Origin
Lochbuie, CO
Night in Lochbuie on Friday
Local time
9:53 PM
MDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Lochbuie, CO to Broomfield, CO
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
35m
Distance
29.9 mi
48 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 33m
★
6 AM
0h 36m
8 AM
0h 42m
10 AM
0h 38m
12 PM
0h 37m
3 PM
0h 38m
5 PM
0h 42m
8 PM
0h 34m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lochbuie, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Broomfield, CO
Owen.outdoors
Trip Overview
Lochbuie to Broomfield is 29.9 miles and takes about 35 minutes via Heartland Expressway, Denver–Boulder Turnpike, and Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward, single-day journey connecting two points within Colorado's Mountain West region. Given its short distance and minimal travel time, it's ideal for a quick relocation or a simple transit day. You'll be primarily on major roadways, so expect consistent travel conditions. This route requires minimal planning due to its brevity and focus on highways.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 35m. Total distance: 29.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
35m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (91%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This drive is overwhelmingly highway-focused, with 91% of the journey taking place on major expressways. You'll experience a nearly constant flow on roads like the Heartland Expressway, which accounts for the longest uninterrupted stretch at 17.8 miles. The Denver–Boulder Turnpike and Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway will also form the backbone of your trip. Expect a consistent driving experience characterized by smooth pavement and efficient travel, with little deviation into local roads.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 22 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Heartland Expressway is the longest continuous segment at about 17.8 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Heartland Expressway and Denver–Boulder Turnpike. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 18.7 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
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 17 decision points packed into just 29.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 35m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 18.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 18.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 26.2 miles (US 36 / Denver–Boulder Turnpike): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 17 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
8
18.7 mi into trip
|
~21m in
Take the exit toward I 270: Limon, Boulder
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 6
Toward I 270: Limon, Boulder
6
18.9 mi into trip
|
~21m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 270 West: Fort Collins, Boulder
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 270 West: Fort Collins, Boulder
6
26.2 mi into trip
|
~30m in
|
US 36 / Denver–Boulder Turnpike
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36 / Denver–Boulder Turnpike
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
28.8 mi into trip
|
~33m in
Take the exit toward CO 121: Wadsworth Parkway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward CO 121: Wadsworth Parkway
6
29.7 mi into trip
|
~35m in
|
Nickel Street
Turn right onto Nickel Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Lochbuie, CO to Broomfield, CO, road signs begin pointing toward Boulder along the way.
Boulder
18.7 mi in
|
~21m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Heartland Expressway | 17.8 mi | 18m |
| Denver–Boulder Turnpike | 9 mi | 10m |
| Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| County Road 37 | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| CO 121 | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| West Midway Boulevard | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Nickel Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| I-76 Frontage Road | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Heartland Expressway
— 17.8 mi, about 18m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lochbuie, CO and Broomfield, CO.
1
Start on County Road 37
0.4 mi
·
58 sec
·
County Road 37
2
At end of road, turn right onto I-76 Frontage Road
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
I-76 Frontage Road
3
Enter roundabout onto East 168th Avenue
252 ft
·
5 sec
·
East 168th Avenue
4
Continue on East 168th Avenue
109 ft
·
2 sec
·
East 168th Avenue
5
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
46 sec
Toward I 76 West
6
Merge onto I 76
18 mi
·
18 min
·
Heartland Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
11 sec
Exit 6
Toward I 270: Limon, Boulder
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
41 sec
Toward I 270 West: Fort Collins, Boulder
9
Merge onto I 270
0.5 mi
·
42 sec
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
10
Continue on US 36
2.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
11
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36
1.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
12
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36
2.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
13
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36
0.8 mi
·
52 sec
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
15
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
42 sec
Toward CO 121: Wadsworth Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Turn right onto CO 121
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
CO 121
17
Continue on US 287
204 ft
·
5 sec
·
US 287
18
Turn right onto West Midway Boulevard
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
West Midway Boulevard
Use the right lane.
19
Turn right onto Nickel Street
0.1 mi
·
22 sec
·
Nickel Street
Use the right lane.
20
Turn left onto West 3rd Avenue
273 ft
·
17 sec
·
West 3rd Avenue
Use the left lane.
21
Turn left
192 ft
·
14 sec
22
Arrive at destination
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.51 one way
$9.01 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $4.77 | $9.54 |
| premium | $4.39 | $5.17 | $10.34 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.60 | $13.20 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.63
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
(9 mi)
$0.63
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Tolls
$1
Total
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9 | 0 | $3.14 | $1.44 |
| Efficient EV | 7.5 | 0 | $2.62 | $1.20 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12 | 0 | $4.19 | $1.91 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Broomfield, CO
Night in Broomfield on Friday
Local time
9:53 PM
MDT
Current temp
75°F
Unavailable
Live 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
29 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
35m 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.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Lochbuie, CO to Broomfield, CO covers 29.9 miles and takes about 35m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Heartland Expressway, Denver–Boulder Turnpike, Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 14.9 miles from Lochbuie, CO. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $4.51 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.
This is a short but busy drive. With 17 decision points packed into just 29.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 35m.
The main spots that need attention: at 18.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 18.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 26.2 miles (US 36 / Denver–Boulder Turnpike): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Lochbuie, CO to Broomfield, CO, road signs begin pointing toward Boulder along the way.
How this page is built
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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