Hickenlooper, Bennet, Neguse Celebrate Release of Grant Funds to Complete CO119 Project in Boulder County

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennet and U.S. Representative Joe Neguse announced the release of $15 million in Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) funds from the U.S. Department of Transportation to help finish the CO 119 Diagonal Highway Mobility Improvement Project in Boulder and Longmont. Hickenlooper and Bennet pressed Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to release these previously-held funds.

"This is exactly why we passed our Bipartisan Infrastructure Law: to make Colorado roads safer. As this project nears completion, we're fighting to make sure Colorado gets the funding that was promised," said Hickenlooper.

"This funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is critical for the Boulder and Longmont communities," said Bennet. "I am glad that this funding was released to Colorado and look forward to the CO119 Project being completed."

"I was proud to work alongside Senators Hickenlooper and Bennet to secure the release of federal funding that will help complete the Colorado Highway 119 project, an initiative meant to help our state's growing population by creating a safer, more reliable transportation corridor between two of Colorado's fastest-growing communities-Boulder and Longmont," said Neguse. "From the supporting state and local organizations all the way up to the federal level, Coloradans know this investment will dramatically improve transit and help improve lives for everyday citizens."

The RAISE grant program is a direct federal investment in road, rail, and transit projects that achieve national transportation objectives and is funded by theBipartisan Infrastructure Law, which Hickenlooper helped to negotiate.

CO Highway 119 is the primary connection between Boulder County's two largest municipalities, Longmont and Boulder, with 45,000 vehicles traveling per day and a projected traffic increase of 25% by 2040. In June 2023, the Colorado Department of Transportation was awarded a $25 million RAISE grant to improve major intersections and create a Bus Rapid Transit route, bus bypass lane, and bikeway. $10 million of this grant was already delivered, and today's announcement fulfills the rest of the obligation. The released $15 million funds are for improvements at CO119/Hover Street in Longmont.

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