A state House committee Wednesday rejected a Republican proposal to shift money from transit programs to fixing roads. The bill was part of a larger battle over transportation funding at the Capitol.
Fees on things like vehicle registrations and car rentals pay for transit services like bike lanes and bus routes. The bill would have redirected $15 million annually away from those programs in favor of road maintenance.
The bill had previously passed the Senate.
"It's important, because our roads are in a state of disrepair right now and we continue to ignore it," said Republican Rep. Patrick Neville, a House sponsor
But Democrats say more transit options mean less traffic congestion.
"If you go all around the state of Colorado, you’re going to find rural areas and urban areas who think that we ought to be putting money into transit. That’s the way of getting people off the roads," said Democratic Rep. Max Tyler, who chairs the House transportation committee that rejected the bill.
Both parties agree transportation is underfunded in Colorado.
