News Room

Move Colorado Opposes Measures on the November 2010 Ballot as a Transportation Disaster

DENVER (January 26, 2010) — The Move Colorado Board of Directors voted to oppose Proposition 101 and Amendments 60 and 61 which have qualified for the November 2010 ballot. Proposition 101 would eliminate the funding for critical safety and bridge needs passed last year as the FASTER legislation. The combined impact of all the measures on state and local governments would preclude any consideration of adequate funding for transportation.

According to Move Colorado President Mark Mehalko, “These measures will make Colorado non-competitive in attracting or growing our economy. A state in fiscal chaos is not what we need as we try to pull out of the recession. We have a long way to go in adequately financing our transportation system and these measures will take us backward. These measures need to be rejected, and rejected soundly to send a message that Colorado is moving forward not backward.”

 

 

Move Colorado releases new White Paper – the Transportation Finance Crisis is Here and So is the Economic Crisis

DENVER (November 14, 2008) — The “Crisis” in transportation finance is taking its toll on Colorado’s transportation system – “it is no longer a quiet crisis, the transportation finance crisis is here,” according to the recently released white paper authored by David Pampu, Move Colorado Policy Researcher. In the short-term no new construction projects from FY 09 funds will go forward unless funds are made available from a federal economic stimulus package. In 2009 only surface treatment and bridge projects are likely to be put out to bid by CDOT. Not only will the traveling public be hurt by the lack of new and reconstructed roads, but the Colorado economy will suffer as well.”

The eroding affects of a chronically underfinanced transportation system are reaching the tipping point. The combined impact of federal funding reductions and the impact of falling state revenues on the budget will result in an estimated loss of transportation dollars in 2009 of $428.8 million, or nearly 33 percent - a $96.4 million decline in federal funding and a $332 million decline in Senate Bill 1 revenues. In his message on the budget, Governor Ritter said the budget shows that lawmakers must address the need for a major transportation-funding package in 2009.

According to Pampu, “unless a comprehensive approach to Colorado’s transportation revenue crisis is promptly addressed by the Governor and the General Assembly, we can fully expect that Colorado’s roads and bridges will continue to deteriorate and little money will be available to do much beyond emergency repair and critical maintenance. The resulting impact on the state’s economy and the motoring public will be devastating.”

Copies of the White Paper can be downloaded from here.