Gov. Ritter Signs Faster Transportation Legislation

Press Release

GOV. RITTER SIGNS FASTER TRANSPORTATION LEGISLATION

Gov. Bill Ritter today signed into law the FASTER transportation bill, legislation that will save and create thousands of jobs, strengthen Colorado's economy and allow the state to repair unsafe bridges and roadways.

"At its core, the FASTER bill is about two fundamental things: jobs and safety," Gov. Ritter said at a signing ceremony attended by business leaders, local officials and transportation advocates. The ceremony was held near a bridge at Interstate 25 and 84th Avenue that will be repaired thanks to the Funding Advancements for Surface Transportation and Economic Recovery bill.

"With this bill, we'll be able to begin work on the many unsafe bridges and roads all across this state -- work that has been neglected for far too long," Gov. Ritter said. "And at a time when the entire country is suffering from a recession, this legislation will let us save jobs, create jobs and help us get our economy moving again."

The legislation, Senate Bill 09-108, was sponsored by Sen. Dan Gibbs and Rep. Joe Rice. It is expected to generate about $252 million annually for transportation projects, including improvements to more than 100 structurally deficient and functionally obsolete bridges.

FASTER is the product of two years worth of work, begun in 2007 when Gov. Ritter convened a Blue Ribbon Transportation Panel to recommend solutions to Colorado's transportation funding crisis. After countless public meetings, FASTER won bipartisan support from a statewide coalition of business organizations, county and municipal officials, and conservation groups.

"I'm so glad we got FASTER through the process," Sen. Gibbs said. "For every person out there in Colorado who has lost a job, they know we cannot wait another day to get back to work, and that's what we have finally done. FASTER will get Colorado started. Thousands of Coloradans will be put to work and everyone in the state will see improvements in their roads and bridges."

"FASTER is an important part of the solution to a huge problem," Rep. Rice said. "FASTER will protect and create thousands of jobs for Coloradans, and it will allow us to address some significant safety concerns, as we repair and rebuild hundreds of crumbling bridges and many miles of our rutted roads."

"Today is the day that Colorado's economy gets some gas," said Joe Blake, president of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce. "Today is the day we begin creating jobs. Today is the day we begin to address the safety of our bridges and roadways. Today is the day we begin to establish a reliable, predictable source of funding, and that is real progress."

The Colorado Department of Transportation says the state has 115 bridges that are 75 years old, highway sections that are 75 to 100 years old and interstate sections that are up to 50 years old.

There are 125 structurally deficient bridges in poor condition. Forty percent of Colorado's roads are in poor condition and one in five needs to be completely reconstructed.

"FASTER will create a framework that will allow us to build for the future," Gov. Ritter said. "Today marks the first step toward a responsible, 21st century funding formula for a modern 21st century transportation system."

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source