WHEREAS a statewide transportation infrastructure vision is important in addressing local, regional, and statewide priorities, and
WHEREAS the current transportation planning system is bottom up, including local government jurisdictions in the Transportation Planning Region (TPR)/ Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) at the grassroots level, and
WHEREAS within the TPR/MPO current structure, local jurisdictions within each TPO/MPO work together to determine their region’s priorities, and
WHEREAS these local/regional priorities are then brought to the Statewide Transportation Advisory Committee (STAC), and
WHEREAS the regional priorities approved by the STAC are then advanced for Transportation Commission (TC) approval and implementation; and
WHEREAS a compromise with Denver leaders in 1986 resulted in the addition of more urban commissioners, so that the Front Range communities have had a majority of commissioners (i.e. 6 of 11), and
WHEREAS there have been efforts to alter the make up of the TC by providing for districts based on factors not favorable to western Colorado and without any guarantee of rural representation, and
WHEREAS it is imperative that the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) work closely with local government when planning for future projects especially regarding safety.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Club 20 supports the current CDOT planning process, the existing representative structure of the TC, and opposes efforts to weaken and supports greater rural representation on the Colorado Transportation Commission.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Club 20 strongly opposes any legislation that would alter the balance of representation on the Colorado Transportation Commission in such a way as to diminish the current level of rural representation.
Combines:
TR-91-4 Planning Process, Support for CDOT’s Current Process
TR-93-1 Transportation Commission, West Slope Representation
Adopted 3/23/2022