HomeMy WebLinkAboutLetter Surface Transportation 5.28.2025
Pitkin County | 530 E. Main Street | Aspen, CO 81611 | 970-920-5200
May 27th, 2025
The Honorable Michael Bennet
261 Russell Senate Building
Washington DC 20510
Email: hilary_henry@bennet.senate.gov
The Honorable John Hickenlooper
Hart Senate Building, Suite SH-316
120 Constitution Ave, NE
Washington, DC 20510
Email: janeth_stancle@hickenlooper.senate.gov
The Honorable Jeff Hurd
1641 Longworth House Office
Washington, DC 20515
Email: betsy.bair@mail.house.gov
RE: Pitkin County urges our Members of Congress to maintain federal funding for transit, bike/ped
infrastructure, and bridge replacements in the Surface Transportation Authorization
Dear Senator Bennet, Senator Hickenlooper, and Representative Hurd,
As Congress solicits input on the upcoming Surface Transportation Authorization, I write to express Pitkin
County’s strong support for maintaining federal investment in transit, bike/pedestrian infrastructure, and
bridge replacements.
Pitkin County faces mounting transportation pressures driven by a dynamic tourism economy and a
workforce that increasingly commutes from outlying areas due to the high cost of living. Yet the county’s
mountainous terrain and narrow valleys leave little room to expand the highly congested State Highway 82
corridor. With roadway capacity constrained, the efficient and reliable transit options provided by the
Roaring Fork Transportation Authority (RFTA) are essential to the movement of the workforce and to
sustaining local businesses that struggle to attract and retain employees due to high housing costs. Pitkin
County prioritizes expanding transit, bike/pedestrian networks, and trail infrastructure to reduce congestion,
support daily travel, attract outdoor recreation visitors, and reduce vehicle dependence. One high-priority
project for the County is the multimodal transformation of the Aspen/Pitkin County Airport with improved
facilities for public transit, biking, and walking to enhance transportation efficiency, sustainability, and
regional connectivity. This County secured a $2 million US Department of Transportation Better Utilizing
Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant for planning (awarded, pending obligation) and
intends to pursue additional US DOT BUILD funds in future rounds to implement the plan.
Pitkin County urges you to continue to fund federal programs that support multimodal infrastructure,
including transit and active transportation options, at no less than FY25 enacted levels. Specifically, we
Pitkin County | 530 E. Main Street | Aspen, CO 81611 | 970-920-5200
encourage you to consider the following proposals as you shape the next Surface Transportation
Authorization:
● Maintain at least FY25 enacted funding levels for the US DOT BUILD program, US DOT Rural
Surface Transportation grant program, and other multimodal discretionary grants, and codify
multimodal safety prioritization within these discretionary grant programs to ensure resources are
available to support bike and pedestrian safety and mobility.
● Maintain at least FY25 enacted funding levels for the FTA Section 5339(b) Bus and Bus Facilities,
5339(c) Low or No Emissions, and Section 5311 Formula Grants for Rural Areas to provide critical
resources for replacing aging transit vehicles, modernizing facilities, and expanding critical transit
services.
● Maintain the rural set-aside within the competitive 5339(b) Bus and Bus Facilities program, which
requires that at least 10% of program funds be set aside for rural projects. This rural set-aside is
essential to ensuring that large urban agencies do not crowd out small and remote communities in
nationwide competitions for transit funds.
In addition, aging and structurally deficient bridges in Pitkin County threaten regional connectivity and
must be replaced to ensure safe, dependable access for residents, workers, and visitors alike. Pitkin County
has five bridges rated fair or worse, including two that are considered functionally obsolete. For example,
the Redstone South Bridge is slated for replacement in 2026 due to its aging condition and structural
concerns identified in a bridge asset management study. The Redstone South Bridge replacement is
expected to cost $5 million and will be contingent upon the County’s ability to secure grant funding.
Pitkin County urges you to continue to fund federal programs that support bridge replacement and
rehabilitation at no less than FY25 enacted levels. We encourage you to consider the following proposal as
you work on the next Surface Transportation Authorization:
● Sustain funding for the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Bridge Formula Program (which
funds the Colorado Department of Transportation Off-System Bridge Grant program) and the
FHWA Bridge Investment Program (competitive discretionary grant program) at no less than FY25
enacted levels. Pitkin County plans to apply to both of these sources of funds to support bridge
replacement and rehabilitation projects in the next few years.
Pitkin County appreciates your attention to the upcoming transportation reauthorization and thanks you for
the opportunity to provide input. Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions.
Sincerely,
Kelly McNicholas Kury
Chair
Pitkin County Board of Commissioners