Colorado State Highway 90

State Highway 90 (SH 90) is a 41.9 mi (67.4 km) long state highway at the western edge of Colorado. SH 90's western terminus is a continuation as Utah State Route 46 (SR-46) at the Utah state border, and the eastern terminus is at U.S. Route 550 (US 550) in Montrose.

State Highway 90 marker
State Highway 90
Map of Montrose County in western Colorado with SH 90 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by CDOT
Length41.9 mi[1] (67.4 km)
Major junctions
West end SR-46 at the Utah border
Major intersections SH 141 at Vancorum
East end US 550 at Montrose
Location
CountryUnited States
StateColorado
CountiesMontrose
Highway system
  • Colorado State Highway System
SH 89 SH 91

Route description

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SH 90 through the Paradox Valley

SH 90 begins in the west at the border with Utah where it becomes Utah State Route 46 which continues westward to meet US 191 about twenty miles (32 km) south of Moab, UT. From the Utah border the road passes eastward for about 34 miles (55 km) through a very remote area, first along a section of La Sal Creek, then over a pass and though Paradox Valley, where it crosses the Dolores River Bridge near the town of Bedrock. After leaving the valley, it joins up with SH 141 at Vancorum where this portion of the road ends. The road then reappears approximately eight miles west of Montrose and travels into downtown Montrose where its western end occurs at its intersection with US 550. The two sections of the road are joined by a 49-mile (79 km) section composed mostly of unpaved road and a brief stretch of SH 141, neither of which are officially part of SH 90. Thus the official length of the road is 41.9 miles (67.4 km), but driving from one end to the other will require traveling at least 89 miles (143 km). If only paved routes are used, that distance increases considerably.

History

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The route was established in the 1920s without the current gap. In 1954, all was cut out except the current eastern section, and the current western section was added back in 1963. The route was also entirely paved by 1963.[2]

Major intersections

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The entire route is in Montrose County.

Locationmi[1]kmDestinationsNotes
0.0000.000  SR-46 – La Sal JunctionContinuation beyond Utah state line; West end of western segment
Vancorum33.87454.515  SH 141 – Uravan, NaturitaEast end of western segment
Gap in route
81.533131.215CR 59 / CR 90West end of eastern segment
Montrose89.858144.612  US 550 (Townsend Avenue) – Ouray, Gunnison, Grand JunctionEast end of eastern segment
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References

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  1. ^ a b "Segment Descriptions for Highway 90". Colorado Department of Transportation. Retrieved 2008-03-25.[permanent dead link]
  2. ^ Salek, Matthew E. "Colorado Routes 80-99". Retrieved 2010-04-11.
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