Sometimes, despite your best efforts, things just don’t go your way. That’s the unfortunate news that we have to report regarding SB16-210, the Fix Colorado Roads Act, which died in the Colorado House of Representatives State Affairs Committee today, 4 to 5.
The bill got caught up in last minute partisan wrangling over other issues including Democrat proposals to increase taxes on oil and gas producers and reclassifying the hospital provider fee into an enterprise fund. Both were rebuffed or ignored by Republicans. In the quid pro quo world of politics, the other side had to pay. So, a transportation bill that generally had bi-partisan support but promoted by Republicans was doomed.
The Act, sponsored by Senate Transportation Committee Chair Randy Baumgardner and House Majority Leader Brian Del Grosso, would have created a robust funding and finance program through the renewal of existing transportation bonds backed by a commitment from the state’s general fund and a small portion of the Colorado Department of Transportation’s budget.
The $3.5 billion Fix Colorado Roads bond program, which would have required no new taxes, would have accelerated construction of important road projects statewide. Among the signature expansion projects included would have been:
- I-70 West: ROD (record of decision) projects throughout the corridor plus seed funding for the next phase of expansion
- North I-25: State Highway 14 south to US 36
- South I-25:Monument Hill to Castle Rock and the New Pueblo Freeway
The Fix Colorado Roads bond program would have been referred to voters by the Legislature for the November 2016 ballot.
The Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce and the Fix North I-25 Business Alliance worked hard to craft and position the Fix Colorado Roads Act and had gained the support of a number of key business organizations including the Northern Colorado Legislative Alliance, Colorado Counties, Inc., Colorado Concern, Colorado Business Roundtable, NFIB, Upstate Colorado Economic Development, Weld County, Glenwood Springs Chamber of Commerce, Colorado-Wyoming Petroleum Marketers Association, Colorado Springs Regional Business Alliance, South Metro Chamber of Commerce, Loveland Chamber of Commerce, Colorado Motor Carriers Association, Colorado Association of Realtors, Vail Valley Partnership, Greeley Chamber of Commerce, Jefferson County Business Lobby, Colorado Contractors Association and the Colorado Association of Commerce and Industry.
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