By The Business Times Staff

Copyright thebusinesstimes

The Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce sent a letter to the Colorado Department of Transportation to express its concerns about the proposed 2050 Statewide Transportation Plan.

The letter, dated August 28 and signed by Grand Junction Chamber President and CEO Candace Carnahan, listed its main concerns as: “the growing gap in highway funding, the lack of inflationary adjustment in revenues, and the absence of a plan to close this gap.”

It also emphasized the impact of Interstate 70 closures, particularly in Glenwood Canyon, and their direct harm to Western Colorado businesses.

On its LinkedIn page, the Grand Junction Chamber said, “As our letter states: ‘Funding formulas based on population alone ignore the true demands of maintaining critical lane miles that keep rural economies connected to statewide markets.’”

The GJ Chamber wrote on its website, regarding Western Colorado businesses:

“This plan is not just a roadmap for infrastructure – it is a roadmap for economic stability, competitiveness, and growth.”

It added, “Funding formulas heavily weighted toward population centers overlook the significant responsibility rural counties like Mesa carry in maintaining hundreds of lane miles that connect our communities and industries to statewide and national markets.

“Nowhere is this more evident than along I-70 through Glenwood Canyon. Each closure on this corridor costs the state an estimated $2 million per hour. For Western Colorado, those closures stall shipments, deter visitors, and disrupt nearly every industry…”

A single stretch of highway should not be able to grind our statewide economy to a halt – but without stronger investment and resiliency planning, that remains our reality.”

The Grand Junction Chamber said it is not alone in its message and listed the following leaders and organizations as “raising their voices alongside ours”:

Mesa County Commissioner Bobbie Daniel.
Former El Paso County Commissioner Longinos Gonzalez.
The American Concrete Pavement Association of Colorado/Wyoming.
Arnusch Farms.
Associated General Contractors.
The Colorado Contractors Association.
The Colorado Stone, Sand and Gravel Association.
The Colorado Ready Mixed Concrete Association.
The Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce.
The Grand Junction Economic Partnership.

The Industrial Property Owners Consortium.

The Grand Junction Chamber wrote on its website, “There is a shared recognition: Colorado cannot build a competitive future on crumbling roads,” and the 2050 transportation plan must address three critical issues:

“Equitable funding that reflects lane miles and economic impact, not just population.
“Inflationary adjustments that ensure revenues keep pace with rising costs.
“And a clear strategy to close the funding gap that has left Colorado’s rural highways ranked among the worst in the nation.”

The Grand Junction Chamber said it “will continue to advocate for strong, reliable transportation infrastructure because it is the backbone of business,” and it urged CDOT to “take these comments seriously and ensure that the 2050 plan delivers a future where all corners of Colorado can thrive.”

Copy of letter to CDOT

Below is the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce’s letter to the Colorado Department of Transportation regarding the proposed 2050 Statewide Transportation Plan:

August 28, 2025

Colorado Department of Transportation Leadership,

On behalf of the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce and the employers we represent across Western Colorado, I urge CDOT to address the growing gap in highway funding, the lack of inflationary adjustment in revenues, and the absence of a plan to close this gap. Without decisive action, rural economies like ours in Mesa County will continue to shoulder disproportionate burdens that ultimately weaken Colorado’s competitiveness.

Mesa County illustrates this challenge clearly. The state highway system here covers 752.3 lane miles, including 262.1 interstate miles. That is nearly the same as Larimer County (787.7 lane miles), despite Mesa having a far smaller population and tax base. Yet businesses on the Western Slope rely on this network every day to move products, workers, and visitors. Funding formulas based on population alone ignore the true demands of maintaining critical lane miles that keep rural economies connected to statewide markets.

Colorado’s roads overall are in poor condition. The 2025 Infrastructure Report Card gave our state a D+, with only 34% of roads in good condition. Deferred investment translates directly into higher costs for employers – vehicle repairs, shipping delays, and workforce disruptions. Rural counties like Mesa, with extensive lane miles and limited alternatives, are hit hardest.

The consequences are most visible during closures on I-70 through Glenwood Canyon, when the state loses an estimated $2 million per hour – adding up to nearly $200 million last year alone. For Mesa County, those closures stranded shipments for manufacturers, stalled tourism, and increased costs for nearly every sector. When the canyon shuts down, the entire state economy feels the impact.

Meanwhile, revenues have not kept pace with inflation, leaving fewer real dollars each year for maintenance and capacity projects. Colorado now ranks 47th nationally in rural interstate pavement condition, evidence of how this gap shows up on the ground. To address these realities, CDOT must prioritize funding allocations that account for lane miles and economic impact – not just population – while also implementing inflationary adjustments so revenues keep pace with rising costs. Just as importantly, a clear plan is needed to close the funding gap, with particular attention to freight-critical corridors like I-70, US-50, and regional arterials that sustain Western Slope businesses.

Mesa County businesses are not asking for extras. We are asking for infrastructure funding that reflects the realities of our system: miles that must be maintained, industries that depend on them, and the statewide losses when they fail.

Strong, reliable transportation in all corners of Colorado is not optional – it is essential to keeping our economy moving.

Respectfully,

Candace Carnahan

President & CEO Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce