Restore Colorado’s commitment to transportation

The declining state of Colorado’s system of roads and bridges is a ticking time bomb that threatens our state’s robust job growth and economy, wonderful quality of life and vibrant tourism industry. It’s time to make transportation the top funding priority in the state, and 2016 is the time to rev up a new funding model to replace the outmoded one that’s been stuck in neutral for years.

Recent polling shows 90 percent of Coloradans believe our highways are in need of repair and expansion. But it doesn’t take a scientific poll; just ask anyone who lives here. It’s as obvious as the potholes under their tires and the brake lights from the stop-and-go traffic in front of them that Colorado has a road problem.

What most Coloradans don’t know, however, is that our state devotes no permanent general-fund budget dollars to transportation. 

One of the primary responsibilities of state government is the state highway system, but since 2009, the Colorado General Assembly has ignored it. This is a significant change of policy. Until 2009, Colorado dedicated up to 11 percent of its sales and use tax revenues to transportation funding before stopping that commitment.

For a while, the excuse was the poor economy. But since the Great Recession ended in 2009, state government revenue has grown by $3 billion, none of which has gone towards highways.

In contrast to Colorado’s approach, Utah and Texas — two of Colorado’s most aggressive economic competitors — have made significant investments in their transportation system, including miles of new highway capacity.

Businesses around the state recognize the folly of not investing in the highway infrastructure system. One of the loudest voices has been raised in Northern Colorado by the Fix North I-25 Business Alliance (FixNorthI25.com). Fix North I-25 leaders have come to realize that to get Interstate 25 widened between Colorado Highway 14 in Fort Collins and Colorado 66 northeast of Longmont, we need to help the entire state meet its transportation funding problem. While problems on North I-25 are acute, every corner of the state has unmet needs. Thus, the creation of Fix Colorado Roads (FixColoradoRoads.com).

Our goal at Fix Colorado Roads — a growing statewide coalition of business and civic leaders — is to create a permanent, predictable and reliable funding stream for the state’s roads and bridges. 

During the current session of the Colorado General Assembly, we believe two things need to happen. First, the Legislature should commit to a guaranteed source of funding from the state’s General Fund. We believe $200 million is appropriate.

Second, a bonding mechanism needs to be adopted to ensure that the Colorado Department of Transportation can jumpstart delayed maintenance priorities and build large-scale road expansion programs across Colorado sooner rather than later.

The bonding approach has been used before. Low interest rates present the state with a historic opportunity to renew the successful TRANS bonds from the 1990s, which would generate approximately $3.5 billion in proceeds to accelerate transportation projects that touch literally every legislative district in the state. 

We’re asking the Legislature to refer renewal of TRANS bonds to the fall ballot to let voters decide.

Our approach is a positive and proactive way to address Colorado’s growing transportation crisis. It is increasingly clear that the “no action” approach over the past seven years is not working. We believe that this is the year when the realization of the current and future effects of the transportation funding crisis meets the political will in both parties to take action. Colorado can’t continue to be stuck in neutral on transportation funding. It’s time to come together to put the issue of transportation funding in the legislative fast lane where it belongs.

David May is president and chief executive of the Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce, convener of the Fix North I-25 Business Alliance and a founder of Fix Colorado Roads.

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