With the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) navigating a $9 billion backlog of projects across the state and the 2018 state legislative session coming to a close on May 9th, the transportation conversation is at a critical stage. Currently, we are eagerly awaiting the results of two bills that could benefit transportation funding.
HB18-1340 Capital Construction Bill
HB18-1340 accompanies the Long Bill and is focused on capital construction project funding. The bill includes one section that would approve a one-time $495 million general fund transfer if SB-001 fails to become law. We are appreciative of the efforts of House Speaker Crisanta Duran and Rep. Faith Winter to distribute the funding between CDOT, counties and cities, and 15% designated for multi-modal needs.
Bill Status
The bill is before the Joint Budget Committee who is acting as the conference committee on SB18-1340, as the House rejected the Senate amendments.
SB18-001 Fix Colorado Roads Act
SB-001 passed unanimously out of the Senate. The bill delayed a referred measure for voters to consider transportation bonds using existing state revenue until 2019. The bill also calls for transferring $500 million from the general fund to the State Highway Fund, and $250 million annually for the next 19 years from the General Fund to the State Highway Fund to pay back the bond initiative.
SB-001 delays a referred transportation bonding measure for voters to consider until 2019, which allows for a citizen-initiated ballot question in 2018. Currently there are three possible outcomes if this bill passes:
- If a citizen initiative ballot question in 2018 is successful, then the 2019 referred measure is repealed.
- If a citizen initiative in 2018 is unsuccessful, then the 2019 referred measure will move forward, asking voters to issue $3.5 million in bonds with a maximum repayment of no more than $5 billion.
- If both an initiative and referendum fail, then the $250 million will continue to be transferred from the General Fund to the State Highway Fund on an annual basis.
Bill Status
The House has yet to take up SB18-001, so in the meantime, we are advocating with our northwest metro region legislators, asking them to support four principles to advance multi-modal transportation, local share, preserve future managed lane projects and identify new funding to pay back any bonding efforts, which is consistent with the policy agenda of the US 36 Mayors & Commissioners Coalition and Commuting Solutions.
Get Involved
To achieve our multi-modal future, it takes leaders from every industry and community to advocate for the needs of the northwest metro region. Engage in the transportation conversation by:
- Contacting your state legislators to weigh in on the transportation conversation
- Meet state representatives and transportation partners by attending our Membership Meeting on June 19.
We would like to thank our state legislators for their service during the 2018 state legislative session and encourage community members throughout the northwest metro region to plug into the conversation.