Every day, the economic engines of communities across Colorado depend on infrastructure that is cracking under pressure. This is most visible along Interstate 270 and I-25, two vital corridors for the workers, employers, and freight operations that drive our regional economies.
In Adams County, I-270 carries over 100,000 travelers and vehicles per day, with up to 17% of that traffic consisting of heavy trucks. This level of use is far beyond what the road was designed for when it was built in 1965-70. There are major concerns over stressed pavement, aging bridges and growing safety risks for people traveling this major corridor.
Colorado Springs faces similar pressures on I-25, where improvements between Fillmore Street and Garden of the Gods Road have caused disruption for commuters for nearly three years and won’t finish until this fall.
From north to south, Colorado communities face the same challenges: aging infrastructure, rising congestion and delayed improvements.
Local leaders have made it clear: Colorado can’t wait to improve these corridors. Employers and daily commuters depend on I-25 and I-270, but congestion and unreliable travel times restrict economic opportunity, which is why we’ve urged the state to prioritize safety and operational upgrades.
However, state prioritization cannot fix one of the biggest barriers we face — the federal permitting system, which routinely delays critical infrastructure for years.
Federal permitting has become unpredictable and slow. The National Association of Counties reports that delays increase project costs, stall important safety upgrades and hinder economic development. Many fast-growing counties simply do not have the capacity to navigate multiyear federal reviews.
These delays are not theoretical. Across the country, major energy, transmission and transportation projects can take four to 10 years to secure federal permits, often requiring extensive documentation and costly reviews. The National Environmental Policy Act process alone adds approximately 2.8 years for an Environmental Impact Statement.
Colorado communities experience similar delays across highways, broadband, fiber and energy infrastructure projects, straining local budgets, postponing necessary improvements and affecting businesses that depend on reliable project timelines.
For Adams County and Colorado Springs, this means urgently needed improvements to I-270 and I-25 remain trapped in a sluggish system that cannot keep up with the needs of growing communities.
Permitting delays also affect the ability to deliver the energy infrastructure that Colorado needs. Electricity demand is rising rapidly due to data centers, advanced manufacturing and a growing population, and our communities will need new generation and transmission capacity to meet that demand and still keep power reliable and affordable.
Our regions sit at the center of major logistics hubs, industrial clusters and advanced manufacturing. Reliable energy resources are essential for attracting and retaining employers.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has emphasized that the nation’s permitting system is outdated and inconsistent. This uncertainty increases costs, slows progress and prevents communities like ours from receiving the economic benefits that modern infrastructure would provide.
More than 500 organizations from all 50 states have urged Congress to modernize the system. Meanwhile, Colorado is doing its part. The Colorado Department of Transportation has started environmental studies, community engagement and engineering work for I-270 and I-25. Federal permitting reform is the missing link that would convert planning into construction and construction into economic opportunity.
The ePermit Act, which has received bipartisan support, reflects the kind of modernized, common sense permitting approach that Colorado communities need to keep transportation and energy projects moving. It would improve coordination across federal agencies, streamline reviews, establish clear project timelines and create a more transparent, predictable permitting process.
Permitting reform is not deregulation. Reform means establishing predictable timelines, consistent standards, improved coordination among federal agencies and fewer interruptions for projects already in progress.
These improvements would accelerate the development of cleaner energy systems, safer and more efficient highways, and modernized bridges to keep our economy moving.
It’s time to let America and Colorado build again. Adams County and Colorado Springs are prepared to grow. Employers are expanding. Communities are diversifying. Opportunities are increasing.
Federal permitting reform is essential for economic competitiveness, energy reliability and the safety of the people who travel I-270 and I-25 every day.
Colorado cannot build the infrastructure of the future with the permitting system of the past. Colorado’s Congressional delegation must continue making permitting reform a priority.
Lisa Hough, of Erie, is the president and CEO of the Adams County Regional Economic Partnership.
Johnna Reeder Kleymeyer, of Colorado Springs, is the president and CEO of the Colorado Springs Chamber and EDC.
The Colorado Sun is a nonpartisan news organization, and the opinions of columnists and editorial writers do not reflect the opinions of the newsroom. Read our ethics policy for more on The Sun’s opinion policy. Learn how to submit a column. Reach the opinion editor at opinion@coloradosun.com.
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