Colorado creates jobs, puts stimulus funds to work on highway, bike path 'twofer'

Today in the metro Denver Lakewood area, I helped break ground on a great new stimulus-funded project. The Colorado DOT is not only repaving a section of highway C-470; they are also repaving the bike path alongside that highway.

 

Vehicle traffic on this section of C-470 has grown from 40,000 vehicles per day in 2004 to 75,000 in 2008; now, that's a pretty substantial increase, and the improvements we broke ground on today will help smooth that ride and reduce congestion.

 

The bike path is also very popular and--in addition to facilitating non-car commuting--connects parks all over the area. I'm told that over 200,000 people use it for commuting or recreation each year.

 

"This project is key to easing traffic congestion and ensuring access to the metro area for commuters and recreational users," said Congressman Ed Perlmutter. "Investments in these types of projects are already helping our aging infrastructure and saving and creating good paying jobs."

 

So, we're keeping people employed or helping people find new jobs, and reducing congestion, and making it easier for people to choose not to drive. That's the kind of triple-threat the Obama Administration would like to see more of.

I talked with the Denver Post about these and other Administration priorities. You can see video of that interview below.

 

This community supports transportation choices. The C-470 project demonstrates metro Denver’s commitment to improving a major roadway while also improving a valuable alternative, the bike path. This simultaneous allocation of transportation resources is exactly the kind of thing this Administration has in mind when we talk about 'livable communities.'

 

This project also happens to be the largest Recovery Act project yet undertaken in Colorado. It's putting cars and bikes on smoother pavement while helping to put the Denver region on the road to economic recovery.

 

Castle Rock Construction has saved 135 good private-sector jobs here in the county, and added 6 new jobs, thanks to the federal recovery dollars invested in this work. This is bound to have a ripple effect throughout the local economy.

 

Plans also include work for three disadvantaged business enterprises, great news for these small businesses and their employees.

 

The C-470 project is good news across the community; bikers, drivers, workers, companies--you name it.

 

I want to thank my host, Colorado Governor Bill Ritter. At the site today he said that, "the launch of the C-470 project is another important example of how Colorado is quickly putting the Recovery Act to work to create jobs, reboot the economy and invest in a modern transportation system."

 

He's got that right. The Recovery Act is working for Colorado, and it’s working for America.

Comments

[EDI Outsourcing]

It's good to see the stimulus fund getting some good use at least.

[EDI]

I absolutly agreee. Investments in these types of projects are very helpful for the infrastructure and creating great jobs.