Largest investment in our nation’s infrastructure in a century is already funding critical projects across Colorado to improve our roads, deliver clean drinking water, expand broadband to every household, modernize our airports, and more
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper celebrated the two year anniversary of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law he helped write and pass. Over $5.6 billion in funds for Colorado have been announced for 304+ specific projects to date, with many more expected.
Hickenlooper joined U.S. Senators Chuck Schumer, Debbie Stabenow, Tom Carper, Maggie Hassan, and Catherine Cortez Masto at the United States Capitol today to recognize investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Hickenlooper was part of the bipartisan group of 22 senators who negotiated and wrote the $1.2 trillion infrastructure law.
“Millions of people, thousands of organizations are fighting to either create a democracy or retain their democracy,” said Hickenlooper during today’s press conference. “They look to us to do things like the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law which demonstrates what democracies are all about: [that] people can come together with different opinions, find compromises, and then make meaningful investments in things that benefit the common good.”
For full video of Hickenlooper’s remarks, click HERE.
In the two years since its passage, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has kickstarted projects to improve key roads and bridges, expand affordable and high-speed internet, conserve western water, modernize airport infrastructure, build out our EV charging network, cap orphan methane wells, deliver clean drinking water to underserved communities, and more.
For a fact sheet on investments in Colorado from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, click HERE. For a full list of projects and an interactive map, click HERE.
Repair Essential Highways and Bridges, Enhance Safety
Last month, Hickenlooper joined Governor Jared Polis, Colorado Department of Transportation Officials, and community members at the groundbreaking for the CO-119 Diagonal Highway Mobility Project, one of the many infrastructure projects announced to improve roads and bridges across Colorado. The critical, multimodal project, which received $25 million in funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will add a Bus Rapid Transit route, queue bypass lane, and bikeway along the primary highway between Boulder and Longmont to help serve and improve safety for the over 45,000 vehicles per day that transit the road.
“We have delivered record-level infrastructure investments in Colorado thanks to our ability to leverage state funding with the opportunities that the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law offers for unprecedented federal support. Thanks to the support of Colorado’s congressional delegation, we have been particularly successful at winning competitive grant awards, which are bringing even more resources to our state. Projects of every type, including exciting new opportunities for passenger rail, will continue to be possible thanks to the opportunities the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law can unlock,” said CDOT Executive Director Shoshana Lew.
Expand High-Speed Internet to EVERY Household
While negotiating and writing the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Hickenlooper helped deliver the largest federal investment in broadband access and affordability of our generation through the broadband working group with the goal of connecting every household in America to high-speed internet. Colorado has received over $826.5 million to provide access to reliable internet, with over 229,000 households in Colorado already saving money on their internet plans through the Affordable Connectivity Program.
Tribal communities have historically faced a growing digital gap and connectivity barrier, but thanks to $22.7 million for the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe and $43.7 million for the Southern Ute Indian Ute Tribe, our Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is expanding high-speed internet network deployment and digital skills training to improve access to education, jobs, and health care on Tribal lands.
“The Southern Ute Tribal Council made the deployment of affordable, high-quality, high-speed broadband internet on the Reservation a top priority. The Southern Ute Indian Tribe is honored to be awarded this funding and with this grant we can now focus on making this important goal a reality and truly bridge the digital divide that exists within our Tribal Lands. The money that we will receive from this award will go to connecting our Tribal Members and other Native Americans living within our Reservation. It will also set the stage to enable improved access for non-native residents, schools, municipalities, and businesses that will benefit from the deployment of our new broadband infrastructure,” said Southern Ute Indian Tribe Chairman Melvin J. Baker.
Deliver Clean Drinking Water to Underserved Communities, Fulfill Decades-Old Promises
Earlier this year, Hickenlooper joined Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton and local leaders at the groundbreaking of the Arkansas Valley Conduit, a major water infrastructure project that will deliver clean drinking water from the Pueblo Reservoir to almost 40 rural communities and 50,000 Coloradans in Southeast Colorado when complete. The project received $160 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and will expedite the construction timeline for the Conduit and allow for federal drinking water standards to be met more quickly by local water providers. The Conduit is in the final phase of the Fryingpan-Arkansas Project, which Congress authorized in 1962.
“We have been working hard to move this project from planning to construction. This is a clear indication that the District and Reclamation will continue to partner in this long-time effort to bring clean drinking water to the Lower Arkansas Valley. Our Senators were key to securing the new $160 million in funding for the Conduit from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Thanks to our delegation’s long-standing bipartisan support for this project and the support from the State of Colorado, the conduit is on Reclamation’s front line for construction,” said Bill Long, Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District board president.
Upgrade our Airports to Serve as Gateways to Our State
In August, Hickenlooper visited Grand Junction Regional Airport to announce $13.5 million from the Airport Improvements Program to help construct a new runway.
In total, $283 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has been announced for improvement projects for airports across Colorado to modernize terminals, expand taxiways, and enhance safety.
“The BIL has provided funding that directly supports our mission to provide safe, reliable, and sustainable aviation facilities to promote economic growth and a high quality of life in the region,” said Grand Junction Regional Airport Director, Angela Padalecki. “Thanks to BIL funding, we are completing projects that will allow us to accommodate more airlines, serve more passengers, improve accessibility for passengers with disabilities, and provide a better experience for all travelers. These projects directly support economic development efforts on the western slope that increasingly rely on access to affordable air service.”
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