Business Leaders in Major Transportation Corridors React to Opening Day Statements by Colorado Senate and House Leadership

Transportation Highlighted as a Legislative Priority on the First Day of the 2017 Colorado General Assembly

DENVER—Jan. 11—Today, as the 71st General Assembly convened, both Senate President Kevin Grantham (R-Canon City) and House Speaker Crisanta Duran (D-Denver) acknowledged present and future transportation needs facing our state. Both lawmakers spoke to the importance of solving our state’s transportation challenges.

While the growing population is adding to the gridlock felt by commuters on a day-to-day basis, roads and bridges are in need of repair and expansion. Fix Colorado Roads is a broad-based, statewide coalition of business leaders and local government officials dedicated to finding a permanent and reliable fund for transportation projects and improvements. The organization and its members are dedicated to working with lawmakers this legislative session to ensure the topic does not go unresolved.

Following are reactions from Fix Colorado Roads and its allied members in response to today’s speeches by Senate and House leadership:

“Fix Colorado Roads applauds Senate President Grantham and House Speaker Duran for elevating the growing crisis in Colorado facing our transportation system and the need for greater investment now and in the years to come. Their leadership on this issue is indispensible because allowing the transportation status quo to idle in neutral threatens to throw our economy and our quality of life into reverse. Fix Colorado Roads’ leaders will be working with legislative leaders and Governor Hickenlooper to find a solution that is right for our state and supported by our citizens. Another year cannot go by without a solution to our transportation crisis.

            --Sandra Hagen Solin, Fix Colorado Roads

“Colorado is a wonderful place and is served well by its state government with one glaring exception: transportation funding. Colorado residents are increasingly frustrated with the unnecessary congestion on the highway and interstate system. That is definitely the case in the Fort Collins-Greeley-Loveland region along the North I-25 corridor. It’s time for our state’s business and political leaders to finally make transportation funding a priority. We are encouraged by today’s remarks from our State and House leadership. We are committed to helping them convert their good intentions and words into action to fulfill the legislature’s obligation to develop and maintain a safe, functioning highway system.”

--David May, Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce, President and CEO and Convener of the Fix North I-25 Business Alliance

“Transportation is one of the top two issues most concerning to our business members and prospects; having a reliable, efficient, multi-modal transportation system is essential to our economic success. We can’t keep kicking this can down the road if we want to remain competitive as a state. The Colorado Springs Chamber and EDC has been working with numerous partners toward a solution and getting out of the zero-sum game of regions competing against each other for limited funding.”

--Dirk Draper, Colorado Springs Chamber & Economic Development Corporation, President and CEO

Businesses in the Vail Valley rely on tourists getting to the destination via our state’s interstates and roadways. Our non-tourism industries are equally reliant on an efficient statewide transportation network; the livelihood and ability for the Vail Valley to compete depends on this. States such as Utah and Texas, two of Colorado’s strongest economic competitors, have outshined Colorado in the area of infrastructure investments. We can no longer let this issue take the back-seat.”

           --Chris Romer, Vail Valley Partnership, President and CEO

“Every day we work to keep Colorado competitive. In most cases, travel for business or destination travel does not meet the quality of life standards we have for an average work commute or scenic drive to the mountains. Transportation has a direct correlation to our state’s overall competitiveness. An efficient transport system in Colorado would provide direct economic benefits and multipliers such better accessibility to markets, employment and additional investments. We can do better and it’s time for our state’s policymakers and business leaders to make 2017 the year for real reform. I was pleased to see transportation addressed as a high priority today.”

--Jeff Wasden, Colorado Business Roundtable, President

*Sandra Hagen Solin available for interview requests. Contact Monica McCafferty at [email protected] or 303.903.3394. 

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