary
baseline for
surveying
Surveying or land surveying is the technique, profession, art, and science of determining the land, terrestrial Plane (mathematics), two-dimensional or Three-dimensional space#In Euclidean geometry, three-dimensional positions of Point (geom ...
the land in the eastern portion of the new territory, and a road was eventually cut along the survey baseline.
Official names for the road
The road along the 40th parallel is officially named Baseline Road in
Boulder County and the
City and County of Broomfield, 168th Avenue in
Adams County, and County Line Road or Weld County Road 2 in
Weld County.
A stretch of Baseline Road, from
US 287
U.S. Route 287 (US 287) is a north–south (physically northwest–southeast) United States highway. At long, it is the second longest three-digit U.S. Route, behind U.S. Route 281, US 281. The highway is broken into two segments by Ye ...
in
Lafayette to
I-25
Interstate 25 (I-25), also known as the Pan-American Freeway, is a major Interstate Highway in the western United States. It is primarily a north–south highway, serving as the main route through New Mexico, Colorado, and Wyoming. I-25 st ...
in
Broomfield, is part of
State Highway 7.
Description
Baseline Road descends from Flagstaff Mountain (site of the 1935
CCC Sunrise Amphitheatre) and runs through the city of
Boulder
In geology, a boulder (or rarely bowlder) is a rock fragment with size greater than in diameter. Smaller pieces are called cobbles and pebbles. While a boulder may be small enough to move or roll manually, others are extremely massive. In ...
for its first four miles (6 km). Within Boulder, it passes the
Colorado Chautauqua
The Colorado Chautauqua, located in Boulder, Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, United States, and started in 1898, is the only Chautauqua west of the Mississippi River still continuing in unbroken operation since the heyday of the Chautauqua Moveme ...
, a
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a National Register of Historic Places property types, building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the Federal government of the United States, United States government f ...
, near 9th Street; crosses
State Highway 93 (Broadway); then passes the
University of Colorado Law School
The University of Colorado Law School is one of the professional graduate schools within the University of Colorado System. It is a public law school, with more than 500 students attending and working toward a Juris Doctor or Master of Studies i ...
just east of Broadway. The road then crosses
US 36 (28th Street), passes the Williams Village dormitory towers of the University of Colorado, and crosses
State Highway 157 (Foothills Parkway). East of 55th Street, the road seems to terminate at Cherryvale Road. It actually continues, shifted slightly to the north, following a small northbound stretch of Cherryvale. Thereafter, the road leaves the city of
Boulder
In geology, a boulder (or rarely bowlder) is a rock fragment with size greater than in diameter. Smaller pieces are called cobbles and pebbles. While a boulder may be small enough to move or roll manually, others are extremely massive. In ...
and takes on a more rural character until approaching
State Highway 42 (95th Street). At that point the more urban surroundings of
Lafayette are evident, and the next two miles (3 km) run through the heart of Lafayette, including the road junction with
US 287
U.S. Route 287 (US 287) is a north–south (physically northwest–southeast) United States highway. At long, it is the second longest three-digit U.S. Route, behind U.S. Route 281, US 281. The highway is broken into two segments by Ye ...
(N. 107th St.).
About one mile (1.6 km) beyond the eastern city limits of
Lafayette, the road crosses the eastern boundary of
Boulder County and passes the
Erie Municipal Airport. For two miles (3 km) beyond this point, Baseline Road forms the boundary between
Weld County and the
City and County of Broomfield. For the next two miles (3 km), from Sheridan Parkway to the interchange with
I-25
Interstate 25 (I-25), also known as the Pan-American Freeway, is a major Interstate Highway in the western United States. It is primarily a north–south highway, serving as the main route through New Mexico, Colorado, and Wyoming. I-25 st ...
, the road passes through a rural northern portion of the
City and County of Broomfield.
Just east of
I-25
Interstate 25 (I-25), also known as the Pan-American Freeway, is a major Interstate Highway in the western United States. It is primarily a north–south highway, serving as the main route through New Mexico, Colorado, and Wyoming. I-25 st ...
, the road abuts a commercial area in the extreme northern part of the city of
Thornton. For the next mile, from this point to York Street, Baseline Road marks the boundary between
Adams County and the
City and County of Broomfield. From York Street east, the road forms the boundary between
Adams County and
Weld County for the remainder of its length.
East of York Street, about of rural road ensue, until
Brighton
Brighton ( ) is a seaside resort in the city status in the United Kingdom, city of Brighton and Hove, East Sussex, England, south of London.
Archaeological evidence of settlement in the area dates back to the Bronze Age Britain, Bronze Age, R ...
is entered near
US 85. Baseline Road passes through the northern part of
Brighton
Brighton ( ) is a seaside resort in the city status in the United Kingdom, city of Brighton and Hove, East Sussex, England, south of London.
Archaeological evidence of settlement in the area dates back to the Bronze Age Britain, Bronze Age, R ...
for about five miles (8 km), eventually reaching the town of
Lochbuie and the interchange with
I-76. Beyond
I-76 the road once again takes on a rural character and continues to its eastern terminus at 16800 Watkins Road.
Counties
*
Boulder County
*
City and County of Broomfield
*
Weld County (south boundary)
*
Adams County (north boundary)
Cities and towns
*
Boulder
In geology, a boulder (or rarely bowlder) is a rock fragment with size greater than in diameter. Smaller pieces are called cobbles and pebbles. While a boulder may be small enough to move or roll manually, others are extremely massive. In ...
*
Lafayette
*
Erie (south boundary)
*
Broomfield
*
Thornton
*
Brighton
Brighton ( ) is a seaside resort in the city status in the United Kingdom, city of Brighton and Hove, East Sussex, England, south of London.
Archaeological evidence of settlement in the area dates back to the Bronze Age Britain, Bronze Age, R ...
*
Lochbuie (south boundary)
Highway junctions
*
State Highway 93 (Broadway) in
Boulder
In geology, a boulder (or rarely bowlder) is a rock fragment with size greater than in diameter. Smaller pieces are called cobbles and pebbles. While a boulder may be small enough to move or roll manually, others are extremely massive. In ...
*
US 36 (28th Street) in
Boulder
In geology, a boulder (or rarely bowlder) is a rock fragment with size greater than in diameter. Smaller pieces are called cobbles and pebbles. While a boulder may be small enough to move or roll manually, others are extremely massive. In ...
*
State Highway 157 (Foothills Parkway) in
Boulder
In geology, a boulder (or rarely bowlder) is a rock fragment with size greater than in diameter. Smaller pieces are called cobbles and pebbles. While a boulder may be small enough to move or roll manually, others are extremely massive. In ...
*
State Highway 42 (95th Street) in
Lafayette
*
US 287
U.S. Route 287 (US 287) is a north–south (physically northwest–southeast) United States highway. At long, it is the second longest three-digit U.S. Route, behind U.S. Route 281, US 281. The highway is broken into two segments by Ye ...
(N. 107th St.) in
Lafayette
*
State Highway 7 from
Lafayette to
Broomfield (same roadway for 7 miles)
*
I-25
Interstate 25 (I-25), also known as the Pan-American Freeway, is a major Interstate Highway in the western United States. It is primarily a north–south highway, serving as the main route through New Mexico, Colorado, and Wyoming. I-25 st ...
in northern
Broomfield
*
US 85 in
Brighton
Brighton ( ) is a seaside resort in the city status in the United Kingdom, city of Brighton and Hove, East Sussex, England, south of London.
Archaeological evidence of settlement in the area dates back to the Bronze Age Britain, Bronze Age, R ...
*
I-76 in
Lochbuie
Termini
*Western terminus:
*Eastern terminus: {{Coord, 40, 00, 02, N, 104, 36, 11, W, format=dms, display=inline, type:landmark_region:US-CO
External links
pictures of The Colorado Chautauqua and Sunrise Amphitheatremap: western terminus, Flagstaff Mountainmap: Erie Municipal Airportmap: I-25 interchangemap: eastern terminus, 16800 Watkins Road
Streets in Colorado
Boulder, Colorado
Transportation in Boulder County, Colorado
Transportation in Broomfield, Colorado
Transportation in Adams County, Colorado
Transportation in Weld County, Colorado