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U.S. Senator
Member: Finance, Agriculture, Energy, Ethics and Aging Committees |
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For Immediate
Release March 13, 2007 |
CONTACT: Cody Wertz – Comm.
Director |
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WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Pike’s Peak region will soon see another boom in population, as the arrival of the 4th Infantry Division from Fort Hood will add between 12,000 and 15,000 troops and their families to Fort Carson and surrounding areas by the end of 2009. To prepare for this sweeping expansion of troops and their families, United States Senator Ken Salazar sent a trio of letters calling for several infrastructure upgrades at Fort Carson to help the post remain positioned for an uninterrupted and smooth expansion and to connect Fort Carson to southern Colorado and the Arkansas Valley, including Pueblo. In letters sent to Major General Robert W. Mixon Jr., Commander of Fort Carson, and Russ George, Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), Senator Salazar urged CDOT and Fort Carson to remain on schedule with improvements at Gate 20, where construction is scheduled to begin this summer at the interchange of SH16 and I-25, and Gate 19, a vital link between the Mountain Post and the communities of Fountain and Pueblo. In his letter to General Mixon, Senator Salazar urged him to keep Gate 19 as a top priority for Fort Carson, writing, “The construction of Gate 19 and the improvements at Gate 20 will multiply the positive impact of Fort Carson’s expansion on southern Colorado. The Mountain Post is an asset that can yield benefits to communities far beyond its fenceline, thanks to the hospitality, workforce, housing, and support that cities like Pueblo, Colorado Springs, Widefield, Fountain, and others can provide.” In his letter to Director George, Senator Salazar praised CDOT for committing $45 million already to Gate 20 to allow the project to begin this summer, and promised to fight to help CDOT secure additional funds for the next important transportation project for Fort Carson, Gate 19. Salazar also urged CDOT to support efforts to improve Gate 19 as well, writing, “The construction of Gate 19 fits hand in glove with the expansion of the interchange at Gate 20.” Salazar continued, “Gate 19 will strengthen Fort Carson’s ties to southern Colorado communities, will improve safety for personnel entering the base, and is a quality of life issue for our military families.” Senator Salazar’s third letter was to Acting Secretary of the Army Pete Geren, requesting that he prioritize $6.8 million in funding during Fiscal Year 2007 for Fort Carson utilities upgrades. Fort Carson’s utilities systems are seriously outdated, featuring 1950’s-era electrical wiring, natural gas lines that fail to meet federal standards and sewer systems that will need improvement to handle the additional use. “We need to ensure that critical utility systems are in place to provide long-term service to existing and planned facilities at Fort Carson,” Senator Salazar wrote. “Without adequate utilities to support them, these facilities cannot operate.” Previously, Senator Salazar helped secure $3 million for Gate 20 in the FY07 Transportation Appropriations bill. However, because Congress failed to complete work on this bill and instead passed a Continuing Resolution, Salazar wrote to the Secretary of Transportation earlier this year urging her to direct $3 million to the interchange. # # #
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