Transportation Secretary Buttigieg to tour Glenwood Canyon, talk up infrastructure bill

According to the following press release from the office of U.S. Rep. Joe Neguse, whose 2nd Congressional District includes Vail, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg will tour Colorado on Thursday, including Glenwood Canyon, to discuss the benefits of the bipartisan infrastructure law:

Congressman Joe Neguse will welcome Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to Colorado on Thursday February 24, to tour I-70 and discuss how Colorado will benefit from the historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

“Coloradans are already beginning to see the historic impact of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, as funds to rebuild roads, bridges, EV charging stations, and support wildfire resiliency are authorized for our state, and we expect to see millions of good-paying jobs created to complete these projects,” said Congressman Joe Neguse. “As implementation for this historic law continues, I am thrilled to welcome Secretary Pete Buttigieg to Colorado to see firsthand the unique challenges our heavy tourism corridors face and the level of investment that is greatly needed to reduce congestion and keep all travelers safe. This historic law is a true example of just what we can accomplish when we work together for the American people. Transformational investments like this do not happen by accident, they happen because of tenacious hard work, and refusing to leave the table before we ultimately achieve consensus for America. Now, we are delivering historic investments for the people of Colorado to meet the challenges our communities are facing and to build a brighter future.”

In November, President Biden signed into law the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, historic legislation to invest in the economy, rebuild crumbling roads and bridges and ensure American communities can compete in the 21^st Century. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill will: repairs roads and bridges—with the single largest dedicated bridge investment since the construction of the interstate highway system itself—invest in public transit and rail, expand broadband—ensuring every American has access to reliable high-speed internet; and secure clean water for our children. Thanks to the advocacy and leadership of Congressman Neguse, the bill also includes key priorities for the west – funds for wildfire prevention, a pay raise for federal wildland firefighters and investments in collaborative forest programs, such as the Joint Chiefs Landscape Restoration Partnership.

Last week, $20 million through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law was set aside for a forest restoration research project co-led by Colorado State University. 

Colorado is set to receive the following in federal funding from the historic law:

• $3.7 billion for highway projects, $716 million in FY 2022; 
• $225 million for bridge replacement and repairs, $45 million in FY 2022;
• $917 million to improve public transportation, $54 million in FY 2022;  
• $688 million for water infrastructure,
• $432 million for airports,
• $35 million for wildfire recovery,
• $57 million to support the expansion of an electric vehicle charging network throughout the state, $8 million in FY 2022; 
• A minimum of $100 million to help provide broadband coverage across the state.