Report: Colorado’s poor roads are costing drivers $6.8 billion
Inadequate spending is creating rough roads and a costly commute as the legislature looks for a funding fix.
Traffic congestion, crashes and vehicle operation costs on Colorado’s deficient roads has put a steep price on the cost of driving throughout the state for motorists and the economy as a whole.
Colorado motorists pay a combined $6.8 billion annually to drive on the state’s roads. In the Denver-metro area motorists are paying the most at $2,162 per driver. Grand Junction drivers pay the least, $1,264.
The recent report, from national transportation research group TRIP, says many of the state’s roads are inadequate to support leading industries in the state, such as agriculture, manufacturing and natural resource extraction.
Roads become even more important as businesses are looking to cut costs, particularly in transportation.
“Highways are vitally important to continued economic development in Colorado. As the economy expands, creating more jobs and increasing consumer confidence, the demand for consumer and business products grows, the report said.
“In turn, manufacturers ship greater quantities of goods to market to meet this demand, a process that adds to truck traffic on the state’s highways and major arterial roads.”
The lack of funding by local and state government is ultimately passed on to motorisits, the report explained.
“A lack of adequate state and local funding has resulted in 41 percent of major urban roads and highways in Colorado having pavement surfaces in poor condition, providing a rough ride and costing motorists in the form of additional vehicle operating costs,” the report said.
Drivers around the state pay $2.3 billion just for extra vehicle operating costs, which includes vehicle depreciation, additional repair costs, increased fuel usage and tire wear.
Better roads could have a significant economic impact for the state, but it’s unclear whether funding will allow that.
“Making needed improvements to Colorado’s roads, highways, bridges and transit systems could also provide a significant boost to the state’s economy by creating jobs in the short term and stimulating long-term economic growth as a result of enhanced mobility and access,” the report concluded.
The Colorado Department of Transportation faces a $9 billion budget shortfall over the next decade and current projections point to less than half of budget needs being met in the next 25 years.
Both parties in both chambers of the state legislature have called for fixed roads this session. Initially, it was unclear what form that would take. But now it appears that lawmakers may come up with a ballot question to take to the voters creating a tax for road and infrastructure projects.
Senate President Kevin Grantham, R-Cañon City, and House Speaker Crisanta Duran, D-Denver, say they remain optimistic that both sides of the aisle will agree to a tax question, and what will and won’t be included in it.
But they are up against a May 10 deadline, that’s when the legislative session ends.
Some groups outside of the capitol are hoping a deal is struck under the golden dome sooner rather than later, as it could make or break business deals.
Colorado Public Radio reports nonpartisan group Fix Colorado Roads is hoping for a fix that won’t include raising taxes.
“If we don’t address the challenges that our citizens are feeling and our businesses are feeling, as a consequence (of not addressing roads funding concerns) our economy will start to reflect that frustration, with people deciding not to move to Colorado and businesses opting to locate elsewhere,” spokeswoman Sandra Hagen Solin said.
Colorado is expecting the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act to add some money to fixing Colorado roads. The five-year $305 billion FAST Act is not slated to meet highway needs across the country, however.
Here are some more key findings from the TRIP report:
- Forty-one percent of Colorado’s major locally and state-maintained urban roads and highways have pavements in poor condition, 43 percent are rated in mediocre or fair condition, and the remaining 15 percent are rated in good condition.
- Twelve percent of Colorado’s major locally and state-maintained rural roads and highways have pavements in poor condition, 48 percent are rated in mediocre or fair condition, and the remaining 40 percent are rated in good condition.
- A total of 2,434 people were killed in Colorado traffic crashes from 2011 to 2015, an average of 487 fatalities per year.
