Can Colorado benefit with new interstate (I-27)? (money, building)

[jim9251]

HWY 50 is a great scenic drive through small towns and mountain passes. I would hate to see the government ruin that by spending trillions to build an interstate. And you wouldn't get to see the world's deepest hand dug well.


Anyway, where does one think the money would come from building any new interstate? They can't repair the ones we have now.

[bluescreen73]

Originally Posted by jim9251

HWY 50 is a great scenic drive through small towns and mountain passes. I would hate to see the government ruin that by spending trillions to build an interstate. And you wouldn't get to see the world's deepest hand dug well.


Anyway, where does one think the money would come from building any new interstate? They can't repair the ones we have now.

I wouldn't be too worried about it because it's not going to happen. There's more than enough east-west capacity to last us the next century or more.

[Josseppie]

Originally Posted by bluescreen73

I wouldn't be too worried about it because it's not going to happen. There's more than enough east-west capacity to last us the next century or more.

Even if it's not made into a interstate anytime soon it should be 4 lanes at least in Colorado as a back up to I-70. This latest closure of I-70 shows how that is needed as many people are taking highway 50.

[Hschlick84]

As of the 15th, President Biden signed into law to extend I-27 (ports to plains) corridor. This only includes the parts in TX for now. The goal is finish the rest until it reaches I-70 near Limon.

https://www.kcbd.com/2022/03/15/port...ederal-budget/

[Hschlick84]

[Mike from back east]

Thanks for the update. So far the proposed funding only covers some upgrades within Texas and doesn't include that leg of the route from the port of Brownsville up to Laredo.

At 74 I'll never live to see much of this . . . a sadness given that we built the bulk of the 48,000 mile interstate system in just 20 years (1956-1976) but now it seems to take forever to get anything done.

When I look at the overall map in Post #4 it seems they should've named this thing the NAFTA Connector.

We should be expanding our main east-west rail corridors to take truck traffic off highways, especially with a shortage of long-haul truck drivers, the fuel consumption of large trucks and the pollution they cause.

[otowi]

I like the idea.

[md21722]

That road in Colorado is already a HEAVY truck route. It is silky smooth concrete most of the way. Dallas to Denver truck drivers generally prefer US 287 instead of I-25 over Raton Pass. Cars tend to get off in Dumas, Texas and head over to Raton, NM and up 25 but the big rigs just keep rolling North...

[DenverBrian]

Originally Posted by Hschlick84

As of the 15th, President Biden signed into law to extend I-27 (ports to plains) corridor. This only includes the parts in TX for now.

Not quite.

Part of funding legislation signed by President Biden on Tuesday designates the Texas and New Mexico portions of the Ports-to-Plains Corridor as a future interstate, making these portions eligible for increased funding tocomplete the I-27 expansion into a four-lane federal highway.

So that strongly implies they're going to make a west turn at Dumas and follow US-87 and US-64 to Raton.

The Raton to Wichita Falls road has sometimes been suggested as future I-32, but that'll go by the wayside if this is designated as I-27.

[McGowdog]

Originally Posted by Hschlick84

The route for I-27 would go from Campo connect to Lamar, then north to Kit Carson on US 287. From there, it goes slightly east toward Burlington and connects up with US 385. Going north, it meets up at Wray, then to Holyoke, then north through Julesburg.

The purpose of building I-27 is to reduce traffic off state highways, and connect the missing link from Amarillo, TX to Minot, ND.

This makes total sense to me. Interstates west of the Mississippi seem to be in the dark ages. The roadways in Colorado are the most senseless I've seen throughout the US and seem to lag 20-40 years behind places back east.