Contact: Kristi Pollard, Catalyst Public Affairs
(970) 270-5594
kpollard@catalystpublicaffairs.com
MDEC Applauds I-25/Prospect Interchange
Model for Collaboration puts the project 15 years ahead of schedule
Denver, CO – Today, the Board for the Metro District Education Coalition (MDEC) celebrated the collaboration between the City of Ft. Collins, the Town of Timnath, Larimar County, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) and the I-25/Prospect Interchange Metropolitan District that is leading to the completion of the dangerous stretch of interstate at I-25 and Mulberry Street (Colorado Highway 14) and Colorado Highway 402 on the south end of Loveland a full 15 years early.
“The safety of our community was at stake and waiting 15 years for funding to become available was just not an option. It was the right thing for us to do,” said Lisa Johnson, District Manager for the I-25/Prospect Interchange Metro District.
In an unprecedented story of working together to do what is best for the community, local governments and private landowners came together to fund $55 million toward the much-needed repairs and additions along I-25 between Colorado Highway 14 and Colorado Highway 402 on the south end of Loveland. The congested and dangerous intersection of I-25 and Prospect, however, was not a part of CDOT’s original scope of work due to budget constraints until local government leaders and private landowners came forward with a plan to contribute additional funding.
The metropolitan district is contributing $8.5 million alongside the local governments and CDOT to allow for the final completion of the interchange as well as express lanes for multiple occupant vehicles, transit and toll use, repairs and replacement of aging and outdated infrastructure, the raising of bridges out of the flood plain, and the replacement of the bridge over the Poudre River which will allow for long-awaited regional trail connection.
“We are pleased to see state and local governments work alongside private landowners to get things done and support what’s best for their community,” said Zach Bishop, Chairman for the Metro District Education Coalition. “Through collaboration, the I-25/Prospect Exchange Metro District and our local government leaders moved a much needed public safety project up by 15 years and saved the taxpayers an estimated $7 million in construction costs.”
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The Metro District Education Coalition is a consortium of professional business leaders committed to educating Coloradans on the role of metropolitan districts, the impact that they have on Colorado communities, and to promote additional transparency and accountability in the marketplace. www.metrodistricteducation.com