CDOT to sell our roads without citizen approval.

[nynco]

I am not trying to start a debate about socialism or capitalism here. Please don't turn it into that. This is about the citizens of Colorado deciding our future. I can see many Conservatives and Tea Party patriots being interested in this.

CDOT is getting ready to sell our roads to a private company for a lease of 50 years. They plan to do this to I36 first and then I70 and I25 and more. This is being fast tracked on purpose to prevent the public from debating the sale of our roads. There is language in contract that prevents Colorado from improving on the roads for the next 50 years in any way that hinders the profit of the company buying our roads. To include improving local roads around the new toll roads. This could even be used to kill off any form of infrastructure improvements over the next 50 years. To me this is a big deal and harms the citizens of this state for generations. Its like living large on a credit card.

If you support this, fine. But, I think that no un-elected bureaucracy should have the right to sell our public infrastructure without the consent of the people. I think anything like this needs to be voted on by the people. There needs to be a public referendum on a ballot before we sell our public roads. Let the public decide.

This is a link to a wordpress site that has more detail. The page stinks of hyperbole and other stuff. Don't get caught up in the liberal stuff you might take issue with. This is too important to get lost in the weeds that way. The main point is voters should decide. I think the Tea Party people can see value in that stance.

https://friendsofthecoloradopuc.word...ing-by-cdot-2/

Is this being talked about in the Conservative world? What are the thoughts of the board members here. I have learned a great deal from you all and have changed my stances of some issues because of your sound reasoning and I would like your thought and input on this.

Thank you

[tmleadr03]

Socialism bad, capitalism good.

/Thread

[Mtn.man]

So if an Interstate is Federally funded, how can a state lease them?

[Guylee]

Looks pretty ludicrous to me. Of course they're not allowing a vote...it would immediately get shot down.

[jackthewall81]

Socialism bad, capitalism good.

/Thread

this.

[nynco]

Socialism bad, capitalism good.

/Thread

I honestly don't want to get into that at all. The point I am trying to make is I want the people to decide through a vote and not let an unelected big government bureaucracy. That big government bureaucracy should not have the power to sell our public infrastructure without our consent.

[nynco]

So if an Interstate is Federally funded, how can a state lease them?

That is a real good question and I honestly don't see how, but they are doing it.

[TFOGGER]

The Boulder Turnpike was a toll road originally, and may be the ONLY example of a toll road being turned over to the state when its construction costs were paid by tolls (as E-470 was supposed to be). The deal that is being inked now is a travesty, only benefiting Goldman Sachs and an Australian management company. They reap the benefits of our tax dollars, and provide little or noting in return, much like Coors Field and the football stadium.

The Denver-Boulder Turnpike was championed by business and university interests in Boulder due to there being no direct route between Denver and Boulder.^{[citation needed]} The 17.3-mile (27.8 km) toll road stretched from Federal Boulevard (US 287) in Westminster to Baseline Road in Boulder, and opened on January 19, 1952 with a toll of $0.25. The Valley Highway from downtown Denver opened in 1952–1954, feeding directly into the Turnpike. Most of the new highway carried SH 185 (US 87), but traffic continuing north on that route initially had to exit at 70th Avenue, now SH 224, with the remainder of the route to Federal Boulevard becoming a realignment of SH 382. When the bonds for the Turnpike were paid off ahead of time in 1967, tolls were removed,^[7] and the road became State Highway 49, which also replaced all of SH 382. US 36 was also extended at this time, following the Valley Highway (by then part of I-25) from Colfax Avenue north to SH 49, and then overlapping SH 49 to the end at Baseline Road, SH 119 on 28th Street, SH 7 to Lyons, and SH 66 to end at US 34 in Estes Park. Late in 1968 these redundant state highway designations were dropped,^[3] resulting in the elimination of SH 49 and SH 102, realignment of SH 119 to go more directly in Boulder, and creation of gaps on SH 7 and SH 66.^[4] In 2012 the turnpike was also given the honorary name Buffalo Highwayin recognition of the University of Colorado's mascot,^{[citation needed]} though this name has not achieved common use.

[TFOGGER]

So if an Interstate is Federally funded, how can a state lease them?

The state provides maintenance for the Interstate system, partially funded with federal tax dollars. They are attempting to contract that maintenance and construction out to private firms, but are not receiving any capital contributions for existing infrastructure.

[wctriumph]

Well, that sucks. Emails sent and calls made to my rep's and the governor.


TEA

III