Facing yet another anemic budget year when the state’s general fund could be short by as much as $1 billion, the Colorado Department of Transportation says that more than half of its highways and roads are in poor shape.
Of the 9,144 miles of highways the agency is responsible for maintaining, 52 percent are now rated in poor condition, which mean they have less than five years of service life left. It’s the worst rating since CDOT engineers began tracking statewide conditions in 2000.
Rather than just dumping this report onto the pile of other arguments for bolstering Colorado’s transportation budget, it should serve as a reminder to state lawmakers that they have some unfinished business to take care of in coming legislative sessions.
These aren’t back alleys we’re talking about.
CDOT’s highways include interstates like I-70, I-25 and I-270, along with U.S. Highway 285, U.S. 6, Colorado 58 and Colorado 93. Even Colfax Avenue and Colorado Boulevard.
In our growing state we ought to be debating whether to add more capacity to highways or add rail, not just squabbling over how we can patch holes.
Yes, the continued weak condition of the national and local economy means that much of that work will have to wait. And while it’s unlikely lawmakers would ask voters for a tax increase next year for transportation, they shouldn’t put off finding new money for transportation much longer.
One of the consequences of President Obama’s accelerated fuel efficiency requirements for cars and trucks will be an even greater erosion in federal and state gas taxes, which fuel transportation coffers.
Those taxes have been a dwindling source of revenue for years.
Colorado lawmakers increased vehicle registration fees in 2009 as part of the FASTER transportation bill to fund road and bridge repair and to fund some transit projects. It was a needed boost, but those increases have so far only added $80 million for bridge work this year and an expected $115 million for next year, according to The Post’s Jeffrey Leib.
FASTER, once fully phased in, is meant to provide a steadier stream of money to continue repairs, but the expected $250 million a year falls way short of an earlier commission’s estimates that as much as $1.5 billion in new money is needed each year.
If voters pass Proposition 101 in November, it would severely reduce the amount of money available for the state’s massive transportation needs.
And if CDOT continues spending $260 million annually for surface repairs, expect to see more and more of the “poor” rating, its engineers say. The status quo would mean that by 2030, 78 percent would fall into poor condition.
That’s not acceptable.
Coloradans deserve better.
