Colorado pre-research tips

[Wyoming22]

Fontage Roads are popular along the Interstates in Colorado. Some of these a gravel / dirt. It would be fun to see these represented.

[Xaagon]

Wow... I'm impressed with the research my fellow Coloradans have already posted!

I've called Colorado Springs home for the last 19 years, and have lived in Fort Collins for 5 years back in the 1990s.

I didn't see anyone mention the US Air Force Academy. This would not be a destination for trucks, but located right next to I-25 just north of Colorado Springs it would definitely be seen by trucks driving through the area. Small aircraft and parachutists are commonly seen here. You can also see their football stadium from I-25.

There seems to be a lack of truck stops in southern Colorado. I'm only aware of two, one in Colorado City (half way between Walsenburg and Pueblo) and one (technically two across the road from each other) in Monument. All of these could be described as gas stations with parking for trucks, though one in Monument has an Arby's restaurant.

Areas east of Colorado Springs and Pueblo are rather dry and mostly just have ranchlands, except for right along the Arkansas River, where there are farms. Farms become more common as you get closer to Kansas.

From what I remember of northern Colorado, it seems less dry than southern Colorado and you'll find more farming happening east of Fort Collins and Greeley.

I'm not as familiar with western Colorado, but I seem to remember a large power plant near Craig.

Edit: Just did a Google search and found a small TA just north of Walsenburg and a Love's just north of Pueblo, but these too look like gas stations that may have a small amount of truck parking.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
22 August 2019 edit:

I was driving home today and thought about license plates. I don't think anyone here had said anything about them here for Colorado, so here's my input.

Current Colorado license plates are 6 characters long with a dash in the middle, following a pattern of three letters, dash, one letter and two numbers. ABC-D12. This system is relatively new, so most vehicles will have an old three letters, dash, three numbers ABC-123, or even older three numbers, dash, three letters 123-ABC. These are dark green on white backgrounds with the classic mountain outline on top. Plates older than these are still in use, but not seeing older plates of other states in use in ATS I assume SCS is not interested in anything other than current issues. Trailers don't follow special numbering, though they will often have a "TRL" in small letters printed vertically on the left side of the plate. Big trucks will have special plates, which will be colored red on a white background with the classic mountain outline on top and have a "GVW" in small letters printed vertically on the left side of the plate. From the link below (Colorado Dept. of Motor Vehicles) you can select which type of plate you want to see and it will show you a picture of that type of plate.

https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/dmv/license-plates

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
26 August 2019 edit:

Today Freeway Jim released a new video, driving through Denver. This starts east of town, goes through "the mousetrap" (I-25 & I-70 Junction) and heads south with a brief trip into the downtown area. Awesome summer evening scenery.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBZ16zASAs4

[Fae]

Nice to see the discussion on Colorado still going strong. Sorry I haven’t been around. Been hectic lately but I have a few ideas I’m going to toss up here ... after I get some sleep.

License plates ... unlike other states, Colorado commercial vehicles have special fleet plates. Not sure if that’s doable in the code to separate commercial and regular vehicles, but you will never see a legit commercial vehicle with green/white plates. The green is replaced with red.

[Xaagon]

Thanks for posting Fae! To not double-post I had to keep editing my last post and wasn't sure if anyone was going to see it!

Here's some more free research:

Far southeastern Colorado is home to long straight roads and some dust-bowl era ghost towns:
https://www.google.com/maps/@37.5576013 ... 312!8i6656

Falcon stadium as seen from I-25 and Interquest Parkway in Colorado Springs:
https://www.google.com/maps/@38.9907522 ... 312!8i6656

There's a large rock quarry in northwest Colorado Springs that is visible from much of the city:
https://www.google.com/maps/@38.9344047 ... 312!8i6656

Through central Pueblo, I-25 is mostly elevated and allows for some great views of the city:
https://www.google.com/maps/@38.2711542 ... 312!8i6656

Huerfano Butte, landmark on I-25 between Walsenburg and Pueblo:
https://www.google.com/maps/@37.7443359 ... 312!8i6656

Old industrial building on US-160 west of Walsenburg. I'm not sure what this was, but notice it every time I'm on this road:
https://www.google.com/maps/@37.6147503 ... 312!8i6656

Not sure how much truck traffic this gets, but here's a tunnel on Colorado 14 west of Fort Collins:
https://www.google.com/maps/@40.694042, ... 312!8i6656

Blanca Peak from US-160 east of Alamosa:
https://www.google.com/maps/@37.4720509 ... 312!8i6656

Limon is in east-central Colorado. It only has two or three thousand residents, but it's location at the intersection of several highways makes it an ideal spot for truck stops, restaurants, motels, etc.
https://www.google.com/maps/@39.27746,- ... 612,12.23z

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Edit 2 Sept., 2019

I forgot to mention there's an International truck dealer in Colorado Springs:
https://www.google.com/maps/@38.8969679 ... bfov%3D100

[Jbte]

Just want to share 1,400 pictures from my collection of Colorado state;
https://photos.app.goo.gl/kFz6wyqsGSEJV2DDA

[CaptCarrot1976]

The Swindon roundabout is an abomination. I just can't understand that one. There isn't even any traffic signage in it to help direct traffic and establish the right of way.

The Magic Roundabout is dead easy to navigate. have driven it many times and never had an issue.

Double Post Merged

For Colorado, would LOVE to see Cheyenne Mountain as a bit of scenery, there could even be an achievement for visiting this.

[rbsanford]

Cheyenne Mountain can be seen from I-25, but if you're talking about the Air Force base, I doubt it would be included. It's somewhat far from major roads, there doesn't seem to be anything to deliver to or from there, and I'm sure if there was, the Air Force would do the transporting itself to such a facility instead of contracting a civilian driver. If the Cheyenne Mountain base is included in some capacity though, it would be fun if we could drive through the tunnel.

Another landmark in the Colorado Springs area is Pike's Peak, which I think would be more interesting in ATS, as there's actually a paved road up to the summit, which would make for a great scenery spur like with Mt. St. Helens, especially with the long-distance terrain render techniques introduced with WA.

[Xaagon]

Not sure civilian drivers would be going to Cheyenne Mountain, or driving the Pikes Peak road... but they did add that road in California that commercial vehicles aren't supposed to use and added a road up to Mount Saint Helens in Washington, so I suppose they could do this. With the 1/20 scale you might be able to see Denver and Pueblo from up there.

Colorado Springs' airport shares a runway with Peterson Air Force Base... again, not really a destination for civilian trucks. If they include Colorado highway 21 (runs north-south through the eastern part of Colorado Springs, they might consider including the airport. Another thing that folks might find interesting in that neighborhood is the Airplane Restaurant - they have their building connected to a retired fuel plane (that would refuel aircraft in mid-flight) that's been retrofitted with tables for people to eat in:

https://www.google.com/maps/@38.8062995 ... 312!8i6656

If they include Colorado highway 115 they will be going directly past Fort Carson (again, probably not a destination for civilian trucks) and may want to add the museum with their tanks in the parking lot:

https://www.google.com/maps/@38.7376086 ... 312!8i6656

[Blackspots]

@Xaagon: Pikes Peak is a civilian access road to the top of the mountain for the visitors center there (they are building a new visitor's center), however, semis don't go up the road because of its extremely tight turns.

[EllieODaire]

If they include Colorado highway 21 (runs north-south through the eastern part of Colorado Springs, they might consider including the airport. Another thing that folks might find interesting in that neighborhood is the Airplane Restaurant - they have their building connected to a retired fuel plane (that would refuel aircraft in mid-flight) that's been retrofitted with tables for people to eat in:

I have customers (Coke & Taylor Farms warehouses) a couple blocks from the restaurant and drive right past the plane to get in, this could totally be a good landmark to add to the game!