President's Message


Tony DeNovellis
President and CEO

Our goal: Five-diamond transportation modes

Advocating reliable transportation infrastructure is part of AAA Colorado’s DNA. We’ve been speaking out for transportation modes longer than we’ve provided roadside services.

That’s why we watch closely any legislation or ballot initiative that might affect safety. For example, we studied two propositions on Colorado’s November 2010 ballot—61 and 101—and researched arguments for and against each of them. Although the majority of Colorado’s transportation funding comes from state and federal gasoline tax revenue, these ballot initiatives could have an effect on closing the gap between funding and expenditures.

According to the Colorado Department of Transportation, the infrastructure is alarmingly degraded. CDOT engineer Stephen Henry said in September “that 52% of the 9,144 miles of highways are in poor condition.”

“If CDOT continues with its current forecast of spending about $260 million annually on road-surface treatment over the next 20 years, 78 percent of highways will be in poor condition by 2030, according to the agency’s analysis,” The Denver Post reported.

To see road conditions in your part of the state, visit www.coloradodot.info.

Outgoing Gov. Bill Ritter wrote for the January/February 2009 EnCompass that “The investments made in our transportation system 50 years ago allowed Colorado to become the mobile and prosperous state it is today. … We can no longer afford to take for granted the very things that have made our way of life possible.” Read Bill Ritter’s complete message.

AAA strives to a five-diamond culture—in roadside assistance, hotels and restaurants, and perhaps one day soon we’ll be able to give that rating to Colorado’s transportation modes.

AAA Colorado is also concerned about driver, passenger and pedestrian safety. We testified before the State Legislature in favor of Colorado’s upgraded child passenger safety law, requiring booster seats for children age 8 and under, and the state law against texting while driving.

Nationally, AAA works closely with the U.S. Department of Transportation and Secretary Ray LaHood on various initiatives to reform, modernize and fund the nation’s transportation network. You can read more about those efforts at a AAA website, www.aaamakingamericastronger.com. Another important AAA website, www.aaafoundation.org, lists various research projects to help us reach that goal.

Many of AAA’s competitors say they do advocacy, but no one matches AAA Colorado’s record for helping make our transportation systems safe and secure. It’s just as important to us, and to you, as a timely tow or trustworthy repair.

Tony DeNovellis
President and CEO

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