Heavy traffic slows the roll on northbound Interstate 25 near Longmont, though the speed limit is 75 miles per hour through this area north of Denver. (Denver Post file photo)
With mountain communities on Interstate 70, people who depend on north-south I-25 added their voices, officially, to the conversation this week. The Fix North I-25 Business Alliance and regional business groups sent a letter to the governor and legislative leaders this week asking them to work together to make roads, bridges and congestion-relief a priority.
The alliance and 11 business organizations urged both parties to work together for a sustainable means for funding transportation during the next session, which begins Jan. 13.
“We appreciate Gov. Hickenlooper’s willingness to work towards a solution to Colorado’s infrastructure challenges,” David May, chairman of the Fix North I-25 Business Alliance said in a statement. “We look forward to working with his office, legislators on both sides of the aisle and business groups to address this problem in the upcoming legislative session.
“We can’t stay stuck in neutral on the state’s highway problems. Itap time to step on the gas and find the answer that will work for our economy, our taxpayers and the motoring public.”
In addition to the alliance, the letter is endorsed by the Colorado Springs Business Alliance, Grand Junction Area Chamber, Greater Pueblo Area Chamber, Ft. Collins Chamber of Commerce, South Metro Denver Chamber, Loveland Chamber of Commerce, Greeley Chamber of Commerce, Progressive 15, Northern Colorado Legislative Alliance, Club 20 and Colorado Business Roundtable.
“We are glad policymakers, businesses and residents have placed North I-25 at the top of their agenda,” said Shailen Bhatt, executive director of the Colorado Department of Transportation. “I-25 is a priority of CDOT’s and the governor’s and has been for the last decade as growth and congestion have impacted the quality of life in Northern Colorado. There are no easy answers as we face significant funding challenges, continued growth and congestion around the state on such corridors as I-70 East, in the mountains and South I-25.
“We need new revenue in addition to innovative financing to address the issues of North I-25 and around the state. Options like changing how the hospital provider fee is classified under TABOR could add significant resources to transportation. Additionally, we will continue to explore potential for public private partnerships to leverage the capacity of the proposed alternative for the corridor which includes adding one tolled Express Lane in each direction to Fort Collins”
The letter states:
Dear Governor Hickenlooper:
Colorado’s road funding crisis must be addressed.
We appreciate your continued focus on the growing crisis that faces our roads and bridges. From safety concerns, to delayed repairs to the need for significantly more capacity on a number of our key traffic arteries, the status quo threatens the vibrancy of our economy, our attractiveness as a destination for
business and tourism and our quality of life. We agree with and applaud your statement to the Joint Budget Committee that our transportation challenges threaten our economic competitiveness.
While we are heartened that Colorado is a desired destination for families and businesses, the sharp growth in our population also presents a challenge: the burden on our infrastructure continues to expand. Travel times are increasing. The ability to engage in commerce becomes more challenging by the year. Tourist destinations become less attractive because it is a growing challenge to get there and back in a reasonable time.
One study of just the I-25 corridor showed that businesses there are losing $56 million in revenue each year due to congestion along that transportation artery. Those challenges are replicated along the I-70 West corridor and other important corridors throughout Colorado.
The people of Colorado understand this. According to recent polling, voters believe funding Colorado’s roads should be the highest funding priority. Moreover, 9 out of 10 voters believe Colorado’s roads are in “desperate need of repair.”
We strongly support your desire to make the repair and expansion of Colorado’s roads and bridges a priority again. We are prepared to work with both parties in the Legislature to enact a strong, pro-
taxpayer, pro-jobs solution to dedicate and leverage significant dollars annually from the state’s General Fund into our roads and bridges. We must place a priority not only in addressing delayed and deferred repairs but to focus on expanding capacity.
We stand with you and your Administration in your efforts to address this continuing and growing crisis.
Letap work together to make 2016 the year we stopped talking about our transportation funding challenge and instead achieved a solution worthy of the people of Colorado.
Sincerely,
David May
President and CEO, Ft. Collins Chamber of Commerce
Chairman, Fix 1-25 North Coalition
Dirk Draper
President and CEO, Colorado Springs Business Alliance
Diane Schwenke
President, Grand Junction Chamber of Commerce
Rod Slyhoff
President, The Greater Pueblo Chamber
Robert Golden
President and CEO, South Metro Denver Chamber
Mindy McCloughan
President and CEO, Loveland Chamber of Commerce
Cathy Shull
Executive Director, Progressive 15
Sarah MacQuiddy
President, Greeley Chamber of Commerce
Laurel LaBonde
Chair, Northern Colorado Legislative Alliance
Christian Reece
Executive Director, Club 20
Jeff Wasden
President, Colorado Business Roundtable
Cc: Dickey Lee Hullinghorst, Speaker of the House
Bill Cadman, Senate President
Brian DelGrosso, House Minority Leader
Lucia Guzman, Senate Minority Leader
Randy Baumgardner, Chair, Transportation Committee
Shailen Bhatt, Colorado Department of Transportation
Rep. Millie Hamner, Chair, JBC
Sen. Kent Lambert, Vice Chair, JBC
Sen. Kevin Grantham, JBC
Sen. Patrick Steadman, JBC
Rep. Dave Young, JBC
Rep. Bob Rankin, JBC
