Boebert-Backed Glenwood Springs Project Receives $50 Million Grant
The city of Glenwood Springs, Colorado, has received a $49.68 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) for construction of the South Bridge project. The new bridge will be built across the Roaring Fork River, connecting Highway 82 and neighborhoods west of the river near the airport. The project aims to create a second evacuation route for the city's southern corridor residents, ensuring better safety during emergencies, bolstering connectivity, stimulating economic growth, and enhancing the overall quality of life for residents in the Lower Colorado River Valley and the Roaring Fork Valley. Congresswoman Boebert has strongly supported the South Bridge project and worked closely with the City to secure funding.
Congresswoman Lauren Boebert (CO-03) said, “Our bipartisan advocacy was successful and secured $49.68 million for the South Bridge project in Glenwood Springs. I have worked closely with local elected officials on both sides of the aisle since my first year in Congress and securing funding for the South Bridge project has been one of my top local priorities. Thanks to this locally driven effort, the South Bridge project will be built. This critical infrastructure development not only improves emergency response capabilities but also ensures the safety and well-being of our community. The transformative impact of this investment reaches far beyond improved connectivity; it will also boost regional economic growth and improve the quality of life for Glenwood Springs residents.”
Glenwood Springs Mayor Ingrid Wussow said, "The City of Glenwood is thrilled and relieved to have received the almost $50mil Rural Surface Transportation Grant. For over 20 years our community has been working on procuring the funds for this much needed conduit for fire egress in our wildfire prone community. We are thankful to our congressional delegates, Governor Polis and CDOT Director Lew for their unwavering support in helping us solve this rural transportation challenge. We are so appreciative of Congresswoman Boebert's letter of support and we look forward to seeing this project come to fruition."
Former Glenwood Springs Mayor and Current Ward 5 City Council Member Jonathan Godes said, “Glenwood Springs has lost lives, homes, and our watershed through the Storm King, Coal Seam, and Grizzly Creek fires over the last 25 years. This bridge has been a critical need for decades, and the community can breathe a little bit easier once the fire egress of South Bridge is finally built. We cannot thank our congressional delegation enough. Without their support, along with Governor Polis and CDOT Director Lew this would not be a reality.”
Background:
During her short tenure in Congress, Congresswoman Boebert has worked closely with local officials and strongly supported the South Bridge project numerous times over the years. With the DOT grant of $49.68 million, Glenwood Springs can now move forward with the construction of a vital second emergency route and evacuation access—a new bridge connection linking State Highway 82 to the western side of the Roaring Fork River in the City's South Corridor.
In May of 2021, Congresswoman Boebert wrote a letter in strong support of the City’s grant application for the South Bridge project to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities grant funds. You can read Congresswoman Boebert’s full letter to FEMA Administrator Peter Gaynor here.
In September of 2021, Congresswoman Boebert met with Glenwood Springs Mayor Jonathan Godes to discuss her support of infrastructure projects to improve the I-70 corridor. In May, Congresswoman Boebert hosted then Glenwood Springs Mayor Jonathan Godes, then City Council Member Ingrid Wussow, then City Attorney Karl Hanlon, and then City Manager Debra Figueroa for a bipartisan meeting in her D.C. office to discuss the South Bridge Project.
In June of 2022, Congresswoman Boebert wrote a letter in strong support of the City’s grant application for the South Bridge project to the Department of Transportation for Rural Surface Transportation grant funds. The letter emphasized the importance of this project and requested fair consideration for the grant application. You can read Congresswoman Boebert’s full letter of support to Secretary Buttigieg here.
In March of 2023, Congresswoman Boebert submitted a Community Project Funding Appropriations request in support of the South Bridge project to the House Committee on Appropriations Chairwoman Kay Granger as well as Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro urging them to include funding for the South Bridge Project in the 2024 fiscal year appropriations bill. The Congresswoman’s $1.4 million request for the South Bridge project was successful and is currently included in the base House Appropriations bill passed by the House Committee on Appropriations. You can read Congresswoman Boebert’s full Community Project Funding Appropriations request here.
The South Bridge Program in Glenwood Springs perfectly aligns with the Rural Surface Transportation program, aiming which aims to bolster connectivity, ensure the safety of travelers, stimulate economic growth, and enhance the overall quality of life for residents in the Lower Colorado River Valley and the Roaring Fork Valley. Congresswoman Boebert looks forward to the completion of this critical project.