Move Colorado Policy Principle #1: Colorado’s state and local transportation system must be adequately funded.
- Do you believe the current transportation system is adequately funded?
The problem is that only 1 out 3 dollars in the recent transportation plan signed by Jared Polis actually going to our roads, our roads are being left behind and not being prioritized by the current Administration. In addition, CDOT just cut funding to rural roads as well. We need to invest in our infrastructure more, but more importantly, we need to use the money we have for the purposes that it was intended for.
- What are your priorities within transportation during the next 4 years, and what funding levels do you see for these priorities?
I released my 10 year, $10 Billion Transportation plan a few weeks ago. It has a specific list of projects and will come from three revenue sources. It will take SB260 funding and move the fees in to taxes with approval from voters, a match of these funds from the General Assembly, and also the largest private investment in Colorado Transportation history. The full details can be found here: https://www.heidiforgovernor.com/transportation/
- What is your strategy for ensuring adequate funding? What is your approach to using innovative financing tools for our transportation system?
I worked with transportation experts from around the state to make sure that my plan not only is comprehensive, but has the financial backing of multiple sources to help make my plan a reality for the people of Colorado.
Move Colorado Policy Principle #2: Colorado’s transportation system is – and should be – all modes working together. Move Colorado believes in a multi-modal system. During the last three decades real progress has been made at the state and local level to adopt policies and practices that enhance a multi-modal transportation system including roads and bridges, transit, and increased bicycle and pedestrian-friendly options.
- How do you define a balanced transportation system?
We have the 5th worst roads in the country here in Colorado. Coloradans on average waste 19 gallons of gas sitting in traffic, let alone the hours of lost time. We need to widen our roads and finally do the required maintenance that is needed. My Transportation plan does exactly this. It highlights the most carbon polluting roads in Colorado that are also the most busy and will expand them to mitigate against traffic and congestion.
- What elements of the transportation system will be your top priority in the next 4 years?
Expanding our roads and doing the maintenance that is needed is my priority. We need to get the people of Colorado from point A to point B safely and efficiently. Right now that is not happening. My plan has each of these priorities as its emphasis. We will finally fix our dang roads.
- What elements of our transportation system will be a top priority in the long-term?
Many of the transportation projects my team and I have highlighted will expand roads and also create manage lanes that will be used by bus transit. But one of the greatest things about manage lanes is that the cost to build and maintain the road is not put on the backs of the people of Colorado and instead the cost is covered by private companies at no risk to the state. Additionally, these lanes will be given back to the people of Colorado in the condition that they were made. My plan prioritizes roads now and in the future. With our roads being one of the most crucial pieces of our economy, this is where our focus must be.
Move Colorado Policy Principle #3: Colorado’s transportation system must embrace sustainability, environmental stewardship, and resilience. Move Colorado understands that Colorado’s ethos embodies the connection between protecting the place we call home and investigating what the future and advancements can bring. In recent years, transportation planning has experienced an increased effort in quantifying – and mitigating – the possible impacts of system growth.
- As Governor how will you balance sustainability, environmental stewardship, and system resiliency while ensuring the state’s economic productivity through the movement of goods and services?
This balance is essential to the future of our state. Colorado deserves a clean energy future, but one that works for the people of Colorado and not the Green New Deal. My transportation plan focuses on stewarding our resources and making sure that our whole state benefits from our investments and not just the Denver Metro area. My plan has an emphasis on the resiliency of our transportation system. With Colorado having the 5th worst roads in the country, we are simply not getting a good return on our investment under the current administration. My plan tackles these problems head on and provides a simple, clear, and balanced plan to benefit all of Colorado.
Move Colorado Policy Principle #4: Technology is rapidly advancing and will be a key driver in the future of Colorado’s transportation system. Move Colorado sees advancement in technology in our day to day lives and understands the transportation industry will continue to incorporate technology to benefit the system.
- What is your vision for how technology can improve our transportation needs in the state?
As new technologies are created and fine-tuned, we need to work to integrate them into our transportation infrastructure. But we need to balance this with our need for infrastructure that is used by our cars and trucks right now that the overwhelming majority of Coloradans use today.
