To fund a wider I-70 on its route through Denver, the regional planning commission set aside $50 million in federal funds before considering other projects.
Plans to widen the I-70 in Denver to ten lanes have met opposition for being, according to this piece, a money-hog of questionable urban merit.
"Streetsblog looked into the funding mechanisms for one of the most expensive road projects in Colorado history, and it turns out that the I-70 widening is already diverting money from other priorities." That is, to the tune of $50 million. The project's overall starting cost amounts to $1.8 billion.
"DRCOG's [Denver Regional Council of Governments] decision prioritized widening the highway to 10 lanes instead of spending on projects that can improve safety, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, or connect people to jobs via effective transit." To mitigate some of the expansion's more unsightly consequences, plans include a cap park that the mega-highway will tunnel under.
FULL STORY: I-70 Widening Has Already Diverted $50M From Smarter Transpo Projects
I-70 Highway Update May Exacerbate Segregation
A piece in The Nation argues a Denver highway plan will further shrink the black community in that city through the use of eminent domain.
'Highway Propaganda' Promotes Widening Projects
Apparently to galvanize public support, the Colorado Department of Transportation and an Ohio chamber of commerce have produced videos touting the benefits of widening projects for low-income communities.
Stormwater Improvements Linked to Freeway Project in Northeast Denver
The funding needed to complete the Two Basin Drainage Project in Denver would come as a package deal with a $1.2 billion plan to overhaul I-70. Residents are concerned that they might be getting more than they bargained for.
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Research: Sprawl Linked to Poverty
Low-income families living in high-sprawl neighborhoods are limited in their access to education, jobs, and other amenities, often trapping them in a cycle of poverty.
Washington Lawmakers Eye Rent Stabilization
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Wildfires Devastate LA Outdoor Education Spaces and Schools
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Research Affirms Safety of ‘Idaho Stop’
Allowing cyclists to treat stop signs as yield signs does not negatively impact safety and can help people on bikes more effectively navigate roadways.
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