The Colorado Transportation Commission took several actions in the first meeting following the passage of Senate Bill 260, including the approval of $238 million in transportation needs and the opening of a planning rule to establish a pollution reduction planning standard. Newly-appointed commissioners Mark Garcia of Pagosa Springs and Terry Hart of Pueblo were sworn in and participated. Yessica Houglin has also been appointed to represent Denver and will join the Commission at their August meeting.
“The funding will address three essential priorities: fixing our assets, providing more multimodal options and improving safety and vitality of main streets,” said CDOT Executive Director Shoshana Lew. “The projects reflect key priorities elevated as part of SB260 and will leverage stimulus funding provided by our legislature to accelerate our economic recovery. We also appreciate the transportation commission moving forward with pollution reduction planning in an expeditious manner that reflects the urgency of our state’s climate challenges and targets under HB 1261.”
The $238 million is upfront funding included in the transportation funding bill, Senate Bill 260, Gov. Jared Polis signed into law last month. The bill is expected to raise about $5.4 billion over the next 10 years.
Funding will include the following projects:
Improving safety and economic vitality of Main Streets
Advance current work on main streets to improve travel and safety for all users. This includes strategic studies of community impacts of state highways that traverse Denver area neighborhoods, as well as working with local partners to determine best practices for downtown revitalization utilizing street space.
Adding traffic calming and multimodal options along US 160 in downtown Pagosa Springs in a manner that will create a “Complete Street.”
Fixing assets
Critical repairs to the I-70 Eisenhower Tunnel, including building repairs, improved ventilation, upgrades to the aging groundwater collection and treatment system and replacing the emergency generator system.
Repair poor interstate pavement along 24 miles of I-76 near Sterling.
Improve safety and road conditions along CO 13 in northern Colorado by adding shoulders, drainage and wildlife underpass.
Providing more multimodal options
Complete mobility hubs along I-25 north of Denver, allowing for fully functional bus rapid transit service on the corridor.
Expand Bustang service to Pueblo and Greeley, enhance frequency to the new mobility hubs and add more maintenance facilities.
Prepare for Bus Rapid Transit along CO 7 serving northern Denver communities by making multimodal investments identified in the ten year plan and prioritized in the Northern Area Mobility Study.
Project list for the $238 million funding:
Southwestern Colorado
US 160 Aztec Creek resurfacing – $2 million
US 160 Pagosa Springs reconstruction and multimodal improvements – $13.5 million
US 160 Trinchera Ranch safety and wildlife mitigation – $3.4 million
US 24 Buena Vista Park-n-Ride and intermodal facility – $440,000
Denver Metro Region
I-70 Eisenhower-Johnson Memorial Tunnels repairs and maintenance – $50 million
I-70 noise wall replacements (complete wall replacement from N. Pecos Street to I-76 in Denver) – $20 million
I-70 Bustang Pegasus/Floyd Hill (fund Park-n-Ride improvements along I-70 to support the launch of Pegasus and I-70 Floyd Hill traffic mitigation efforts, project connects with the I-70 Floyd Hill project) – $2 million
Southeast Colorado
I-25 operational improvements (Fillmore to Garden of the Gods, Colorado Springs) – $40 million
I-25 South central storage maintenance facility – $700,000
CO 21 and Airport Road diverging diamond interchange design – $4 million
Northwestern Colorado
CO 13 GarCo RioBlanco Hill – $29 million
I-70B multimodal improvements – $8.6 million
Northeastern Colorado
I-76 improvements east of Sterling – $16.3 million
I-25 Firestone-Longmont mobility hub – $13 million
CO 7 corridor improvements (95th and State Highway 7 and multimodal preconstruction) – $13.4 million
In addition to approving projects, the Commission passed a resolution opening a public rulemaking process for pollution reduction planning standards that are a key part of implementation of the state’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Roadmap. Senate Bill 260 establishes aggressive deadlines for putting these policies in place, as a condition for recipients receiving certain funds pursuant to the Bill. The Commission resolution recognizes this timeline and opens up the process, which will be followed by noticing a draft rule for robust public comment. The Commission Resolution calls for public hearings across the state once the draft rule is published. CDOT has published a concept paper that outlines key issues pertinent to the upcoming rulemaking.
In other business, the commission this week welcomed three new members: Yessica Holguin, of Denver; Terry Hart, of Pueblo; and Mark Garcia, of Pagosa Springs.
Holguin, a native of the Swansea neighborhood in Denver, is the executive director of the Center for Community Wealth Building. She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Colorado Denver in business administration and a master’s degree from the same institution in management and organization.
Hart, a former Pueblo County Commissioner, has also served on the Southwest Chief and Front Range Passenger Rail Commission. He holds a bachelor’s degree in history from Southern Colorado State College and a law degree from the University of Colorado Boulder.
Garcia is a consultant who has served as an administrator in multiple Colorado towns and cities. He is a former project manager for the City of Ouray and former director of the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad. He holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of New Mexico at Albuquerque.