Trip from Commerce City, CO to Lafayette, CO

Drive Time

29m

Distance

18.7 mi

Route Type

Turn-heavy local drive

Quick day trip

Trip Overview

The drive from Commerce City, CO to Lafayette, CO covers 18.7 miles and takes about 29m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Dexter Street, East 60th Avenue, North Vasquez Boulevard for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $2.54 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Break Rhythm

0 planned breaks

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

9.3 miles from Commerce City, CO

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 14m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a 29m drive with frequent turns across 18.7 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.

There are about 22 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

Dexter Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
Dexter Street	Unavailable	Refreshing
East 60th Avenue	Unavailable	Refreshing
North Vasquez Boulevard	Unavailable	Refreshing
I 270 West	Unavailable	Refreshing
Dwight D	Unavailable	Refreshing
Denver–Boulder Turnpike	Unavailable	Refreshing
CO 121	Unavailable	Refreshing
South 112th Street	Unavailable	Refreshing

Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.

Longest stretch: Dexter Street — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Commerce City, CO and Lafayette, CO.

Start on the route

0.1 mi · 56 sec · the route

At the end of the road, turn right onto Dexter Street

0.1 mi · 34 sec · Dexter Street

Turn right

148 ft · 16 sec

Turn left

95 ft · 12 sec

At the end of the road, turn left onto East 60th Avenue

200 ft · 15 sec · East 60th Avenue

Turn right onto North Vasquez Boulevard

0.2 mi · 11 sec · North Vasquez Boulevard

Take the exit slight right toward I 270 West: Boulder

0.3 mi · 39 sec · I 270 West: Boulder

Merge slight left onto Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

2.9 mi · 4 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

Continue on Denver–Boulder Turnpike

2.4 mi · 2 min · Denver–Boulder Turnpike

Keep slight right to continue on Denver–Boulder Turnpike

1.7 mi · 1 min · Denver–Boulder Turnpike

Keep slight right to continue on Denver–Boulder Turnpike

2.3 mi · 2 min · Denver–Boulder Turnpike

Keep slight right to continue on Denver–Boulder Turnpike

1.9 mi · 2 min · Denver–Boulder Turnpike

Keep slight right to continue on Denver–Boulder Turnpike

0.8 mi · 52 sec · Denver–Boulder Turnpike

Take the exit slight right toward CO 121: Wadsworth Parkway

0.4 mi · 42 sec · CO 121: Wadsworth Parkway

Turn right

0.2 mi · 30 sec

Continue straight

4.0 mi · 6 min

Continue on South 112th Street

0.2 mi · 36 sec · South 112th Street

Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward South Public Road

131 ft · 4 sec · South Public Road

Exit the roundabout onto South Public Road

1.0 mi · 2 min · South Public Road

Turn right

49 ft · 9 sec

Turn left

207 ft · 15 sec

Arrive at your destination

When to Leave

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.

You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.

The halfway point lands around 9.3 miles from Commerce City, CO, or about 14m into the drive.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Drive Plan

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 18.7 miles or 29m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 9.3 miles or 14m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 24m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Lafayette, CO than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Commerce City, CO so your first major turns are already loaded.

Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.

Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.

Trip Strategy

Day 1

Settle into the route from Commerce City, CO

This is one driving day of about 18.7 miles and 29m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Commerce City, CO.

This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.

You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.

Best Stop Towns on This Route

These towns line up with the pace of this drive and give you clearer places to stop with a purpose.

Late stop town

Meal stop

Broomfield, CO

9 mi into the route

Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset

This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.

Travel Advice

Arrival Notes

The final approach into Lafayette, CO usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Lafayette, CO.

Seasonal Notes

Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.

Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.

Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.

Stops Along the Way

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 9.3 mi from Commerce City, CO

Broomfield, CO

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 18.7 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Broomfield, CO

Meal break

The midpoint is around 9.3 miles from Commerce City, CO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions for the drive, so the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
regular	$3.45	$2.54	$5.08
midgrade	$3.85	$2.83	$5.67
premium	$4.15	$3.06	$6.11
diesel	$3.75	$2.76	$5.52

Based on 25.4 MPG average. Estimated CO2 emission: 6.5 kg one way.

Travel Intel

Local time and weather at both ends of the drive

Compare the departure city with the arrival city before you leave so the route feels predictable, not reactive.

Forecast data refreshed 1 day ago

Origin

Commerce City, CO

Late night in Commerce City on Saturday

Local time

1:59 AM

MDT

Current temp

67°F

Forecast unavailable right now

MDT Live mapsof forecast

Destination

Lafayette, CO

Late night in Lafayette on Saturday

Local time

1:59 AM

MDT

Current temp

41°F

Forecast unavailable right now

MDT Live mapsof forecast

Time zone

Same local time

Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.

Temperature spread

26 degrees cooler at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

29m on the road

Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Commerce City, CO to Lafayette, CO covers 18.7 miles and takes about 29m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Dexter Street, East 60th Avenue, North Vasquez Boulevard. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 9.3 miles from Commerce City, CO. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $2.54 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

More trips from Commerce City, CO

Commerce City, CO to Colorado Springs, CO

78.4 mi 1h 21m

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