U.S. Senator Ken Salazar

Member: Agriculture, Energy, Veterans' Affairs, Ethics and Aging Committees

 

2300 15th Street, Suite 450 Denver, CO 80202 | 702 Hart Senate Building, Washington, D.C. 20510

 

 

For Immediate Release

July 20 2006

CONTACT:    Cody Wertz – Comm. Director

                        303-455-7600

Andrew Nannis  – Press Secretary

                        202-224-5852


  Sen. Salazar Secures $3 Million in Funding for Pike’s Peak Region Transportation Projects

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate Appropriations Committee today approved $3 million in funding for transportation projects in the Pike’s Peak region. The projects were funded at the request of United States Senator Ken Salazar as part of the FY07 Transportation-Treasury-HUD Appropriations bill (FY07 TTHUD).

“Colorado’s infrastructure is already under severe strain, and with our state’s population expected to blossom over the next 20 years, it’s important for us to get out ahead of the curve,” said Senator Salazar. “Supporting our troops starts at home, and these funds for Fort Carson are especially important.”

Under the FY07 TTHUD, two projects were funded for the Colorado Spring region:

  • $2 Million for Construction at Fort Carson’s Gate 20 Interchange of I-25 and SH16: With 13,000 additional troops and their families on their way to Fort Carson as a result of the latest round of BRAC realignments between now and 2009, Fort Carson’s eastern-most and main gate entrance faces additional strain and is a top priority for the Fort and surrounding community.
  • $1 Million to Improve Erosion Along the Pikes Peak Highway: Under a federal court order, the City of Colorado Springs is required to improve to the highway to control runoff and erosion and protect water quality in the drainage basins off Pikes Peak, which it has already done in three of seven basins. Its next step is to complete the drainage and sedimentation project on the Pikes Peak Highway.

Colorado Springs will also benefit from the $5 Million for the Colorado Transit Coalition, the state transit coalition, to be allocated for bus transit services and facilities among the 29 partners of the Coalition, including Colorado Springs and others.

The FY07 TTHUD Appropriations now goes on to the full Senate for consideration later this year.

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