Capitol Coverage: Colorado Sends List of Priority Infrastructure Projects to Trump Administration

Colorado officials have highlighted seven shovel-ready road and water projects should the Trump administration secure roughly $1 trillion in infrastructure funding. The National Governor’s Association sent that list, along with projects from 48 other states and territories, to the Trump administration on Feb. 8. (Image: Ken Lund / FLICKR)

Colorado’s list includes adding two urgent projects — an express lane heading west into the mountains on I-70 and adding capacity lanes along the northern and southern parts of I-25. It also includes water projects and one to expand rural broadband.

“The question is how to pay for a system that has been very under-funded nationwide for a while now,” said Amy Ford, a spokeswoman for the Colorado Department of Transportation. The department projects a $9 billion shortfall over the next decade.

“That’s why you see projects like this on these lists,” Ford said. “Since this is a priority of the new president’s administration — to really identify those areas and the impacts projects like that could have on the country, on our infrastructure, on economic development.”

The National Governor’s Association said it submitted a total of 428 shovel-ready projects from 49 states and territories.

This comes as Colorado’s state lawmakers are trying to find a way to inject more money into roads and infrastructure. Leaders in both parties are discussing a variety of options, including sending a ballot question to voters.

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