Weld County issued the following announcement on Dec. 9.
Continuing to implement a regional transportation plan aimed at strengthening major roadways throughout rural portions of Weld, Larimer and all of Morgan County is the goal of Weld County Commissioner Scott James, who has been appointed the new chair of the Upper Front Range Transportation Planning Region (TPR). James replaces Weld County Commissioner Barbara Kirkmeyer in the role.
“I look forward to continuing the great work of Commissioner Kirkmeyer in advocating for the best transportation infrastructure possible in Weld County and throughout the entire upper Front Range,” said James, who, in addition to working with two other counties, will work with representatives from 19 municipalities in the TPR. “My top priority is doing what we can to ensure rural parts of Northern Colorado are not forgotten about when transportation money gets tight.”
The primary effort of the TPR is to develop a long-range framework that addresses concerns along several heavily used transportation routes in the upper Front Range including Interstate 76, I-25 and 16 state and national highways including Highway 14, 34, 66, 287 and 85, to name a few. Goals of the TPR mainly focus on reducing traffic congestion and enhancing safety by promoting corridors that can efficiently move freight, promote the region’s scenic byways and tourism, while enhancing transportation routes for important regional industries such as oil and gas and agriculture.
Specific improvement projects in the plan are primarily funded with Highway User Tax Funds from each member county and municipality but can also be funded by the Colorado Department of Transportation if included in the statewide transportation plan. As a chair of the TPR, James will also serve as the region’s Statewide Transportation Advisory Committee (STAC) representative, allowing him to present the most important projects to the state for funding consideration.
“Ensuring Northern Colorado continually has a voice in the state’s decision-making concerning transportation is important and makes my position as a STAC representative all the more unique,” James said. “It’s one more way to advocate for a transportation infrastructure that meets our needs now and in the future.”
Original source can be found here.
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