. ▁The ▁Grand ▁Valley ▁is ▁home ▁to ▁several ▁towns ▁and ▁small ▁cities ▁that ▁form ▁the ▁Grand ▁J unction ▁Metropolitan ▁Statist ical ▁Area , ▁the ▁largest ▁con urb ation ▁in ▁the ▁area ▁region ally ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁Western ▁Slo pe . ▁The ▁highway ▁directly ▁serves ▁the ▁communities ▁of ▁F ru ita , ▁Grand ▁J unction ▁and ▁Pal is ade . ▁Grand ▁J unction ▁is ▁the ▁largest ▁city ▁between ▁Den ver ▁and ▁Salt ▁Lake ▁City ▁and ▁serves ▁as ▁the ▁economic ▁hub ▁of ▁the ▁area . ▁The ▁fre ew ay ▁passes ▁to ▁the ▁north ▁of ▁dow nt own , ▁while ▁US   6 ▁and ▁ 5 0 ▁retain ▁their ▁original ▁routes ▁through ▁dow nt own . ▁US   6 ▁rejo ins ▁I - 7 0 ▁east ▁of ▁Grand ▁J unction ; ▁US   5 0 ▁dep arts ▁on ▁a ▁course ▁toward ▁P ue blo . ▁ ▁I - 7 0 ▁ex its ▁the ▁valley ▁through ▁De ▁Be que ▁C any on , ▁a ▁path ▁car ved ▁by ▁the ▁Colorado ▁River ▁that ▁separ ates ▁the ▁Book ▁Cl iffs ▁from ▁Batt lement ▁M esa . ▁The ▁river ▁and ▁its ▁trib ut aries ▁provide ▁the ▁course ▁for ▁the ▁as cent ▁up ▁the ▁Rock y ▁Mountains . ▁In ▁the ▁can y on , ▁I - 7 0 ▁enters ▁the ▁Be a vert ail ▁Mountain ▁T unnel , ▁the ▁first ▁of ▁several ▁t unn els ▁built ▁to ▁route ▁the ▁fre ew ay ▁across ▁the ▁Rock ies . ▁This ▁tunnel ▁design ▁features ▁a ▁cur ved ▁side wall , ▁unusual ▁for ▁t unn