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HomeMy WebLinkAbout841198.tiff Limn tr rTLOF COLORADO � DEPARTMENT OF HIGHWAYS U„f Lri = �� A•f o 4201 East Arkansas Ave. P�r» i �`; Denver, Colorado 80222 DEC 41984 '''' 4.+� (303) 757-9011r 8i rr Fi e� FOR MORE INFORMATION: 757-9228 GREELEY. COLO. #84-51 Highway News RELEASE AT WILL November 29, 1984 CONGRESS' INACTION PUTS INTERSTATE PROJECTS ON HOLD Colorado's road and bridge construction has accelerated during the past two years, thanks to the five-cent-a-gallon federal tax increase on motor fuels and the corresponding state tax increase (3t/gallon, 4t/gallon on diesel) which provided matching funds. But Congress adjourned last month without passing legislation on a technical document called the Interstate Cost Estimate (I.C.E.) , and federal dollars for some Interstate projects are now held up. Ironically, our state has $ 116} million in needed construction projects "frozen" for lack of an I.C.E. Congress could not agree on highway and transit legislation loaded with special pork-barrel or "demonstration" projects, like the Central Artery which would provide a 1.8-mile elevated freeway in Boston. During debate the House of Representatives wanted the demonstration projects to be financed entirely by the federal government. The Senate proposed a 50/50 federal/state split, with a $ 25 million ceiling on the total cost of each project. Congressional inaction during the last federal fiscal year (Oct. 1-Sept. 30 time frame) cut the money flow to states for about six months. The recent failure to pass an I.C.E. affects another full year. This threatens Colorado's Interstate completion plans and Interstate Trans- fer projects like C-470, the Littleton Railroad Depression, and Denver area projects on S. Santa Fe Drive, Kipling/Independence Streets and Wadsworth Blvd. The Figures: Dollars Federal Projects Withheld Fiscal Year Interstate $ 30.9 million FY 83/84 $ 66.7 million FY 84/85 Interstate Transfer $ 6.3 million FY 83/84 $ 12.6 million FY 84/85 (MORE) (OVER) 841198 /-)( - ( , J c! Highway News Page 2 Department of Highways November 29, 1984 Some projects on hold: Interstate Transfer projects receive federal funds that are set by formula, and these are jeopardized by Congressional inaction. But the program also receives discretionary money allocated by the Secretary of Transportation. It is difficult at this time, therefore, to identify C-470 or other Interstate Transfer construction projects which could be cut from the current construction budget. The following list shows projects which are funded under the "new Interstate completion" category. Each had been budgeted with money which is 91 percent federal and 9 percent state. I 70, Shrine Pass - east, resurfacing, preliminary engineering and construc- tion, five miles, Summit county, $1,000,000. I 70, DeBeque east and west, reconstruction and preliminary engineering, 19 miles, Mesa county, $532,000. I 70, DeBeque to west of Rifle, reconstruction, right of way and utilities, Mesa county, $210,000. I 70, Glenwood Canyon, new construction and preliminary engineering, 12. 6 miles, Garfield and Eagle counties, $7,745,031. I 70, No Name - Gypsum, new construction, right of way and utilities, twenty miles, Garfield and Eagle counties, $100,000. I 70 Grizzly Creek - west (westbound) , new construction, 1.3 miles, Garfield and Eagle counties, $768,439. I 70, Bair Ranch Interchange, reconstruction, 0.7 mile, Garfield county, $3,700,000. I 76, Bromley Lane - S.H. 7, reconstruction, two miles, Adams county, $11,700,000. I 25, at Centennial Parkway (C-470) interchange, new route, paving and construction, 0.4 mile, Douglas and Arapahoe counties, $1,701,000. I 70, at Centennial Parkway (C-470) interchange, new route, grading, drain and construction, 1.9 miles, Jefferson county, $4,305,000. I 76, junction I 70 to junction I 270, new route, preliminary engineering, right of way and utilities, 6.8 miles, Adams and Jefferson counties, $3,613,000. I 76, at Tennyson Street, new route, structure and construction, Adams county, $1,290,000. I 76, Sheridan Blvd. to west of Tennyson Street, new route, grading, drain and construction, 0.4 mile, Adams county, $2,060,000. If the new Congress addresses the highway and transit funding dilemma early next year, allocations could save part of the 1985 summer construction season in many states. Meanwhile the Colorado Department of Highways will continue to develop design plans, so that projects "on the shelf" are ready to advertise for construction bidding once federal funds become available. 0 0 0 Highway News Department of Highways Page 3 November 29, 1984 DOLAN CERTIFIES 55 MPH SPEED LIMIT ENFORCEMENT On November 27, Highway Department Executive Director Joe Dolan certified that Colorado is successfully enforcing the 55 mph National Maximum Speed Limit. The action, required by the Federal Highway Administration, is required of each state to show that adequate enforcement efforts are being made to comply with the 55 mph speed limit. The certification protects against a possible penalty which could have cost our state $5.1 million in federal highway aid (see Highway News #84-28 issued June 29, 1984) . Each December Dolan must certify to the FHWA that over 50 percent of the vehicle miles travelled on Colorado roads posted at 55 mph in the previous federal fiscal year were at 55 miles per hour or less. The current report year extends from October 1, 1983 to September 30, 1984. Speed compliance in recent months helped reduce Colorado's average speeds, which earlier had threatened to trigger the federal penalty. Under FHWA procedures, Colorado's adjusted percentage of vehicles exceeding the 55 mph was 42.5 percent, within the 50 percent allowed for acceptable compliance. Data in a Speed Summary Report were determined from 58 sessions of 24 hours each, as recorded by automatic speed monitoring equipment at thirty different locations. Another part of the required certification was a report of State Patrol speeding citations issued each month. (The 12-month total was 84,440 cita- tions) . 0 0 0 BIDS TO BE OPENED Dec. 13: delete: 170-1 (53) --- opens February 14, 1985. Feb. 14: Add; 9:30 a.m. , Interstate 70's Beavertail Tunnels in DeBeque Canyon, consisting of grading, structures, stabilization, seeding, hot bituminous pavement, guard rail, lighting, signing, striping, and tunnels, beginning 23 miles east of Grand Junction and extending 1.2 miles easterly, in Mesa county, I 70-1(53) . (Bids will be accepted only from bidders prequalified for this project. The pre bid conference mentioned in the prequalification notice will not be held. ) 0 0 0 CONTRACTS AWARDED Road/ Bid Contract Project Street Description Awarded To Opening Awarded 170-2 (133) 1-70 a plant mix seal Corn Paving Co. 11/21/84 11/26/84 coat project for $1,433,690 I 70 west of Eagle & east of Glenwood Canyon FR 014-2 (12) SH 14 widening SH 14 east Sterling Paving 11/21/84 11/23/84 of I 25 & east of Co. $740,567 Fort Collins. 0 0 0 (over) Highway News Page 4 Department of Highways November 29, 1984 IXFU 470-1 (37) C-470 IN JEFFERSON COUNTY The Department's Division of Highways accepted 11 bids at the November 29 opening for a project to build the C-470, Ken Caryl Road interchange in Jefferson county. Work will include grading, structures, a concrete box culvert, paving, signing and striping. Kiewit Western Co. of Littleton submitted an apparently successful bid of $1,u86,964 on the project, which requires completion within 100 working days. Resident engineer is L. R. McKenzie of Denver. O 0 0 C 09-0050-09 RESURFACING IN ROCKY FORD A project to resurface 2.1 miles of roadway in Rocky Ford drew three bidders at the Division of Highways November 29 opening, The work, consisting of hot bituminous pavement overlay, involves segments of State Highways 71 and 266,. and U.S. 50. An apparently successful bid of $91,000 was submitted by McAtee-Renquist Paving Co. of Sterling. Resident engineer is R. W. Walls of Pueblo; the time required for completion of this project is fifteen workable days. O 0 0 C 36-0071-09 S.H. 71 NORTH OF ORDWAY Resident engineer R. W. Walls of Pueblo will coordinate a resurfacing project on S.H. 71 north of Ordway, following award of a project whose bids were opened by the Division of Highways on November 29. The hot bituminous pavement overlay begins three miles north of the community and extends 8.97 miles north, in Crowley county. The project requires completion within forty workable days. Carder, Inc. & HLM Construction, Inc. , a joint venture of Swink, Co. submitted an apparently successful bid of $519,518 on this project. Seven firms turned in bids. O 0 0 SR 0176 (9) S.H. 176 NORTHEAST OF AMHERST Sterling Paving Co. of Ft. Collins submitted an apparently successful bid of $869,989 at the Division of Highways November 29 opening to widen S.E. 176 south- west of the Nebraska state line. Seven firms tendered offers for work which begins 9} miles northeast of Amherst and extends 3.1 miles northeasterly. The project, requiring completion within 60 working days, includes grad- ing, stabilization, paving, structures, seeding and mulching. Resident engineer is L. D. Muller of Sterling. * * * Hello