Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
16m
Distance
9.8 mi
16 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$1
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Federal Heights, CO
Mark Stebnicki
Broomfield, CO
Owen.outdoors
The drive from Federal Heights, CO to Broomfield, CO covers 9.8 miles and takes about 16m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Denver–Boulder Turnpike, West 84th Avenue, Federal Boulevard for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 6.2 miles on Denver–Boulder Turnpike. At current regular gas prices, budget about $1.48 one way before food or hotel costs.
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 16m. Total distance: 9.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
16m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (66%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
This is a 16m highway drive covering 9.8 miles, with most of the trip on Denver–Boulder Turnpike and West 84th Avenue. The longest continuous stretch is about 6.2 miles on Denver–Boulder Turnpike.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Denver–Boulder Turnpike and West 84th Avenue. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.6 miles in near West 84th Avenue.
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 14 decision points packed into just 9.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 16m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles (West 84th Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.1 miles (US 36 / Denver–Boulder Turnpike): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 8.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
Turn right onto West 84th Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36 / Denver–Boulder Turnpike
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward CO 121: Wadsworth Parkway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Turn right onto Nickel Street
Lane positioning matters here
Turn left onto West 3rd Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Denver–Boulder Turnpike | 6.2 mi | 7m |
| West 84th Avenue | 1 mi | 2m |
| Federal Boulevard | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| West 85th Avenue | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| CO 121 | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Pecos Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| West Midway Boulevard | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Nickel Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Federal Heights, CO and Broomfield, CO.
Start on West 85th Avenue
At end of road, turn left onto Pecos Street
Turn right onto West 84th Avenue
Turn left onto US 287
Take the ramp
Merge onto US 36
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36
Take the exit
Turn right onto CO 121
Continue on US 287
Turn right onto West Midway Boulevard
Turn right onto Nickel Street
Turn left onto West 3rd Avenue
Turn left
Arrive at destination
Regular Gas
$1.48 one way
$2.95 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $1.56 | $3.13 |
| premium | $4.39 | $1.70 | $3.39 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.16 | $4.33 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.43
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$1
Tolls
$0
Total
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 3.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 2.9 | 0 | $1.03 | $0.47 |
| Efficient EV | 2.5 | 0 | $0.86 | $0.39 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 3.9 | 0 | $1.37 | $0.63 |
Gas CO2
3 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (67% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in Federal Heights on Saturday
Local time
11:05 AM
MDT
Current temp
25°F
Mostly Clear
Destination
Morning in Broomfield on Saturday
Local time
11:05 AM
MDT
Current temp
75°F
Unavailable
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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