The Colorado Transportation Commission voted Thursday morning to preliminarily commit up to $310M in available funding to deliver the full and necessary funding to build the I-25 North Express Lanes between Fort Collins and Loveland.
The express lanes between SH 14 in Fort Collins to SH 402 south of Loveland are a part of the North I-25 Express Lanes: Johnstown to Fort Collins project and were originally slated as temporary infrastructure improvements. The new funds would provide the full funding to build the permanent infrastructure that will last 20-30 years versus the original 10-year plan. Thursday’s funding commitment saves the State $250M over the long-term.
The Fix North I-25 Business Alliance and North I-25 Coalition, organizations that represent the business community and local governments of the Northern Colorado region, have worked together to support and testified Thursday for the full funding of the permanent alignment. Click here for the joint letter to the Commission.
“Northern Colorado business and government leaders were united in urging the Commission to approve the additional funding. This is a smart investment that will deliver significant returns on investment for the state and the region,” said Fix North I-25 Business Alliance lobbyist Sandra Hagen Solin. “The Commission’s decision yesterday reflects their ongoing commitment to the state’s infrastructure and its economic health. We are very grateful for the investment in Colorado’s future.”
“This is a major development, one we have been working on for a while,” said David May, Chair of the Fix North I-25 Business Alliance and President of the Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce. “While we appreciated the commitment to get more capacity on North I-25 with the interim project, this is a much wiser use of limited state transportation funds. We appreciate the decision by the Commission for both our area and for being good stewards of state money.”
Both May and Solin singled out District 5 Transportation Commissioner Kathy Gilliland for advocating for North I-25 in general but particularly for this change.
“A lot of people are focused on North I-25, too many to name here, but the area CDOT staff, the CDOT executive team, and Commissioner Gilliland understand the importance of this project and advocated for this change,” said Solin.
Your investment in Northern Colorado Prospers helps with the lobbying and advocacy efforts for securing the necessary funds to widen North I-25 between Fort Collins and Longmont. Northern Colorado Prospers investors have largely underwritten the lobbying, media relations, and research work of the Fix North I-25 Business Alliance.
About the I-25 North Express Lanes: Johnstown to Fort Collins Project:
- A now permanent third lane in both directions from SH 402 south of Loveland to SH 14 in Fort Collins
- Replacement of aging bridges and widening of others
- Improvement of bus service performance by adding new bus slip ramps
- Creation of pedestrian and bicycle access under I-25 at Kendall Parkway
- Connection of the Cache la Poudre River Regional Trail under I-25
- The project is scheduled to be completed by early 2022.
- For more information, click here.