Commentary

Colorado's quiet crisis

Colorado's transportation system is our state's lifeline. It supports tourism, recreation and our workforce. It's the means for transporting goods and services throughout the state. A viable and reliable transportation system is essential to the health of our economy and the health of our communities.

Unfortunately, our bridge and highway system was never designed to meet the daily capacity and load demands of the 21st century. Nor does Colorado have the funds to fix the problem. Without increased resources, even maintaining the current condition of our roads and bridges will not be possible.

Construction

The facts

  • Our system is aging. Colorado roads were built and designed to last 20 years; our bridges 30 to 40 years. Yet today the state has 115 bridges that are 75 years old, highway sections that are 70 to 100 years old and interstate sections that are up to 50 years old.


  • Our population is growing. By 2020, Colorado's population is estimated to increase by 1.2 million, placing more pressure on an aging system.


  • Demand for public transport is increasing. It's up about 30% from last year. Local systems are unable to meet demand and interregional public transport is virtually non-existent.


  • Bridges and roads are crumbling. There are 126 structurally deficient bridges (and counting) in Colorado. Forty percent of Colorado roads are in poor condition; 20% need to be completely reconstructed.

The funds

At the same time, transportation funding in Colorado is facing an all-time low.

  • Funding is declining. Since 2001, there has been a 38% decline in funding for highways.


  • Costs are rising. Due to inflation and rising construction costs, the Colorado Department of Transportation's (CDOT) buying power has plummeted. What CDOT could buy 15 or 20 years ago isn't even half of what it can buy today. In the last four years, the average cost of materials used for highway construction has increased by 43%.


  • Revenues are restricted. Due to constitutional restrictions, the state is prohibited from using existing state fuel taxes for transit. Instead of adding transit to corridors, CDOT can only pursue highway options.


  • Tax structure is antiquated. State and federal fuel tax rates are flat. Despite paying a lot for gas these days, your level of investment to Colorado's transportation system has remained the same since 1993.

    • What it means to road users

    The results of an under-funded transportation system will be far-reaching in their impact on the state economy, the environment, and vehicle maintenance costs to individual drivers and companies. Efficient transportation is critical to the economy; studies show that congestion on I-70 alone costs Colorado businesses more than $800 million annually.

    With more vehicles on congested roads for longer periods of time, vehicle emissions increase, affecting air quality—transportation is responsible for 23% of all greenhouse gas emissions in Colorado. Driving on roads in need of repair adds $293 to the average Colorado motorist's annual vehicle operating costs, including accelerated vehicle depreciation, additional repair costs and increased fuel consumption and tire wear.

    What's next?

    Colorado needs a viable and reliable investment in its transportation system to expand the choices available, preserve and repair existing assets such as bridges and roads, and reduce the system's environmental impact. Join the transportation conversation. An investment in Colorado's transportation system is an investment in our state's future.