Rocky Mountains fantasies

Key figures in the Colorado state administration have turned against the Colorado Intermountain Fixed Guideway Authority established by the state legislature in 1998 to find an “alternative” to widening I-70 through the Rocky Mountains, Denver to Vail. That state outfit has been touting a completely untried maglev/monorail system and claims it can build it for $3.9b.

State DOT director Tom Norton says their estimate is closer to $8b. And state governor Bill Owens recently called the project “an expensive Disneyland ride” and said it “wouldn’t take many people off the highway.”

Interestingly the ‘Disneyway’ authority touts one major advantage of its project as the ability to get some private sector finance. Of course the highway widening could do that too if tolls were imposed to pay for the works. Skiers, many from out-of-state who clog I-70 between Denver Int Airport and Vail Friday evenings and Sunday afternoons might gladly pay a toll for a quicker drive. The state seems likely to return to the road widening (including adding a new tube to the Eisenhower tunnel?) after the diversion of the maglev/monorail fantasy.