For several years, the Colorado Contractors Association, along with other community leaders, elected officials and concerned citizens, has been sounding the alarm about the state of our transportation infrastructure. The facts are clear: our roads are crumbling; safety is at risk, and our highways cannot handle the volume of growth. Our challenge in 2018 remains the same. We simply must find a long-term funding source for our transportation infrastructure.

Drivers are at their wit’s end. Just last month, a pothole on westbound I-70 caused a traffic nightmare when the poor state of our roads collided with holiday travel. Traffic was stalled, cars were damaged, and the Colorado Department of Transportation was forced to close lanes during holiday travel days to make repairs. There are too many stories like this to count.

The start of the legislative session this week offers Coloradans new hope. We urge Gov. Hickenlooper and our lawmakers to make transportation funding a priority. We cannot afford to kick the problem down the road to another year.

Our challenge in 2018 remains the same. We simply must find a long-term funding source for our transportation infrastructure.

Major urban roads are becoming increasingly congested and drivers are wasting significant amounts of time and fuel each year. A report issued last year, “Colorado Transportation by the Numbers: Meeting the State’s Need for Safe, Smooth and Efficient Mobility,” found that driving on deficient roads costs Colorado motorists a whopping $6.8 billion annually in the form of additional vehicle operating costs (VOC), congestion-related delays and traffic crashes – more than $2,000 a year for every driver in the Denver metro area.

Even more important, our roads and bridges have deteriorated to a dangerous point and are putting drivers at risk. More than 2,400 people were killed in crashes on Colorado’s roads from 2011 to 2015.

Without a solution, our economy is at risk. Job growth is at risk. Safety is at risk. And, our quality of life is at risk. Our challenge emains. We absolutely must find a solution to our transportation woes. We look forward to working closely with legislators to achieve a solution.