Arvada Forming Public Highway Authority with Jefferson County and Broomfield

A complete beltway around the Denver metro area moved one step closer to reality when the Arvada City Council (at their May 5 meeting), the Board of County Commissioners (at their May 6 meeting) and the Broomfield City Council (at their May 12 meeting) all voted unanimously to form the Jefferson Parkway Public Highway Authority.

The Authority, comprised of the three governments, is being formed with the goal of constructing the last remaining missing piece of the metropolitan beltway, closing the gap between State Highway 128 in Broomfield and State Highway 93 at approximately W. 58th Avenue north of Golden.

Federal and State transportation funding has been greatly reduced in the last decade and is expected to remain so for the foreseeable future. Because of this, private financing through a toll road has been determined to be the only feasible means of completing this crucial missing link.

Public highway authorities are authorized by the State of Colorado for the purpose of financing, constructing, operating, and maintaining transportation improvements that cannot be undertaken by a single local government because of cost or location.  The governments contributed $100,000 each as initial startup funding that can be reimbursed by the public highway authority.

Each of the three governments will have a representative on the Authority board.