Progress Forward: U.S. 36 Transportation Improvements Moving Ahead
The U.S. 36 Preferred Alternative was defined December 2009 and includes a package of multi-modal transportation investments to improve mobility along the U.S. 36 corridor. The U.S. 36 Preferred Alternative includes HOV/HOT lanes, Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and a corridor-wide commuter bikeway, interchange and bridge replacement and pavement replacement for a total cost of $1.3 billion.
U.S. 36 will be reconstructed in phases as funding is identified. Phase One improvements include 6.8 miles of HOV/HOT lanes, commuter bikeway and BRT from approximately Westminster to Wadsworth. The cost of Phase One is $160 million. Once funding is confirmed, construction would begin early 2012 and run through 2014.
The first funding opportunity is the TIGER Grant and TIFIA Loan project. In February 2010, CDOT won a $10 million Transportation Investments Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant, which was leveraged to receive additional commitments from CDOT, DRCOG and RTD. $85 million has been achieved so far, with the remaining $55 million contingent upon receiving a federal TIFIA loan.
36 Commuting Solutions is partnering with CDOT, RTD, DRCOG and U.S. 36 local governments to pursue every available funding opportunity. For more information, visit www.36commutingsolutions.org .