CONGRESSMAN Jared Polis 2nd DISTRICT OF COLORADO

Transportation & Infrastructure Committee Projects

To offer more opportunity for public scrutiny of member requests, members of the House of Representatives are required to post information on their appropriations or “earmark” requests on their websites at the time the request is made with the proposed recipient, the address of the recipient, the amount of the request, and an explanation of the request, including purpose, and why it is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds. 

Congressman Polis' Transportation and Infrastructure Committee funding requests are listed below in alphabetical order:

2009 Water Resources Development Act:

•    The Lower Boulder Creek Ecosystem Restoration Project: The Lower Boulder Creek Ecosystem Restoration Project is a joint venture of the U.S. Corps of Engineers – Omaha District (Corps) and Boulder County Parks & Open Space Department (BCPOS). The project involves an approximately 1.0-mile reach of Lower Boulder Creek located in Boulder County, Colorado, approximately 8 miles northeast of the City of Boulder. Past on-site mining, agricultural activities, non-native species, upstream development, and other land use changes within the watershed have significantly impacted the site, including the channel morphology, flow regime, water quality, and habitat values.  

Through the project Lower Boulder Creek will become a dynamic, naturally functioning stream corridor defined by a broad, meandering channel and a regularly flooded and well-vegetated floodplain. The project will also serve as a model for successful stream restoration along the Front Range of Colorado and will be utilized by others as a reference site for future restoration projects. $1 million ($300,000 to complete the design phase and $700,000 to begin the implementation.)

2009 Transportation Reauthorization Act:

•    Adams County 104th Ave: The widening of Colorado State Highway 44 from, and including the South Platte River bridge, from two lanes to four lanes to Brighton Road.  The improvements will include the environmental assessment, right-of-way acquisition, engineering design and construction.  This project is in conjunction with that requested by the City of Thornton, but split because of jurisdictional boundaries.  $10 million.

•    CASTA (State Transit Association) Statewide Bus and Facilities: This is a single, statewide request consisting of 29 aggregated, individual transit agency requests, covering the purchase of 71 vehicles and 14 facilities, to be purchased or constructed by the individual agency with funding provided by this federal authorization and matched by local funds.  $40 million.

•    CDOT I-70 Dowd Junction:  I-70 Dowd Junction Safety and Interchange Upgrades (MP 169.5 – 173.5) and US 24 (MP 143.399 – 143.7): Project will provide safety improvements and upgrade existing I-70 interchange to current design standards. Activities will include design, environmental clearances, engineering, ROW acquisition, and construction. $9.6 million.

•    CDOT I-70 Eagle Interchange:  I-70 Eagle Interchange Upgrade and I-70F (MP 146.5 – 147.5). Project will include safety improvements and upgrade existing I-70 interchange and connector road to accommodate future travel demand. Activities will include design, engineering, ROW acquisition, and construction.  $12 million.

•    CDOT I-70 Fiber Optic IT Phase I and II:  I-70 Fiber Optic IT Phase I and II (MP 116 – 180). I-70 Fiber Optic IT offers a connection that will provide “real time” information for motorists and incident command for the I-70 Corridor. Activities will include design, environmental clearances, engineering, ROW acquisition, and construction. $13.6 million.

•    CDOT I-70 transit feasibility study: The requested funding would be used to conduct a preliminary study to analyze the various transit modes (e.g., Rail, Advanced Guideway System, Bus Rapid Transit) as identified in the Preferred Alternative in the pending Tier 1 ROD of the I-70 Mountain Corridor Final PEIS. $9.6 million.

•    CDOT I-70 truck incident parking:  I-70 Truck Incident Parking (I-70 MP 132 – 148). I-70 Truck Incident Parking project is located adjacent to I-70 in Eagle County. Project will allow for emergency and routine truck parking for the I-70 Mt. Corridor to improve operations and efficiency. $9.6 million.

•    CDOT I-70 West Empire Junction: The proposed project would consist of a feasibility/design study for the major reconstruction, Port of Entry relocation, and relocation or modification of the CDOT Maintenance Yard relocation at the Empire Junction/US 40 interchange (located at MP 232 in Clear Creek County). The project includes extension of the eastbound auxiliary lanes (i.e., acceleration/deceleration lanes), as well as ramp and operational improvements. $8 million.

•    CDOT I-70 West Silverthorn: The proposed project would consist of a major reconstruction to address the current capacity deficiencies, including bridge replacement and ramp and signal improvements at the Silverthorne interchange (located at MP 205 in Summit County). $16 million.

•    City and County of Broomfield: The 120th Avenue Connection is located at the confluence of US 36, SH 128, SH 121 and SH 287. Currently there are only two crossings of US 36 serving the adjacent area. The convergence of traffic on the Wadsworth/US 36 Interchange has led to increased congestion and travel delays on surrounding roadways, as well as safety concerns. The project includes a new six-lane roadway, on-street bike lanes and sidewalks. It is being implemented in three phases.  $32 million.

•    City of Boulder 28th Street: Construct, plan, design, engineer, conduct environmental review and acquire right of way to transform 28th Street between Pearl Street and Yarmouth Avenue to a “complete street.” Elements include shared lanes, multi-use pathway and associated bicycle/pedestrian crossings and connections.  $10 million.

•    City of Thornton York Street & 136th RR Intersection:  This realignment of York St. at 136th Ave. will include the design, acquisition of rights-of-way, and construction of a five-lane roadway section of York St. north of 136th Avenue and a three-lane roadway section of York St. south of 136th Ave. for a total distance less than 0.5 miles.  Improvements to include reconstruction of the existing York St. and 136th Ave. intersection to a point about 350 feet east of the existing location. $4.16 million.

•    City of Thornton State Highway 44 Widening, to the South Platte River: The widening of Colorado State Highway 44 from the existing two lanes to five lanes is the project being requested.  The improvements will include the environmental assessment, the acquiring of minor right-of-way in the form of easements.  The project will also include the engineering design of the improvements and then the construction.  The western starting point for the project will be at the Grand View Ponds entrance and will go east past Riverdale Road, McKay Road, and stops at the South Platte River. $7.424 million.

•    City of Westminster Sheridan and US36 Interchange:  The requested funding will be used to reconstruct the interchange of Sheridan Boulevard and US-36 and the Sheridan Boulevard Bridge to be compatible with the improvements recommended in the Combined Alternative Plan for the US-36 Corridor as described in the Environmental Impact Study. $54 million.

•    Eagle County Airport Interchange:  This project will construct a direct intermodal connection between Colorado’s 3rd busiest Airport (Eagle County Airport) and I70 and by-pass the heavily congested local state highway 6 that services the population centers of the Eagle and Gypsum.  The project will relieve heavy traffic congestion (Failure) that currently occurs in some parts of the existing route.   $70 million.     

•    Eagle County Joint Regional Operations Facility: The project involves development of a 25 acre site to house personnel and vehicles to facilitate more efficient and cost-effective service for two applicant public transit agencies who serve over 2.5 million riders each year.  Joint-use is an innovative and collaborative approach to overcome the scarcity of buildable land and best manage valuable rolling stock transit assets in this harsh mountain climate. Site improvements include use of renewable energy and LEED-certified architecture.  Electricity consumed on site will be 100% generated by renewable sources.  $10 million.

•    I-70 Coalition PNRS Language request: This zero dollar request is for authorizing language to designate the I70 mountain corridor as a Project of National and Regional Significance.   This stretch of I-70 is a major freight transportation corridor through the Rocky Mountains between Denver and LA and a major access point for recreational opportunities in and on US National Forest, BLM and National Wilderness areas in the central Rockies of Colorado.  This corridor generates 33% of all tourism-related revenues for the State of Colorado, tourism being Colorado's 2nd largest industry and is designated a national defense route.  This request is for language only. $0.

•    Jefferson County N. Simms: Traffic and road conditions and safety will be improved along North Simms Street by upgrading it to an arterial roadway template/standard.  The construction will incorporate four through lanes, separated by raised medians, and include designated left and right turn lanes with raised curb and gutter to allow for safe access and egress along the roadway. $8.48 million.

•    RFTA Roaring Fork BRT upgrades:  This request for an FTA Very Small Starts authorization is to implement a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system between Glenwood Springs and Aspen, Colorado, in the State Highway 82 corridor.  This request was for authorization only. $0.

•    RTD Bus Replacement Program: Project is for ongoing, annual replacement of buses at the end of their useful life. As identified in the Regional Transportation District’s Transit Development Plan (TDP), ongoing annual replacement of 100 of the region’s bus fleet is necessary to maintain optimal service frequencies. Replacement of buses as they reach the end of their operating life allows the RTD to continue to provide the region with reliable, efficient public transit services.  $8 million.

•    RTD North Metro Commuter Rail Language Request: This zero dollar request is for authorizing language. The North Metro Corridor is a critical component of RTD’s 12-year comprehensive transit service and facility expansion called FasTracks, which was approved by the voters in November 2004. FasTracks includes 122 miles of rail and 18 miles of Bus Rapid Transit region-wide, including the North Metro Corridor, park-n-Ride expansions, improved bus service, bicycle and pedestrian access improvements to stations, and real time schedule and route information at stations and park-n-Rides.  This request was for language only. $0.

•    RTD Northwest Commuter Rail Corridor Language Request:  This zero dollar request is for authorizing language. The Northwest Rail is a component of RTD’s 12-year comprehensive transit service and facility expansion called FasTracks, which was approved by the voters in November 2004.  FasTracks includes 122 miles of rail and 18 miles of Bus Rapid Transit region-wide, including the Northwest Rail, park-n-Ride expansions, improved bus service, bicycle and pedestrian access improvements to stations, and real time schedule and route information at stations and park-n-Rides. This request was for language only. $0.

•    RTD US 36 BRT: As an initial phase of the US36 BRT overall project this will fund a bus Park-n-Ride and Slip Ramp Improvements, including the relocation of existing Park-n-Ride facilities and the construction of pedestrian bridges to these new facilities.  These improvements have been identified in the US36 Corridor EIS as a component of any preferred alternative. The overall US 36 managed lanes project is located on the segment of US 36 that extends between the North I-25 HOV/HOT/BRT facility and the City of Boulder. $10 million.

•    RTD US 36 Bus Rapid Transit Language Request:  This zero dollar request is for authorizing language only.  The project is to design, engineer, and construct the US 36 Corridor to bring 18 miles of Bus Rapid Transit between Downtown Denver and Boulder along US 36. The US 36 Corridor began as a two-pronged corridor; the BRT and the Commuter rail line from Denver through Boulder to Longmont. This request was for authorization only. $0.

•    Town of Erie  I-25 and Weld County Road: The project will plan, design, engineer, conduct environmental review, acquire right-of-way, conduct alternative analysis, construct, install, rehabilitate, mitigate and implement a full interchange at I-25 and Weld County Road 10, including ramps, signals, crosswalks, landscaping, curb and gutters, and other ancillary items. $15 million.

•    Town of Erie I25 Rail Station: The project will plan, design, engineer, conduct environmental review, acquire right-of-way, conduct alternative analysis, construct, install, rehabilitate, mitigate and implement a rail and bus transfer station, parking area, and access ramp to I-25 and a local roadway to Erie Parkway. $7.6 million.

•    U.S. 36 Design and Engineering Project:  This HPP request is an essential step in the process to reform and transform Colorado’s central technological, economic, research and clean energy corridor.  This project would fund the design and engineering of an additional buffer-separated lane in each direction of U.S. 36, as well as the commuter bikeway and bridge replacement between Boulder and Denver as an initial phase in the U.S. 36 multi-modal revamp. $6 million.

•    U.S. 36 Multi-modal Corridor Project:  This Project of National and Regional Significance request is to greatly advance the US36 corridor project that serves a rapidly growing technological, economic, clean energy and cultural center in the mountain west region.  This highway provides central service to dozens of communities and commuters and to international tourist destinations like Rocky Mountain National Park.  The project is truly a model of sustainable transportation, providing multi-modal improvements, including Bus Rapid Transit, HOV/HOT managed lane with dynamic congestion pricing technology to enhance travel efficiency, a corridor-wide 18-mile bikeway and interchange reconstruction, US 36 Corridor from Denver to Boulder.  $300 million.

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