What’s Up With Grand Junction’s Weird Road Names?

Have you ever tried to give someone directions in Grand Junction while purposely avoiding the roads with fractions? “Turn right on 28 ½ Road, then left at F ¾.” It sounds like a math test at times, but that is how we roll on the Western Slope. Our streets have personality.

Keep scrolling for a look at ten of the most uniquely named roads in town, along with a little Western Colorado history.

Why Grand Junction Has So Many Fraction Roads

Once you know the system, Grand Junction’s street fractions make sense. When Mesa County laid out its roads, the surveyors counted miles from the Utah border moving East, and from the Colorado River moving North. As they moved, they marked each full mile with a number and each fraction of a mile accordingly. Once you get used to it, you will rarely get lost again.

The First Paved Road in Grand Junction

Read More: Look: This Is Colorado's Oldest Highway in Mesa County

According to the Museum of Western Colorado, before Grand Junction’s fractions were added to the street signs, the first paved road in town was the mighty North Avenue. The road was once part of the old Midland Trail that crossed Colorado in the 1920s. Once the road was paved, city leaders witnessed the road become the heart of commerce, and expanded paving South into the downtown area towards the Colorado River.

The Longest Uninterrupted Road in Grand Junction

According to the City of Grand Junction planning documents, Grand Junction’s longest continuous road is Patterson Road (also known as F Road). Stretching from Clifton, Colorado, across the valley to the edge of Fruita, the road serves as a major thoroughfare connecting shopping centers, neighborhoods, and schools throughout the valley. Learn more about Patterson Road with the link below.

Read More: What is the Longest Road in Grand Junction, Colorado?

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