Congressman Salazar announces House Appropriations Committee approval of $24 million federal appropriation for the Roaring Fork Transit Authority

Bill would provide hundreds of jobs and improve the Valley’s mass transit system

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Congressman John Salazar announced that a federal appropriation of $24,163,000 for the Roaring Fork Transit Authority has been approved by the House Appropriations Committee. As of 2009, Congressman Salazar has been a member of the House Appropriations Committee. The funding is intended to implement Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) improvements (the BRT project) along the 40-mile Sate Highway 82 corridor in the Roaring Fork Valley, connecting Glenwood Springs and Aspen in order to provide safe, frequent, and attractive transit services. This project will create 231 jobs over a two-year period associated with construction and other capital investments. Additionally the project will create and maintain an estimated 72 jobs associated with ongoing operations. In nine years there would be an estimated 149 new jobs supported by ongoing operations due to a combination of direct employment and indirect/induced employment. The bill now awaits a vote on the House floor.

According to the 2003 Corridor Investment Study, State Highway 82 is Colorado's most congested rural highway with summer average daily traffic exceeding 28,000 in some locations. Despite a half-billion dollars in safety and capacity improvements over the past 15 years, it is anticipated that travel demand will at some point exceed highway capacity once again.

The Roaring Fork Valley BRT project is the most economical and environmentally friendly transportation solution for the corridor. The RFTA BRT project will serve 6 cities or townships and two counties within the 40-mile State Highway 82 corridor between Glenwood Springs and Aspen. The project is intended to primarily serve employees traveling between job centers in the region, thereby reducing congestion on Highway 82. Additionally, the area is a national and international travel destination for numerous visitors each year who wish to access public lands located in the region. They, too, will benefit from the availability of modern, convenient, and attractive BRT services.

Congressman Salazar offered the following comment on the appropriation funding:

“The reason I fought to get on the Appropriations Committee was so that I could fight to fund projects that will help my constituents. I am excited that we are now able to appropriate money to create hundreds of jobs and improve the mass transit system in the Roaring Fork Valley. Over the years RFTA has continued to lead the charge in providing a safe, reliable and affordable mass transit system that is used by tourists and locals as an alternative to automobile congestion. Some politicians are critical of federal funding, but I would like to see them come to the Roaring Fork Valley and tell the people they don’t deserve to have the benefit of these jobs or a less expensive transportation option. As long as I serve in Congress, I will work to create jobs and to grow our transportation infrastructure. ”

Dan Blankenship, Chief Executive Officer for the Roaring Fork Transportation Authority (RFTA) issued the following statement on the grant announcement:

“The inclusion of RFTA’s BRT project in the House Appropriations Committee mark is a significant achievement and a crucial step towards obtaining Federal Transit Administration Very Small Starts funding that will substantially improve transit service in the Roaring Fork Valley. When enacted, the $24 million appropriated for the project, along with $15 million in local funding, will enable RFTA to begin acquiring right of way, Real-Time Passenger Information equipment, and low floor buses needed for BRT. It will also allow RFTA to begin constructing BRT stations and installing transit priority measures that will reduce travel times for BRT vehicles. RFTA has been planning its BRT project for nearly ten years and it is extremely exciting that the superior quality, convenience, and efficiency that the VelociRFTA BRT service can offer the region are on the verge of becoming a reality. When completed VelociRFTA will be the first rural BRT project in the nation. RFTA and the many communities it serves owe Congressman John Salazar a tremendous debt of gratitude for his work on behalf of this project and for his steadfast support for RFTA and other Colorado transit systems over the years.”

###

Home | Press Room