HomeMy WebLinkAboutBASICS letter 04.16.2026
April 14th, 2026
The Honorable Michael Bennet
261 Russell Senate Building
Washington DC 20510
Email: Delaney_Deskin@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: Riley.Scott@mail.house.gov
RE: Including BASICS act in Surface Transportation Authorization
Dear Representative Hurd, Senators Bennet and Hickenlooper:
On behalf of the Pitkin County Board of County Commissioners, I write to express our strong support for
preserving the longstanding, state-administered, federally supported, formula-based transportation program,
while also urging Congress to include the Bridges and Safety Infrastructure for Community Success
(BASICS) Act (H.R. 7437) in the upcoming Surface Transportation Reauthorization.
Pitkin County strongly supports maintaining the current federal transportation framework, which has
efficiently delivered critical safety and mobility projects across the nation. State departments of
transportation currently direct approximately 85 percent of federal highway formula funding, with local
governments directing the remaining 15 percent. State-owned roadways and bridges carry roughly 70
percent and 90 percent of nationwide traffic, respectively, and state DOTs play an essential role in
systemwide planning, multimodal coordination, and rapid response during emergencies such as wildfires,
floods, and other disruptions—conditions that are highly relevant in our region.
At the same time, counties like Pitkin County are indispensable partners in delivering transportation
infrastructure at the local level. Nationwide, counties own 44 percent of public road miles and 38 percent of
bridges, and these assets are vital to connecting communities and supporting regional economies. Despite
these responsibilities, local governments often face challenges accessing federal formula funding, receiving
less than 15 percent overall, while also navigating rising construction costs, capacity constraints, and
complex federal requirements.
Pitkin County | 530 E. Main Street | Aspen, CO 81611 | 970-920-5200
In a rural, high-cost community like Pitkin County, these challenges are particularly pronounced. Our local
transportation network—including county-maintained roads and bridges—plays a critical role in ensuring
safe mobility for residents, workforce commuters, and millions of annual visitors. Ensuring reliable access
to federal formula funding is essential to maintaining and improving these assets.
We believe the BASICS Act provides a thoughtful and balanced framework to strengthen the existing
federal transportation program while improving access for counties and other local governments.
Importantly, this legislation recognizes that counties and states are partners—not competitors—in delivering
infrastructure.
The BASICS Act would:
● Increase the direct share of federal formula transportation funding flowing to counties and local
governments to closer to 25 percent, ensuring a more equitable alignment with local ownership and
responsibilities;
● Provide counties with access to additional formula programs, including critical funding for bridges
and safety infrastructure;
● Reduce barriers that make it difficult for rural and smaller counties to access and deliver federally
funded projects, improving efficiency and project delivery timelines; and
● Strengthen coordination between state and local governments to ensure investments are delivered
effectively and without delay.
We also recognize the importance of ensuring that federal transportation investments are deployed
efficiently and without delay. The current state-led model provides the structure and expertise necessary to
deliver projects at scale, and we do not support changes that would fragment this system or result in funding
sitting idle. However, Pitkin County opposes any surface transportation reauthorization that simply locks in
the existing 85/15 funding split without meaningfully improving counties’ access to federal formula dollars.
A balanced approach must preserve the strengths of the current system while addressing the clear and
growing needs of local governments—particularly in rural communities like ours.
As Congress develops the next surface transportation reauthorization bill, we respectfully urge you to
support inclusion of the BASICS Act (H.R. 7437) in the base text, while reaffirming a strong state-led,
formula-based program that also ensures counties have greater access to critical funding. A robust,
well-balanced bill that grows overall investment and strengthens intergovernmental partnerships will best
serve communities like Pitkin County and the nation as a whole.
Thank you for your leadership and consideration of this important issue.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey H. Woodruff
Pitkin County Board of County Commissioners, Board Chair
Pitkin County | 530 E. Main Street | Aspen, CO 81611 | 970-920-5200