That 18 mile stretch of I-25 from Monument to Castle Rock (Denver: luxury, costs)

[YoYoSpin]

This thread has focused on the Government side of highway funding, construction and upkeep in Colorado. I think we need to consider the private for-profit side of the equation as well. Aren't all the toll roads and lanes in Colorado operated, in some cases owned, and maintained by private for-profit companies?

I know that E470 (6th most expensive tolls in the USA) is privately owned by a for-profit company (tolls will never go away), and is overseen by a seven local Government authority. The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) oversees all toll lane operations within the Denver/Boulder area, via a "government-owned business" called "HPTE", whose primary purpose is to contract with private companies to fund, operate and maintain toll lanes. Here's their charter:

"The High-Performance Transportation Enterprise (HPTE) was formed to aggressively pursue innovative means of more efficiently financing important surface transportation infrastructure projects that will improve the safety, capacity, and accessibility of the surface transportation system, can feasibly be commenced in a reasonable amount of time, will allow more efficient movement of people, goods, and information throughout the state, and will accelerate the economic recovery of the state.

Such innovative means of financing projects include, but are not limited to, public-private partnerships, operating concession agreements, user fee-based project financing, and availability payment and design-build contracting."

And here's a link to their site: HPTE. My personal opinion is that...yes, governments often waists money and are subject to political whims, but private for-profit businesses will always make traditionally run government activities more expensive.

[DrDog]

Had to go to Denver yesterday. Accident southbound on the way home. Sat in stop and go for an hour. Would gladly have paid a toll.

[bluescreen73]

I personally believe if a private or quasi-private entity wants to benefit from privatizing infrastructure then they should cover 100% of the construction and maintenance costs of said infrastructure. The taxpayers shouldn't be subsidizing them by paying for a majority of the construction costs (around 60% in this case).

[phetaroi]

Originally Posted by bluescreen73

I personally believe if a private or quasi-private entity wants to benefit from privatizing infrastructure then they should cover 100% of the construction and maintenance costs of said infrastructure. The taxpayers shouldn't be subsidizing them by paying for a majority of the construction costs (around 60% in this case).

Fully agree.

[LHS79]

Originally Posted by DrDog

Had to go to Denver yesterday. Accident southbound on the way home. Sat in stop and go for an hour. Would gladly have paid a toll.

Happens daily now, both NB/SB lanes.

Wonder how those commuters feel just because they saved a few grand on a house?

You can not put a price on your sanity!

[suzco]

Sounds like more lanes and toll lane plans aren't definite yet:

Toll lanes on I-25 dominate El Paso County Commissioners' meeting Tuesday (12/19/2017)

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - El Paso County commissioners offered two different perspectives Tuesday on the controversial proposal to build toll lanes on the I-25 widening project between Monument and Castle Rock.

First, commissioners -- after an hour-long executive session with the county attorney -- unanimously approved a resolution opposing toll lanes on the 18-mile project. . . .

Later in Tuesday's meeting, commissioners Mark Waller and Stan VanderWerf suggested another plan -- to widen the project area to four lanes in each direction instead of three . . .

"That's the only way I'll consider a toll lane," Waller said. "If there are three free lanes, then I think we shouldn't rule out the fourth lane being some sort of pay lane. We're going to need those extra lanes in the future. Let's do it now. If we can get the money to start the Gap project a year from now, let's be willing to do something better."
. . .

[abcdefg567]

Originally Posted by LHS79

Happens daily now, both NB/SB lanes.

Wonder how those commuters feel just because they saved a few grand on a house?

You can not put a price on your sanity!

Our house last year was over $100k cheaper than anything comparable in a comparable neighborhood in the Denver Metro. It was also $800/month less than renting our 2 bedroom apartment.

So is our current home..but I think that once you hit $450-500k it's a wash.

My husband only drives once or twice a week however, and gas is thankfully reimbursed. He works 12 hours so avoids most of the traffic, but would obviously rather not.

If we wanted a single family home in a nice area, we had to move. Maybe in a few years we could afford it, but we needed a house now.

We also bought a townhome that we could afford in Denver and got the most psychotic neighbors I could imagine, complete with an autistic tansgender who was stalking my husband, alcoholics banging on the walls, gangsters selling crack, shootings, etc. Plus we had to wait months to get it and outbid twenty others. I really didn't want to go through that again, and both homes we bought here were much easier to procure.

But I agree, that commute daily would be awful. I drive down 83 a few times a month and find out to go by white peacefully and quickly.

*ETA, I think we'll see less of this though as prices in the springs continue to rise. At some point, it won't be worth it and hopefully some of the commuters find jobs here eventually.

[Gorges]

Originally Posted by suzco

Sounds like more lanes and toll lane plans aren't definite yet:

Toll lanes on I-25 dominate El Paso County Commissioners' meeting Tuesday (12/19/2017)

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - El Paso County commissioners offered two different perspectives Tuesday on the controversial proposal to build toll lanes on the I-25 widening project between Monument and Castle Rock.

First, commissioners -- after an hour-long executive session with the county attorney -- unanimously approved a resolution opposing toll lanes on the 18-mile project. . . .

Later in Tuesday's meeting, commissioners Mark Waller and Stan VanderWerf suggested another plan -- to widen the project area to four lanes in each direction instead of three . . .

"That's the only way I'll consider a toll lane," Waller said. "If there are three free lanes, then I think we shouldn't rule out the fourth lane being some sort of pay lane. We're going to need those extra lanes in the future. Let's do it now. If we can get the money to start the Gap project a year from now, let's be willing to do something better."

Thanks, suzco! THIS is what I've been thinking all along. Three free lanes are necessary! There will still be slowdowns with three. Make a fourth lane a toll lane.

[wilberry]

Merry Christmas !

[Bullitt007]

I like the proposal and agree...3 free lanes and a toll. That, I think, is the best long-term solution.