Why doesnt the Heartland Expressway follow US 85 through Wyoming?
While the Wyoming (WY) Highway 85 route would create a shorter route between Rapid City and Denver, developing the WY Highway 85 corridor as the Heartland Expressway would be a VERY BAD IDEA for several reasons. Utilizing the WY Highway 85 corridor would contribute to the already severe and rapidly worsening congestion on the Interstate 25 corridor in Colorado. Such a corridor would funnel traffic directly into the areas of Interstate 25 that are already exceeding their present carrying capacity.11 The Highway 85 corridor would also result in the Ports-to-Plains funneling traffic into the congested I-25 corridor. Alternatively, the proposed Highway 71 corridor for the Heartland Expressway in Colorado connects with the Ports-to-Plains Corridor on the eastern plains. This enables traffic not destined for Denver to entirely bypass the congested areas of Interstate 25. The proposed Heartland Expressway also enables traffic heading to/from Colorado Springs (and points south) to avoid Denver
