Washington – The House late Thursday was to approve $286.4 billion in highway and mass-transit money for the states, sending representatives home for their summer vacations bearing big gifts of roads, bridges and jobs.
The vote on the six-year measure was to be the House’s last major act before recessing for the six-week summer break. The Senate was to follow suit today.
With the president’s expected signature, passage of the act would end an almost two-year impasse in which Congress and the White House battled over the proper spending levels. Also, states were at odds over how best to divide the billions in federal highway money.
The bill would direct federal funds to thousands of projects requested by members, from $200 million for a bridge in Alaska to $2 million to pave roads on a South Dakota Indian reservation.
Colorado would receive more than $2.45 billion for highways through 2009, a 47 percent increase over the previous measure. Colorado lawmakers hailed it as the largest percentage increase of any state.
The bill includes money for $12 million to widen U.S. 50 between Lamar and La Junta, $7 million for Interstate 225 between South Parker Road and I-70, $6 million for I-25 between Denver and Fort Collins, and $3 million for the I-70 corridor between Denver and the Western Slope.
“I’m pleased to report that help is on the way for Colorado drivers,” said Sen. Wayne Allard, R-Colo.
“This increase in transportation funding to Colorado will help ensure that the highest level of our transportation infrastructure is maintained,” said Sen. Ken Salazar, D-Colo.
The nation has been without a new act since September 2003, when the 1998-2003 law, funded at $218 billion, expired. Since then, Congress has had to pass 11 temporary extensions to keep money flowing to states for construction projects.
The gap in funding has disrupted schedules for new projects and prevented the hiring of tens of thousands of construction workers.
The final funding level for the 2004-09 period is nearly $100 billion less than lawmakers and transportation officials have said is necessary to make real improvements in the nation’s deteriorating, congested and unsafe roads and bridges.
But the White House has insisted that Congress show fiscal discipline, saying it cannot go along with unbridled spending at a time of large budget deficits and rising military costs.
The bill also designates hundreds of new bus terminals, railways, bike trails, pedestrian walkways and parking lots. Mass transit receives about 18 percent of the money, more than $50 billion, while $6 billion is set aside for transportation-safety programs.
Colorado projects in line for funding
Here are key Colorado projects receiving federal money in the transportation bill before Congress, out of nearly $2.5 billion designated for the state over six years. (These projects also may get additional money from state and local agencies.)
$14 million for widening and improvements to U.S. 50 in southeastern Colorado, including $12 million to widen the highway to four lanes from Lamar to La Junta.
$8 million for the Powers Boulevard/Woodmen Road interchange in Colorado Springs.
$7 million for improvements to Interstate 225 between Parker Road and Interstate 70.
$6 million for improvements to Interstate 25 between Denver and Fort Collins.
$6 million for the I-70/Colorado 58 interchange in Jefferson County.
$5 million for improvements to I-25 from the Douglas-Arapahoe county line to El Paso County.
$5 million for U.S. 24 improvements over Tennessee Pass in Lake County.
$5 million for Interstate 76/Northeast Gateway improvements.
– Mike Soraghan
