[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 64 (Monday, May 22, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E801-E802]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 
                                  2001

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                           HON. DIANA DeGETTE

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                          Friday, May 19, 2000

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 4475 making 
     appropriations for the Department of Transportation and 
     related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 
     2001, and for other purposes.

  Ms. DeGETTE. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of H.R. 4475, the Fiscal 
Year 2001 appropriations bill for the Department of Transportation and 
Related Agencies. This important legislation contains federal transit 
capital funds that are vital to the success of the Denver Regional 
Transportation District's new light rail transit corridors projects, 
the nearly completed South West Corridor, and the new South East 
Corridor.
  I want to thank Transportation Subcommittee Chairman Wolf, Ranking 
Member Sabo and the rest of the Committee for including $20,200,000 to 
help complete the SW Corridor project, which opens for revenue service 
this July. In addition, I appreciate the Committee's support for our 
new SE Corridor extension, which received an earmark for $3,000,000. 
These funds are derived from the

[[Page E802]]

Federal Transit Administration's Capital Investment Grants program 
which finances transit new starts projects.
  Transportation is a key issue in the First Congressional District of 
the State of Colorado. I am proud that Denver's light rail and multi-
modal corridors are a growing local success story and that the efforts 
of the Colorado delegation to win support for these projects have been 
fruitful. The SW Corridor project will be completed in the coming 
months with this year's appropriation of the final federal installment 
of its full funding grant agreement. The new SE Corridor multi-modal 
project, combining highway and light rail elements, is anticipated to 
complete all the steps necessary to receive a full funding grant 
agreement as early as this year.
  I have supported a robust FY 2001 appropriation of $63,000,000 for 
the SE Corridor project. As I mentioned, the bill before us contains 
just $3,000,000 for the new corridor, which I hope will grow as the 
bill progresses through the many steps of the congressional 
appropriations process. This request, while large, is amply justified 
because Denver residents have voted overwhelmingly--66 percent 
supported the initiative--on last year's ballot issue to approve local 
funding for this multi-modal approach to improving Denver's 
transportation system. Their support has been strong because our needs 
are strong.
  The rapidly growing transit needs in the Denver region are clear. The 
Regional Transportation District (RTD) provides public transit service 
to over 2 million residents of the six counties and 41 municipalities 
in its 2,400 square mile district--one of the nation's largest transit 
districts. RTD's fleet of 933 buses and 17 light rail vehicles carried 
over 74 million passengers in 1999, its thirteenth consecutive year of 
increased ridership.
  The RTD has continued its progress in developing rapid transit by 
extending construction of light rail from the successful Central 
Corridor light rail line to the SW Corridor. The 8.7 mile SW Corridor 
light rail extension will serve three major activity centers: the 
Denver central business district, a regional retail and commercial 
center in Englewood, and the Littleton Central Business District.
  Not only has Denver RTD demonstrated a strong commitment to keep the 
SW Corridor project on schedule by advancing its own local funds, but 
it also has a proven record of building light rail projects. Through 
its efficient handling of the construction of its existing Central 
Corridor line, and now the SW Corridor line, RTD has demonstrated its 
ability to successfully manage light rail projects. Building on this 
experience, RTD together with the Colorado Department of Transportation 
(CDOT) are now poised to implement the SE multi-modal project. This 
project will include 19 miles of light rail line which will run 
alongside Interstate 25 (for 15 miles) from Broadway in Denver to 
Lincoln Avenue in Douglas County and within the median of 1-255 (for 
miles) from I-25 to Parker Road.
  The SE Corridor connects the two largest employment centers in the 
region--the Denver Central Business District and the SE business 
district, together these two employment centers account for 18 percent 
of the metro region's employment. The SE Corridor project is a joint 
effort of four agencies (for which interagency agreements are already 
in place): The Federal Transit Administration; the Federal Highway 
Administration; the CDOT; and the RTD. These agencies working together 
in a ``One Dot'' approach will insure the efficient delivery of this 
project.
  In conclusion, completion of our SW Corridor light rail project is 
vital to our region's ability to meet the challenges of rapid growth 
responsibly. Moving ahead quickly with the multi-modal SE Corridor will 
demonstrate the federal government's support for communities that are 
willing to invest in cost-effective transportation solutions to traffic 
congestion.
  Mr. Chairman, I support this bill and I thank the Committee for the 
critical funding it contains for transportation needs in my district.

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