Date: 07/08/2015

Final
Discussion of Chain Laws and I-70 Mountain Corridor Congestion (HB 15-1173)

TRANSPORTATION LEGISLATION REVIEW COMMITTEE

Votes: View--> Action Taken:
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09:07 AM -- Discussion of Chain Laws and I-70 Mountain Corridor Congestion (HB 15-1173)

Representative Mitsch Bush opened up the discussion of chain laws and I-70 mountain corridor congestion, per the statutory requirements for the Transportation Legislation Review Committee of House Bill 15-1173. She stated that congestion on I-70 is a major issue for the state, and provided a history of chain laws in the state going back to 2009. She spoke to the increasing number of I-70 closures in recent years due to inadequate traction equipment on motor vehicles, issues surrounding existing chain laws, and how quickly the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) can call these laws into effect.

Representative Mitsch Bush discussed the stakeholder meetings that had been held in the past year that led to the introduction of House Bill 15-1173. She said that the bill sought to do three things: identify mile markers for chain laws; set dates certain for when chain laws would be in effect; and a clarification of existing statute to make it more clear. She detailed the Senate Transportation Committee's amendment that changed the bill to make chain laws in effect whenever icy and snow packed conditions exist.


09:14 AM

Kyle Lester, Highway Maintenance Division Director, CDOT, came to the table to present to the committee. Mr. Lester said that chain laws are a critical element of CDOT's winter highway management operations. A copy of CDOT's presentation was distributed to the committee (Attachment A). Ryan Rice, Director, Division of Transportation Systems Management & Operations, CDOT, presented to the committee. He discussed the worst travel day for the mountain corridor in the past five years, which occurred on Sunday, February 9, 2014, causing up to five-hour delays and numerous spun-out passenger vehicles and semi trucks. Mr. Rice spoke to how CDOT changed its best practices following that day, whereby it began using snow-plow escorts and other congestion mitigation techniques in the I-70 mountain corridor.

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Mr. Rice discussed key performance indicators for travel and congestion in the I-70 mountain corridor. He said that CDOT activated the passenger vehicle chain law four times and the commercial chain law 200 times in the winter of 2014/15. He discussed media campaigns implemented by CDOT surrounding Colorado's chain laws and the success of the campaign in changing driver behavior, and responded to committee questions on CDOT public surveys.


09:25 AM

Mr. Lester discussed the different codes that CDOT can call into action to activate the state's chain laws and the different road conditions that lead to each code being used. He responded to a question on how effective automatic braking systems are in winter driving conditions. He said that clarification of Colorado's chain laws and statutory requirements for media campaigns and public awareness would be useful for CDOT. He responded to questions on the enforcement of chain laws in the past few years, and how much CDOT and Colorado State Patrol (CSP) depends on drivers to make informed decisions in regards to current state requirements for adequate traction control.

Major Matt Packard, CSP, responded to questions on the issuance of citations when the chain law has been called into effect. Committee and panel discussion ensued on the timing of calling chain laws into effect and how there can be a lag between this action and driver awareness. Mr. Rice and Mr. Lester responded to questions on the congestion and closure data provided by CDOT in its presentation in light of the lack of severity of the 2014/15 winter, the success of media campaigns surrounding traction requirements conducted by CDOT, plans for future public awareness campaigns, and the cost of CDOT's most recent chain laws media campaign.

Major Packard responded to a question on whether CSP would target drivers if chain laws are changed per HB15-1173. Committee discussion ensued on how the tourism industry can get involved in messaging campaigns to encourage the use of adequate traction equipment while driving on I-70 in the winter.


09:44 AM

Major Packard said that anything that can be done towards increasing the ability of CSP to enforce chain laws and equipment requirements would be of huge assistance to CSP.


09:47 AM

Margaret Bowes, Program Manager, and Tim Mauck, Co-Chair, I-70 Coalition, came to the table. Ms. Bowes provided statistics on the revenue generated by mountain resorts in the state and highlighted how costly I-70 closures can be. She gave an overview of the I-70 Coalition, which has 29 members and represents towns, counties, cities, and large business in the mountain corridor. Ms. Bowes said that the I-70 Coalition advocates for improved traffic mobility in the mountain corridor and heavily focuses on transportation demand management through the promotion of van and bus services and the use of carpooling. She discussed other congestion mitigation strategies, such as travelling at non-peak times and the provision of travel forecasts for the general public. Ms. Bowes spoke to how the coalition partners with local businesses to provide discounted services that encourage people to stay longer in the mountains to avoid peak travel times. She said that the coalition was a very strong proponent of HB15-1173. She highlighted how inadequate traction is a large contributor to lane closures in the mountain corridor, and said she currently sees a lot of confusion over existing chain laws. Ms. Bowes responded to a question on the feedback she receives from lodging associations on what they hear from the public in regards to car tire or traction equipment requirements.


09:58 AM

Mr. Mauck discussed the public's concerns surrounding winter driving preparedness and the improvement in CDOT campaigns and communication in past years. He responded to questions on the challenges faced in the movement of commerce throughout the mountain corridor, strategies being employed to handle traffic volume in the area, and what the I-70 Coalition is doing to increase public awareness of its strategies and campaigns. Committee discussion ensued on the importance of the I-70 Coalition's participation in awareness campaigns targeted towards tourists and residents who are not aware of current chain law requirements, and the charge of the committee per HB15-1173. Mr. Mauck responded to questions on the affordability of new tires or adequate traction control equipment for traveling in the mountain corridor. Greg Fulton, President, Colorado Motor Carriers Association (CMCA), came to the table to discuss the cost of complying with state chain laws. Committee discussion ensued on this topic and what current chain laws require.


10:21 AM

Mr. Fulton discussed the efforts of the CMCA to mitigate the impact of the trucking industry on traffic and congestion in the I-70 mountain corridor, the cost of freight delays to consumers, and the stringency of chain laws for commercial vehicles in Colorado. He stated that his organization supported HB15-1173, and clarified that they are not looking for "tire police," but rather that adequate tire depth be required and that additional penalties be applied to individuals who caused accidents in winter conditions. Mr. Fulton responded to questions from the committee about commercial vehicle fines. Mr. Fulton and CSP received a request from the committee for data on the issuance of citations relative to fine increases.


10:35 AM

Jonathan Whitley, Risk Manager, American Car Rental Association (ACRA) came to the table. He said that ACRA represents 98 percent of the car rental industry, the industry is highly concerned with the safety of the equipment it provides its customers with, ACRA was neutral on HB15-1173, and likely would be on future legislation addressing chain laws in Colorado. He discussed how the rental car industry could struggle with enhanced traction control equipment requirements if the chain laws are changed. He responded to questions on the tread depth standards for tires that rental car companies equip their vehicles with, the additional traction control equipment that rental car companies currently provide to their customers, how many rental cars end up in accidents in the winter in Colorado, and how many miles on average are put onto a rental car before it is sold off.