The Fix North I-‐25 Business Alliance, along with 11 business groups across Colorado, today delivered a joint letter to Gov. John Hickenlooper stressing the growing crisis in the state’s roads and bridges and urging the passage of a bipartisan, sustainable solution for transportation funding in the upcoming legislative session.
The letter, which applauded the Governor for highlighting the state’s urgent transportation needs in his recent budget presentation to the Legislature, was signed by the leaders of: Fix i-‐25 North, 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.
While the state’s strong population and economic growth is good news, the business leaders stressed that growth brings sharply increasing demands on Colorado’s transportation infrastructure. One recent study underscored the economic cost by finding that businesses along the I-‐25 corridor are losing $56 million in revenue each year due to congestion, and this problem persists throughout the state.
“We appreciate Gov. Hickenlooper’s willingness to work towards a solution to Colorado’s infrastructure challenges,” stated David May, Chair of The Fix North I-‐25 Business Alliance. “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. It’s time to step on the gas and find the answer that will work for our economy, our taxpayers and the motoring public.” (Full text of letter with signers included below)
About the Fix North I25
The Fix North I-‐25 Business Alliance was created through the Northern Colorado Legislative Alliance
(NCLA), a joint public policy advocacy arm of the Fort Collins, Greeley and Loveland Chambers of
Commerce and Upstate Colorado Economic Development Corporation. The NCLA is the leading voice in northern Colorado influencing local, state and federal policy on issues affecting the unique business interests of northern Colorado.
December 1, 2015
Gov. John Hickenlooper
Room 127 – State Capitol
Denver, CO 80203
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.
Let’s 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