I70 VS I80: Which One Is The Better US Interstate?

Interstate 70 and 80 are two of the largest and well-known interstate roads in the US. While the both interstates let people travel across states, travelers often hesitate choosing between the two.

Which is the better route? I70 vs I80.

Lengthwise, I80 is longer than I70. However, for an enjoyable ride and beautiful views, I70 is the better road between the two. Moreover, I70 also has higher elevation than I80. Be sure to avoid the rush hour of Denver while driving on 170, or you might get stuck in the traffic!

A bit too short to convince you? Well, stick a little longer and you’ll find out which route is the best one. Because we took a very detailed approach to differentiate the two roads.

Enjoy!

Brief Comparison

Being two popular interstates in the US, I70 and 180 have stirred up quite a debate. Used frequently by millions to commute, commuters are always looking to pick the best route.

To help you understand better, here’s a brief glance on the key differences between the two highways:

Features	I70	I80
Length	2,151.43 miles(3,462.39km)	2,899.59 miles(4,666.44km)
Notable Views	Eisenhower Tunnel, Green River. Glenwood canyon	Ames Monument, Rock Springs
Covered Cities	Utah, Colorado, Denver, Kansas, Ohio	San Francisco, New Jersey, California, Salt Lake City, Chicago
Highest Elevation	Over 10,000 ft	Around 7,000 ft
Traffic	During Rush Hours	Not much traffic

As you can see, when judged side by side, both streets are way different than the other. But that doesn’t mean that one road is more efficient than the other. It just means that each interstates are suitable for different commuters.

We’re going to go through all the factors distinguishing the two roads in full detail. That’ll help us find out which is better I70 or I80.  Let’s hit the accelerator!

I70 or 180: Elaborated Differences

We’ve had a glimpse of the brief, yet key differences of the two Interstates. Guess it’s time to go through them one more time! But this time, it’s going to be well elaborated!

But hey don’t get intimidated just yet. The differences are not as tough to navigate through as the I 95 and I 75 to Florida.

Length

The very first thing that comes to mind when talking about roads is its length. 

How much distance does it cover? Does it run through a number of cities? That sort of question, mostly.

Let’s see how the two interstates fare against each other in this category.

I70

The I70 covers a lot of distance despite being the smaller highway in comparison to I80. It covers a lot of ground, about 2,000 miles(roughly around 3.5 thousand km)

Source: dangerousroads.org

Driving through I70, you can easily reach Utah, Colorado, Denver, Kansas, and Ohio.

I80 

I80 is the second longest interstate in the US, covering a span of almost 3000 miles. Which roughly translates to 4.5 thousand kilometers. That’s huge!

As the interstate covers a large area, you can travel to a lot of states using it. You can travel to San Francisco, New Jersey, California, Salt Lake City, Chicago etc, driving through I80.

Both the I70 and I80 share some common cities along the way. You might find it hard to decide whether to choose I70 or I80 from SLC-Denver.

Notable Sights

There’s nothing better than beautiful sights alongside a long stretch of roads. Acres of beautiful lands passing by while you keep driving, it’s the best thing!

Thankfully, both I70 and I80 have really great sights that you can enjoy while driving.

I70

Oh boy, where do we even start!

There are so many wonderful places you can see while driving through I70. It will take hours to cover them all!

But you definitely shouldn’t miss the span of land between the Green river and Eisenhower tunnel. It’s really a jaw-dropping view and feels great to drive by!

There’s also the Glenwood Canyon with its astonishing mountain ranges. With all that in place, we can say one thing for sure. You’ll never run out of sights to see while driving through I70.

Source: skyhinews.com

I80

Okay. Maybe the I80 doesn’t have as many wonderful places to see as 170. But still, you’ll pass one or two great places when driving through.

Does I 80 go through the mountain?

Yes, it does.

Like Glenwood Canyon, you can see the mountain ranges of Rock springs and occasional deers. There’s also the famous Ames monument in Wyoming that’ll hook your eyes to it.

The drive through I80 can be a bit boring. You’ll have to pass a long stretch of road without seeing anything interesting.

Elevation

Highways are mostly elevated to overcome some existing complications of terrain and communication. It’s very expensive to build elevated highways. In order to avoid curving hills, forests, and water bodies, this method is implemented.

I70

The I70 highway is way elevated than the I80. This makes the I70 road condition suitable for driving with most vehicles without any major issues. 

Thanks to the elevated construction, I70 can run through various notable places without carving the scene. Thus, leaving no negative impact on the environment.

180

The I80 is not as elevated as the I70. But it’s elevated to some degree nonetheless. However, it’s not that easy to drive with family vehicles through I80 at times. With trucks being the dominant vehicle on I80, it’s mostly preferred by truck drivers.

Time and Traffic

Some highways are notorious for their long hours of traffic and the frustrations that come with it. In case of I70 and 180, here’s how the traffic is:

I70

There’s one or two spots that you should keep an eye out for while driving through I70. While the highway stays clear mostly, you might get stuck in the traffic during rush hours.

Be aware of driving through Denver during the rush hours. Not taking that in consideration can make you go through hours of traffic.

I80

Unlike I70, there’s no particularly heavy traffic spot on I80. Yes, you might have to drive for hours to reach from one state to another. But you won’t have to deal with traffic on I80 most of the time.

Almost to Sidney Nebraska now here on interstate 80 pic.twitter.com/jw8H8YncXO

— EVDave (@EVDave3) March 27, 2022

Which Route Do We Pick?

Now that we’ve laid every necessary information on the table, it’s time to choose a winner.

Which is better, interstate 70 or interstate 80?

In for a nice ride paired with beautiful views of the east-west US? I70 is your pick. You won’t be disappointed at all. On your way, you can still reach out to many cities and there should be enough gas stations and restaurants on the way as well.

Just keep an eye out for the rush hour traffic!

Source: aaroads.com

On the other hand, if you don’t mind long stretches of driving, you should drive on I80. It  might not have the best views, but it’s best for driving with most vehicles. Plus, you won’t have to worry about the traffic as well!

We think that, for occasional commuters, the I70 is the best route. But if you’re used to driving through interstates regularly, the I80 should be your ideal highway.

Using the same metrics, you can decide the better route between I10 vs I40 as well.

FAQs

How Steep Is I70 in Colorado?

The I70 is quite steep around Colorado, about 8 and a half thousand feet elevated. In Colorado, the highway has a decent steep on both sides of the Eisenhower tunnel.

What Is the Longest Interstate in the US?

The longest Interstate in the US is Interstate 90, or I90. It’s over 3000 miles in length and goes through a good number of US states. The highway spans from Boston, Massachusetts, to Seattle, Washington

Which State Has No Interstate?

Out of all the states in the US, Alaska is the only one without an interstate. 

Summary

And that’s about everything we’ve to say about I70 vs I80. 

Be sure to stay updated about the weather forecast, traffic, and any possible accidents before driving. There are two toll posts in I80, so drive with that in mind. 

That’s all! Have a safe trip!