Colorado § 43-1-131 - Transportation planning study - report - rules.

§ 43-1-131. Transportation planning study - report - rules.

(1) On or before November 30, 2023, the department shall complete a study and study report of the boundaries of the transportation planning regions, as defined in section 43-1-1102 (8), the membership of the transportation advisory committee created in section 43-1-1104 (1)(a) and the special interim transit and rail advisory committee appointed pursuant to section 43-1-1104 (1)(b), and the consistency and transparency of the transportation planning process across the transportation planning regions. In conducting the study, the department shall provide opportunity for public comment throughout the state and consider input from stakeholders throughout the state. On or before November 30, 2023, the department shall submit the study report to the commission and to the transportation legislation review committee created in section 43-2-145 (1)(a) or, if the committee has held its last 2023 meeting before the study report is completed, to the house of representatives transportation, housing, and local government committee and the senate transportation and energy committee, or their successor committees. The study must include consideration of:

(a) The membership of the special interim transit and rail advisory committee and its representation on the transportation advisory committee;

(b) The transparency of the transportation planning process in each transportation planning region and the consistency of the transportation planning process across the transportation planning regions; and

(c) The boundaries of transportation planning regions considering factors related to:

(I) Highway and transit corridors and transit district boundaries;

(II) Disproportionately impacted communities, as defined in section 43-4-1202 (5);

(III) Vehicle miles traveled, truck vehicle miles traveled, transit vehicle revenue miles, and lane miles;

(IV) Population trends;

(V) Safety and management considerations;

(VI) Commuting, commercial traffic, freight movement, tourism impacts, and other travel patterns;

(VII) Transit-oriented development and access to affordable housing;

(VIII) Levels of air pollutants, as defined in section 25-7-103 (1.5), including criteria pollutants, as defined in section 43-1-128 (2)(b), and greenhouse gas pollutants, as defined in section 43-1-128 (2)(d); and

(IX) Communities of interest.

(2) The department shall not include any recommendation in the study report that, if adopted, would reduce the number of rural transportation planning regions, which shall be maintained at the maximum number specified in section 43-1-1102 (8).

(3) Following completion of the study, with consideration of the findings of the study, and before June 1, 2024, the commission shall initiate updates to its rules concerning the statewide transportation planning process and transportation planning regions, 2 CCR 601-22.

Source: L. 2023: Entire section added, (HB 23-1101), ch. 132, p. 507, § 3, effective April 28.

Cross references: For the legislative declaration in HB 23-1101, see section 1 of chapter 132, Session Laws of Colorado 2023.