Adams County Transportation Infrastructure Is Built for Business

Denver International Airport

The transportation infrastructure in Adams County is built for business, with good systems in place for traveling by road, air and rail.

With easy access to four interstates, five U.S. highways, nine state highways and the E-470 tollway, Adams County is a prime location for distribution, warehousing and logistics companies to locate. 

Transportation Improvements

Additionally, the Aerotropolis Regional Transportation Authority (ARTA) oversees several road improvement projects south of Denver International Airport in Aurora and Adams County.

Aerotropolis is a planned 21,000-acre commercial and residential development for Aurora and Adams County. New interchanges on I-70 and extensions of critical roadways will be built so major retail, office space, industrial and residential development can take place.

Third-busiest Airport in the U.S.

For air travelers in Adams County, there is Denver International Airport (DEN). Based on total passenger traffic, it is the third-busiest airport in the U.S., behind only Atlanta and Dallas, and the fifth-busiest airport in the world in 2023, according to Forbes magazine. 

In 2023, DEN served a record number of approximately 77.8 million passengers, including more than 4 million international passengers. It serves as the largest hub for Southwest Airlines, with over 300 daily departures. DEN is also the second largest hub for United Airlines, which has plans for a $33 million flight training center to be complete by 2027. 

“Denver International Airport remains focused on preparing the airport to serve 100 million annual passengers in the next five years,” says Jim Starling, DEN’s chief construction and infrastructure officer. “The airport was originally designed for 50 million annual passengers and has experienced tremendous growth.” 

Recent projects at the airport include the opening of the new high-tech West Security Checkpoint. The new East Security Checkpoint will open in late 2025 to provide another 17 screening lanes. 

During 2024, Denver International will host 23 airlines that offer service to over 200 nonstop destinations. 

HQ for Space Transportation 

Colorado Air and Space Port (CASP) is also located in Adams County, and officials with CASP say their vision is for the space port to ultimately serve as the nation’s hub for commercial space transportation and its research and development. CASP supports nearly 500 jobs, while providing an annual economic impact of more than $75 million to Adams County. 

CASP is owned and operated by Adams County and currently functions primarily as a general aviation airport, but it is also one of 12 Federal Aviation Administration commercial spaceports in the U.S. that can support horizontal launch and landing operations. The site boasts a generous amount of property that can be leased to companies linked to aviation, aerospace and related industries. 

CASP has a convenient location along the I-70 corridor. Its list of partners includes the Colorado Division of Aeronautics, Colorado National Guard, Maxar and Reaction Engines. 

New Industrial Rail Park 

Located in unincorporated Adams County and adjacent to CASP is Rocky Mountain Rail Park (RMRP), which spans 620 acres and offers its tenant companies direct access to the Union Pacific main line. RMRP has sites available for rail-served and non-rail-served tenants, and zoning allows for companies to have heavy industrial uses and outside storage. 

The Rail Park is also located in Foreign Trade Zone 293, with the convenience of I-70 only a mile away. 

“We acquired the 620 acres in 2018 and started developing the land from scratch, and we appreciate the good relationship we have with the Adams County commissioners regarding all the planning and permits involved,” says Brian Fallin, CEO of Rocky Mountain Industrials, which owns Rocky Mountain Rail Park in Bennett. “We should have all our infrastructure completed by the third quarter of 2024.” 

The Rail Park already has its first tenant. LKQ Corporation, an aftermarket auto parts company, has purchased 83 acres to construct its own manufacturing and distribution facility. 

RMRP has also built 4 miles of private track for future tenants to eventually connect to the Union Pacific main line, and there are plans to construct 11 more miles of private track. 

“We are looking to sell large land parcels ranging from 20 to 100 acres to heavy industrial companies representing a variety of sectors,” Fallin says. “Those sectors can represent automotive, aerospace, energy, oil and gas, warehousing, building materials, construction aggregates, food products and many more.”