Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet today joined Denver Mayor Michael Hancock on a tour of the East Line development adjacent to Denver International Airport (DIA) and other future development sites surrounding the airport to see firsthand how infrastructure investment is boosting economic development.
The stop is part of Bennet’s Infrastructure Colorado: Planes, Trains, Automobiles, and More tour to highlight Colorado infrastructure projects and call attention to the critical consequences of Congressional failure to develop a long-term solution to our infrastructure needs, threatening our economy, competiveness, and safety.
“The development around DIA with commuter rail and the construction of the hotel and transit center is representative of the innovative and collaborative ways people in Colorado are working to boost the economy,” Bennet said. “These investments will make access between the airport, downtown Denver, and the rest of the metro area a whole lot simpler for residents and visitors alike. It also shows businesses across the world that we are building for the future, and this is the place they should be.”
“Denver is investing in DIA, including the new hotel and transit center, to expand the Rocky Mountain region’s gateway to the world and compete in today’s increasingly competitive aviation environment,” Hancock said. “With DIA alone contributing more than $26 billion to the state’s economy in 2013, a record year, we greatly appreciate the partnership of Sen. Bennet and our federal delegation’s commitment to help DIA continue to compete in the 21st century global economy.”
The East Rail Line is a 22.8-mile commuter rail transit corridor scheduled to open in 2016 that will operate between Denver Union Station and DIA. The project is a part of the Regional Transportation District’s FasTracks project expanding transit service throughout the Denver Metro area with 122 miles of new rail service and 18 miles of bus rapid transit in addition to the redevelopment of Denver Union Station. FasTracks has proven to be a model of Colorado’s partnership with the local communities, private businesses, and the federal government to make major investments in infrastructure that will benefit the entire region.
Despite Colorado’s successes, there is still work to do. The Federal Aviation Administration currently estimates that the total cost of delays and congestion at airports across the country exceeds $20 billion per year, and at current funding levels, those costs could exceed $30 billion in 2020 and $60 billion in 2040.
“We need a federal commitment to our aviation infrastructure. When the time comes to reauthorize the FAA next year, Congress should do so immediately and without any of the short term extensions that make it difficult for local airports and businesses to formulate long-term plans,” Bennet added.
Bennet has fought to strengthen the nation’s infrastructure. Earlier this year, he sponsored the Partnership to Build America Act, with Republican Senator Roy Blunt from Missouri. The Bennet-Blunt proposal establishes a $50 billion infrastructure fund that can potentially support hundreds of billions in loan guarantees and financing authority for state and local governments. While not a replacement for keeping the Highway Trust Fund solvent, the fund created by the bill would help finance transportation, energy, communications, water, and education infrastructure projects.