Colorado

Clear Creek County Offices
405 Argentine St.
P.O. Box 2000
Georgetown, CO   80444
(303)679-2300  fax  (303)679-2440

Where We Stand:

A Clear Creek County Position Statement on the I-70 Corridor

Overview

The I-70 corridor is vital to Colorado’s economy and quality of life. It links West and East Slopes and is a major artery for commerce in the state, facilitating more than $9 billion annually in tourist and recreational activity. Beyond its intrinsic economic value, the corridor uniquely typifies Colorado and is a big part of what makes Colorado special.

Our Challenge

Capacity along the I-70 corridor is insufficient. Business owners looking at I-70 gridlock see lost productivity and efficiency. Outdoor enthusiasts accessing some of the state’s most pristine and beautiful wilderness areas watch time they could be spending kayaking, fishing, camping or skiing vaporize into thin air like the gas from their vehicles. And corridor residents who rely on the interstate for their everyday transportation needs are acutely aware of the high price of congestion. In short, congestion on the I-70 corridor affects us all – it’s a local, regional and state issue.

Our Opportunity

Civic and business leaders across the state all recognize that something must be done. The question, of course, is what.

Widening Won’t Cut it

It’s easy to jump to the conclusion that highway widening is the solution to I-70 congestion. However, I-70 is unlike any other corridor in the state. When the region built additional lanes and invested in light rail along I-25 in Denver, commuters had numerous alternatives to the ensuing traffic snarls. I-70 is different. If you need to get from the Front Range to the Western Slope, or any communities in between, there is not a single viable alternative to I-70.

Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) studies say that widening the highway will be a 15-year construction project. During that time Coloradans will suffer through nearly unimaginable traffic jams because there is no alternate route for travelers to take. That will take an immense toll on the economies of the state, the Denver region and tourism-dependent communities along the corridor.

Moreover, CDOT studies further show that after the widening project is complete, the highway will again hit capacity within 5 years. That’s not a wise use of taxpayer dollars.

Elevated Fixed Guideway Transit Is the Key

Transit offers Colorado the best opportunity to safely and efficiently move goods and people while protecting the environment and preserving the characteristics and quality of life of the communities in the corridor. By combining a high-speed fixed guideway system with light rail, shuttle, van and bus services provided by RTD, Summit Stage, ECO Transit, RFTA and corridor towns, tourists and residents alike will be able to easily and efficiently access almost anywhere in the high country – regardless of roadway construction, inclement weather or natural hazards that affect road conditions.

That was the conclusion reached in the 1998 Major Investment Study that was conducted by CH2MHILL, the highly respected engineering firm. That is the conclusion reached by the I-70 Coalition, a group of over 40 local and county governments and businesses along the corridor. And that is the conclusion of numerous community and business organizations along the corridor, ranging from Club 20 to the Colorado Environmental Coalition.

Forward Thinking

The answer to I-70 congestion requires an investment that is best for those of us living here today and for our children and their children. The City of Denver invested more than $5 billion in Colorado’s future when it constructed Denver International Airport. The Denver region has shown vision in voting to devote $4.7 billion to support FasTracks. As we seek a solution for I-70, we need to be visionaries – we must preserve the state’s most precious assets for generations to come.

Making Progress

Governor Ritter and CDOT Executive Director Russ George have initiated a new process to try to restore consensus to this issue, lifting an arbitrary limit of $4 billion that the previous administration imposed on any solution to congestion along I-70. We are grateful for and encouraged by the new direction they are taking and are committed to doing all we can to make that process a success. This is not an easy issue, but it is a vital one that will impact the quality of life and economy of our state for decades to come.