Colorado State Highway 96

State Highway 96 marker
State Highway 96
Map of eastern Colorado with SH 96 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by CDOT
Length207.45 mi[1] (333.86 km)
Major junctions
West end SH 69 in Westcliffe
Major intersections
East end K-96 at Kansas border
Location
CountryUnited States
StateColorado
CountiesCuster, Pueblo, Otero, Crowley, Kiowa
Highway system
  • Colorado State Highway System
← SH 95→ SH 97

State Highway 96 (SH 96) is a state highway in eastern Colorado. Its western terminus is an intersection with SH 69 in Westcliffe. Its eastern terminus is at the Kansas state line, east of Towner, where it continues as K-96.

Frontier Pathways Scenic and Historic Byway

The section of the highway between Pueblo and Silver Cliff is designated as part of the Frontier Pathways National Scenic Byway.[2]

SH 96 in the mountains

The highway passes and intersects many major highways and several state highways along its 207-mile route. In Custer County, Highway 96 crosses the Wet Mountains and passes through the San Isabel National Forest. Its highest point is Hardscrabble Pass at 9,085 feet.

History

The route was established in the 1920s, when the routing was exactly as it is today. Several portions were paved by 1946 including the segment from Pueblo to Boone, Olney Springs to Sugar City, and from Haswell to the Kansas state line. The segment of SH 96 concurrent with US 50 was constructed as an expressway by 1957. The entire route was paved by 1964.[3]

Major intersections

CountyLocationmi[4]kmDestinationsNotes
CusterWestcliffe00.0 SH 69 – Walsenburg, SalidaWestern terminus
​16.526.6
 SH 165 south – Rye, Colorado City		Northern terminus of SH 165
Wetmore2642
 SH 67 north – Florence		Southern terminus of SH 67
PuebloPueblo5284 SH 45 (Pueblo Boulevard)

 US 50 Bus.
N. Bradford Street



To I-25 / US 85 / US 87 north
5690
 SH 227 south – Salt Creek		Northern terminus of SH 227
5893
 SH 47 west		Eastern terminus of SH 47
5893
 US 50 west – Cañon City		Western terminus of US 50 concurrency
6198  – Pueblo Memorial Airport
61.599.0
 SH 233 south (Baxter Road)		Northern terminus of SH 233
​64103
 SH 231 south		Northern terminus of SH 231
​70110
 US 50 east – La Junta		Eastern end of US 50 concurrency
Boone75121
 SH 209 south		Northern terminus of SH 209
Crowley​
 SH 167 south – Fowler		Northern terminus of SH 167
Crowley99159
 SH 207 south – Manzanola		Northern terminus of SH 207
Ordway105169
 SH 71 south – Rocky Ford		Western end of SH 71 concurrency

 SH 71 north – Punkin Center		Eastern end of SH 71 concurrency
KiowaEads165266
 US 287 north – Kit Carson		Western end of US 287 concurrency
​168270
 US 287 south – Lamar		Eastern end of US 287 concurrency
​
 US 385 south – Lamar		Western end of US 385 concurrency
Sheridan Lake193311
 US 385 north – Cheyenne Wells		Eastern end of US 385 concurrency
Kansas state line
Greeley​207.5333.9
 K-96 east – Tribune		Eastern terminus; continuation into Kansas as K-96
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
  • The highway just west of Wetmore.
    The highway just west of Wetmore.
  • Hardscrabble Pass, the highest point on the highway.
    Hardscrabble Pass, the highest point on the highway.
  • The highway passes over Rush Creek in Kiowa County.
    The highway passes over Rush Creek in Kiowa County.

References

  1. ^ "Segment list for SH 96". Retrieved 2007-05-12.[permanent dead link‍]
  2. ^ America's Byways.Frontier Pathways Scenic and Historic Byway map. Archived 2010-06-16 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ Salek, Matthew E. "Colorado Routes 80-99". Retrieved 2010-05-29.
  4. ^ "Highway Data Explorer". Colorado Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on September 10, 2012. Retrieved November 21, 2014.
    "Highway Data Explorer". Colorado Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on September 10, 2012. Retrieved November 21, 2014.
    "Highway Data Explorer". Colorado Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on September 10, 2012. Retrieved November 21, 2014.
    "Highway Data Explorer". Colorado Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on September 10, 2012. Retrieved November 21, 2014.
KML file (edit • help)
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