Date: 07/07/2015

Final
Presentation on Transportation Infrastructure Funding

TRANSPORTATION LEGISLATION REVIEW COMMITTEE

Votes: View--> Action Taken:
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09:19 AM -- Presentation on Transportation Infrastructure Funding

Mr. Shailen Bhatt, Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), Maria Sobota, Acting Chief Financial Officer of CDOT, and Josh Laipply, Chief Engineer of CDOT, came to the table to present on transportation infrastructure funding and distributed a copy of their PowerPoint presentation (Attachment C). Director Bhatt provided an overview of CDOT's budget on the federal, state, and local levels. He and Mr. Laipply responded to a question about the Colorado Bridge Enterprise (CBE) Fund. Director Bhatt continued his presentation, discussing how Colorado ranks nationally and how CDOT responds to fatalities. Mr. Laipply responded to a question about the I-70 East bridge project's eligibility for CBE funding.

0707TransportAttachC.pdf0707TransportAttachC.pdf

09:38 AM

Director Bhatt displayed an infographic of per capita spending in 1991 versus 2015 which indicated that dollars spent per person were $125.70 in 1991 versus $68.94 in 2015. Committee discussion ensued on inflation, the effect of federal National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) processes on project timelines, and project expediency in general. Specific questions were asked about projects in Weld County, 6th Avenue, and Idaho Springs. Discussion continued regarding CDOT's efforts to communicate construction delays to the general public.


09:58 AM

Director Bhatt addressed the Highway Users Tax Fund (HUTF). He responded to a question about his ideas for innovative transportation funding solutions based on his experiences in other states and throughout his career in transportation. Director Bhatt addressed CDOT's estimated shortfall for the next 20 years. Ms. Sobota began her presentation of CDOT's sources of revenue and how those are applied to CDOT's annual budget. She responded to a question about Senate Bill 09-228 transfers to the HUTF. She stated that FASTER fees and CBE funds are helping to fill the gap. Director Bhatt addressed the uncertainty of CDOT's funding, and discussed its negative impact on multi-year projects. Mr. Laipply provided a brief presentation of CDOT's asset management goals and cited specifics. He stated that CDOT placed emphasis on snow and ice removal. The panel responded to final questions about flood funding, CDOT's interactions with the military and its response to a recent recommendation that transportation deficiencies be assessed around military installations in the state, and, finally, the impact of deferred maintenance.