Colorado could lose millions of dollars for transportation projects if Congress fails to extend federal road funding by the end of the month.
The SAFETEA-LU legislation – Safe, Accountable, Flexible and Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users – provides about $500 million annually to Colorado.
“These are the gas tax dollars that we all pay at the pump that go back to Washington,” says Colorado Department of Transportation spokeswoman Stacy Stegman. “All we’re asking is to give them back. Keep it coming so we can continue these projects that are underway and continue moving projects forward.”
Colorado pays for transportation projects and then gets reimbursed from the federal government. 41 highway resurfacing and reconstruction projects could be in jeopardy if the funding is not approved by the September 30th deadline.
“So in the whole scheme of things if that goes away – that’s half of our program. That could be very, very difficult for transportation in Colorado,” Stegman says.
The Colorado Transportation Commission is urging the state’s congressional delegation and other members of Congress to put aside partisan politics and support the legislation when they return from recess next week. But almost any bill with a price tag faces a struggle in a divided Congress.
