Across Colorado, communities large and small are diverting cars around main streets to allow more open-air, socially-distanced dining, shopping and strolling. And now the state is stepping in with a new $4.1 million grant program to encourage more creative uses for public streets as businesses revive after the pandemic shutdown. Denver, Boulder, Littleton, Louisville, Arvada, […]
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Posted inCOVID, News, Politics and Government
Here’s the nuance behind Colorado Democrats’ effort to eliminate 9 tax breaks, pump $1.6 billion into state coffers
To generate money for the coronavirus-depleted state budget, Democratic state lawmakers in Colorado want to slash or change nine tax breaks to generate $1.6 billion in revenue over the next four years. House Bill 1420, introduced Monday with just days left in the 2020 lawmaking term, would revoke tax breaks included in the federal stimulus […]
Posted inBusiness, COVID, News, Transportation
Mount Evans Highway, Independence Pass into Aspen will remain closed because of coronavirus
ASPEN — The Colorado Department of Transportation has announced that Colorado 82 over Independence Pass will remain closed until at least June 1 amid the coronavirus pandemic. The highway usually opens the Thursday before Memorial Day weekend, which would have been May 21 this year. But multiple counties requested the closure be extended to curtail […]
Posted inOpinion, Opinion Columns
Opinion: Colorado can’t withstand more growth without modernizing our aging bridges and water infrastructure
It’s a new year, new decade and a new legislative session, which also brings fresh opportunities for the state of Colorado. Touching on issues from healthcare to education, thankfully Gov. Jared Polis’ State of the State address also mentioned another hot-button voter issue: infrastructure. However, additional steps must be taken to ensure we have systems […]
Posted inNews, Politics and Government, Transportation
“I’m absolutely not supportive of that”: Front Range passenger train service appears derailed on arrival at Capitol
The 2020 legislative session hasn’t yet begun, but a goal of Gov. Jared Polis already appears to be derailed. House Speaker KC Becker, D-Boulder, told reporters on Friday that she is “absolutely not supportive” of legislation to create a Front Range passenger train system. Proponents were eyeing the 2020 legislative session to offer a bill […]
Posted inBusiness, News, Politics and Government, Transportation
Coloradans keep rejecting statewide tax questions to fund transportation. Democrats are now eyeing a regional approach.
Coloradans have rejected statewide tax questions to pay for badly needed road improvements and repairs in back-to-back years, most recently earlier this month with Proposition CC. But Democrats are still driven to find a long-term funding pipeline to address problems like crumbling infrastructure and congestion. While their preference remains to find a catch-all fix — […]
Posted inBusiness, Environment, News, Politics and Government, Transportation
Lyft is introducing a fleet of 200 electric Kias in Colorado, a car model that motorists here can’t even buy
Coloradans will be able to catch a ride in a sleek, new $40,000 electric Kia Niro as soon as December even though the vehicles aren’t available for sale in the state. That’s because Lyft is making a fleet of 200 of the long-range electric crossovers available for lease to its Colorado drivers. The ride-sharing company […]
Posted inNews, Politics and Government, Transportation
Going green again: Colorado’s license plates could soon revert to their old color scheme
Try not to drive yourself crazy: Colorado could revert back to its old license plate color scheme as soon as 2021. A draft bill that advanced Monday at the state Capitol would return the state’s stock plates to the dark green mountains with a white sky motif that defined Colorado for three decades until the […]
Posted inNews, Politics and Government, Transportation
Polling shows support for a tax hike to pay for a Front Range passenger train. But the devil is in the details.
Polling released last week by the state shows that Colorado voters along the Front Range generally favor raising sales taxes to pay for a passenger train running from Fort Collins to Pueblo. But that’s just part of the story. What the survey didn’t test was by exactly how much voters would be willing to raise […]
Posted inNews, Transportation
Who will pay to rebuild damaged U.S. 36 is unclear, but taxpayers may be stuck with some costs
The giant crack disrupting eastbound travel on U.S. 36 between Wadsworth Boulevard and Church Ranch Road is now in rebuild mode, rather than repair. But who will pay to rebuild the damaged roadway is uncertain and CDOT isn’t ready to say if the cost could fall to taxpayers. But toll-road operator Plenary Roads Denver may […]