Colorado’s Transportation Commission recently finalized its list of “Tier One” projects. This list lays out CDOT’s priority projects when -and if – funding becomes available. This is important in light of a potential transportation initiative voters could see on the November ballot. The language for “Let’s Go, Colorado” (Initiative 153) does not include a specific list of projects but refers to the Tier One list. In comparison, Fix Our Damn Roads (Initiative 167), includes a list of projects to be funded if the measure makes the ballot and passes in the actual ballot language.
So, it was a victory for North I-25 advocates when the commission included funding for I-25 between Highway 66 and Highway 14 on the Tier One list. In addition, funding for bus-rapid transit (BRT) was included on Highway 119 between Boulder and Longmont. Highway 34 widening is also on the Tier One list. If Initiative 153 makes the ballot and is approved by voters, these projects would receive funding from the bond and sales tax revenue it would generate.
As reported in the Longmont Times-Call, Boulder County elected officials were disappointed that FasTrack’s northwest commuter rail was not added to the Tier One list. Senator (and Boulder County Commissioner candidate) Matt Jones was particularly upset, saying “CDOT could have kick-started the Northwest commuter rail today by listing it on their state multimodal list, but they didn’t.”
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