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Bill aims to preserve $45 million in federal transportation funds

Staff report
The Aspen Times
Aspen, CO, Colorado

EAGLE COUNTY – A bipartisan bill co-sponsored by Eagle County’s State House representative could preserve $45 million in federal transportation funding this fiscal year.

HB13-1132 will align the state’s law pertaining to vehicle weights to the federal law. The bill was passed Feb. 5 by the House Transportation Committee. Rep. Diane Mitsch Bush, D-Steamboat Springs, co-sponsored the bill. Her district engulfs Eagle County, including the Basalt and El Jebel area.

If Colorado does not change its vehicle-weight statute and mimic federal law, the Colorado Department of Transportation would lose approximately $45 million in federal transportation dollars this year and would continue to lose 10 percent of federal funds each year thereafter, according to the state government.



“If CDOT were to lose this money, it would mean further challenges in maintaining our roads and bridges,” Bush said in a statement. “It’s really about saving the state millions of dollars so we can continue to improve our infrastructure so important to Colorado’s economy.”