Government & Politics  July 9, 2021

$5.4B transportation bill
includes solid projects,
but neglects I-25 segment

Gov. Jared Polis in June signed a $5.4 billion transportation-funding bill into law, saying that the legislation would “fix the damn roads in Colorado.”
Well, partly.

Senate Bill 21-260 imposes new fees on gasoline and diesel fuel, ridesharing apps, car rentals, electric-vehicle purchases, deliveries and other measures, with the funds used for state and local transportation projects, debt payments, incentives for vehicle electrification and projects to mitigate air pollution.

Left out of the mix is a project critical to the economy of Northern Colorado: extension of express lanes along Interstate 25 between Colorado Highways 66 and 56, a stretch known as Segment 5. Without improvements to that stretch, Northern Colorado’s fast-growing population will continue to suffer through traffic woes and bottlenecks.

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State officials might believe that the region has secured enough funding, with various I-25 improvement projects ongoing. Colorado Department of Transportation officials recently provided a tour of current projects, updating reporters and others on their status.

Current projects include additional lanes and replacement of bridges. One stretch — from Colorado Highway 402 to Colorado Highway 14 — is about 50% complete, CDOT says, with Colorado Highway 402 south to the Berthoud exit about 20% complete.

But the stretch between Berthoud and Colorado Highway 66 remains unfunded by the state, leaving residents of Northern Colorado basically with two options for securing the needed funds:

Secure funds through a federal infrastructure bill, which business leaders have asked Colorado’s congressional delegation to pursue.

Consider a private funding measure.

The latter approach might be the most-viable remaining option. Roadis USA Holding LLC in April sent an unsolicited bid to CDOT to extend express lanes through Segment 5, along with other projects in the northern metropolitan area. CDOT said recently that it was still evaluating the proposal, weighing whether to request a more-detailed plan.

If it decides to take that course, CDOT would undertake a competitive-bidding process.

It could provide the best solution to widening a crucial segment of the interstate. And it’s not only that segment that could benefit. The Roadis proposal also would extend express lanes in Segment 3 between Colorado Highway 7 and Colorado Highway 66; provide auxiliary lanes and other safety measures from U.S. Highway 36 to 120th Avenue; and provide a new bridge and transit hub at 88th Avenue.

We’re not saying that the Roadis proposal should be adopted wholesale, but private funding could be the solution to finally “fix the damn roads.”

Gov. Jared Polis in June signed a $5.4 billion transportation-funding bill into law, saying that the legislation would “fix the damn roads in Colorado.”
Well, partly.

Senate Bill 21-260 imposes new fees on gasoline and diesel fuel, ridesharing apps, car rentals, electric-vehicle purchases, deliveries and other measures, with the funds used for state and local transportation projects, debt payments, incentives for vehicle electrification and projects to mitigate air pollution.

Left out of the mix is a project critical to the economy of Northern Colorado: extension of express lanes along Interstate 25 between Colorado Highways 66 and 56, a stretch known as Segment 5.…

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