By Jen Schumann | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice
Colorado’s deteriorating roads are hitting residents — and their vehicles — hard, in Grand Junction costing drivers an average of $1,704 annually in extra repairs, fuel costs, congestion delays and crash-related expenses.
Statewide, the cost is estimated to be $11.4 billion a year, according to a January 2025 report by TRIP, a national transportation research nonprofit. Meanwhile, inflation and rising construction costs are chipping away at recent funding increases.
Rocky Moretti, TRIP’s director of policy and research, highlighted the challenge: “Colorado, in 2021 — both through legislation in Colorado, but also through the federal bipartisan infrastructure legislation — was able to significantly increase investment in Colorado’s transportation system. Unfortunately, significant inflation for highway construction work has dented the impact of that additional funding,” he said.
According to the report, 27% of Grand Junction’s roads are in poor condition, a direct contributor to rising costs for drivers.
“The cost to the public of driving on roads that are in poor condition, of lost time [because of] traffic congestion, and the economic cost of serious and fatal traffic crashes is $11.4 billion annually,” Moretti added.
For Colorado’s farmers and ranchers, deteriorating infrastructure isn’t just about potholes — it’s about business survival. Joe Kelleghan, a cattle rancher and hay producer in Loma, understands this better than most.
Recognized as a 2024 Leader in Agriculture by the Denver Business Journal and Colorado Farm Bureau, Kelleghan has been an advocate for rural sustainability and regenerative agricultural practices.
“The biggest thing is cuts in travel time being safety for livestock from our perspective,” he said, noting delays related from construction projects. “I had a neighbor down here that runs his cattle up by Gunnison. Normally, it’s a 2.5 to 3-hour trip to get their cattle to the mountains, but it turned into a 5.5 to 6-hour drive. When livestock sit in the trailer like that, it’s hard on them. You’ve got shrink, it’s hot, it stresses them out.”
Kelleghan added, “We go through more tires, more springs and shocks — things that used to last longer just don’t anymore,” he said.
But his biggest frustration isn’t just vehicle repairs — it’s lost time: “The bigger issue is the lost time in traffic at construction zones rather than just the rough roads themselves.”
With freight movement in Colorado expected to increase by 63% by 2050, farmers like Kelleghan worry about the long-term sustainability of agriculture in the state.
“We need to make sure projects get done efficiently,” he said.
Kelleghan has also seen how increased tourism has taken a toll on rural roads, particularly in areas like the Uncompahgre Plateau and the Mesa.
“As it is here, a lot of these roads can be pretty difficult to maintain. We only get what, nine inches of water here a year? And in order to blade those roads up there, you’ve got to have moisture,” he said. “When they do get some of these roads smoothed out, then all of a sudden, you’ve got all this increased recreation traffic that tears them up as fast as they can fix them.”
While he supports the recreation economy, he noted the challenges: “There’s a lot of people running around up there that just didn’t used to be there — which is good. I’m not against the recreation economy. But, they can be hard on things.”
“I wonder sometimes if maybe there isn’t a way to add a fee to recreation that would give them a little better budget to operate with.”
Grand Junction City Councilman Cody Kennedy, a former law enforcement officer, has been vocal about infrastructure priorities. With 17 years in law enforcement, Kennedy has seen firsthand how poor roads impact public safety.
“Twenty-seven percent of our local roads are in poor condition, 28 percent in mediocre condition — that’s pretty striking,” he said.
He points to the hidden environmental costs of neglecting road maintenance: “We have a lot of conversations about making good environmental decisions. But we are not maintaining our roadways, which has a significant impact on additional fuel burn, wear and tear on vehicles and overall safety.”
Kennedy supports state and local governments refocusing priorities.
“It’s time for Colorado to focus on roadways and public safety, which are essential services,” he said. “We do a lot of other things that are way outside that realm. And there are places where we could cut spending to prioritize transportation.”
His concerns also extend to Grand Junction’s recent road planning.
“The way we’ve implemented this has increased conflict points and slowed traffic,” he said of the 4th and 5th Street bike lane project. “If we are serious about a ‘Safe System Approach,’ we need to rethink projects like this.”
Despite the passage of SB 260 in 2021 — which aimed to generate $5.3 billion over 10 years for transportation — funding remains a challenge.
“The latest data from the Department of Transportation is that the state is facing an annual $350 million shortfall in the level of funding needed to address the conditions of the system. And to continue [making] improvements to improve traffic safety and reliability,” Moretti said during an online conference highlighting the findings of the TRIP report.
In addition to funding shortfalls, inflation has undercut progress. “A 45% increase in highway construction costs since 2022 has made it harder for available funding to go as far as planned,” Moretti explained.
As safety concerns rise, traffic fatalities in Colorado have jumped 16% since 2019. “Across the country, we are experiencing a significant traffic safety crisis, with more people being killed or seriously injured in traffic crashes,” Moretti said.
In Grand Junction alone, an average of 18 people die annually in traffic accidents.
Carolyn Kelly, TRIP’s director of communication and research, emphasized the importance of public awareness, noting the full report.
The combination of rising costs, safety concerns and traffic delays has intensified calls for solutions.
“It’s an important time for Colorado to really get focused and get their eye on the ball when it comes to our roadways,” Kennedy said. “Spending money where we should be spending it.”
For farmers like Kelleghan, the bottom line is simple: Colorado’s roads aren’t just a public issue—they’re a livelihood issue.
More than 20 transportation-related bills are on the table this session in the state legislature.
SB25-117 seeks to cut costs by removing certain government fees on fuel, rentals and ride-shares, while proposing a rebate for reformulated gasoline.
SB25-030 focuses on expanding transportation options to reduce emissions. It requires the Colorado Department of Transportation to set and reassess targets for public transit, biking and other modes, working with local entities to develop implementation plans.
HB25-1044 allows local governments to introduce additional motor vehicle registration fees to fund safety improvements for vulnerable road users, including infrastructure projects and transit enhancements.
SB25-051 redefines “operating costs” for the Regional Transportation District to include all expenditures except depreciation, affecting how cost-efficiency metrics are calculated.
SB25-149 requires municipalities and counties to implement measures for equestrian safety, such as building and maintaining equestrian infrastructure, installing signage, and regulating motor vehicle interactions in designated areas.
Keep an eye on these bills by monitoring the session schedule at: https://leg.colorado.gov/session-schedule.
Share your input on these or other bills in person, via Zoom or through written testimony here: https://www.leg.state.co.us/clics/clics2025A/commsumm.nsf/NewSignIn.xsp.