A Bill for an Act
Page 1, Line 101Concerning measures to increase transportation mode
Page 1, Line 102choice to reduce emissions.
Bill Summary
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does not reflect any amendments that may be subsequently adopted. If this bill passes third reading in the house of introduction, a bill summary that applies to the reengrossed version of this bill will be available at http://leg.colorado.gov/.)
Transportation Legislation Review Committee. The bill requires the department of transportation (department), no later than October 31, 2025, to present a statewide mode choice assessment to the transportation legislation review committee, the transportation commission, and the Colorado energy office, which assessment must include recommendations for targets for 2030, 2035, 2040, 2045, and 2050 for the department, metropolitan planning organizations, and transit providers that provide public transit to a population of 100,000 individuals or more (subject transit provider) for the share of total trips within a specified geographic area completed using certain transportation methods (mode choice targets).
No later than June 1, 2026, using certain criteria, the department must adopt rules establishing mode choice targets. The department must reassess the mode choice targets before each statewide plan development cycle.
No later than October 31, 2026, and every 3 years thereafter, the department, in coordination with the metropolitan planning organizations, must present a report to the transportation legislation review committee that provides certain information about the mode choice targets and the entities' plans to implement the mode choice targets (mode choice implementation plans).
No later than December 31, 2026, and every 5 years thereafter, the department, metropolitan planning organizations, subject transit providers, and local governments with a population of 25,000 individuals or more must each prepare a mode choice implementation plan, which must include certain information about the mode choice targets, a multimodal transportation gaps summary, and an analysis of certain projected greenhouse gas emissions.
The bill also allows:
- The nonattainment area air pollution mitigation enterprise to award grants for the development of mode choice implementation plans; and
- The multimodal transportation options fund to be used for the development of mode choice implementation plans.
Page 2, Line 1Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:
Page 2, Line 2SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, add 43-1-138 as follows:
Page 2, Line 343-1-138. Transit and active transportation project inventory
Page 2, Line 4- transportation planning - mode choice targets - report - definitions.
Page 2, Line 5(1) As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires:
Page 2, Line 6(a) "Metropolitan planning organization" means a
Page 2, Line 7metropolitan planning organization under the "Federal Transit Act", 49 U.S.C. sec. 5301 et seq.
Page 3, Line 1(b) "Mode choice target" means a goal established for the
Page 3, Line 2share of total trips within a specified geographic area completed
Page 3, Line 3using biking, carpooling, public transit, single-occupancy vehicles, or walking.
Page 3, Line 4(c) "State highway" means any highway owned,
Page 3, Line 5controlled, or maintained by the state, including federal-aid
Page 3, Line 6primary or secondary systems or the interstate system. "State
Page 3, Line 7highway" does not include a public highway operated by a public
Page 3, Line 8highway authority in accordance with the "Public Highway Authority Law", part 5 of article 4 of this title 43.
Page 3, Line 9(d) "Subject local government" means a home rule or
Page 3, Line 10statutory city, town, county, or city and county with a
Page 3, Line 11population of five thousand or more that is within the jurisdiction of a metropolitan planning organization.
Page 3, Line 12(2) (a) (I) On or before July 1, 2026, in coordination with
Page 3, Line 13local governments and transit agencies, the department shall
Page 3, Line 14create a transit and active transportation project inventory
Page 3, Line 15that identifies gaps in transit, bicycle, and pedestrian
Page 3, Line 16infrastructure and access on state highways and rights-of-way
Page 3, Line 17that are controlled and maintained by the department and for
Page 3, Line 18which there is a reasonable expectation of user demand for
Page 3, Line 19those transportation modes. The inventory must identify
Page 3, Line 20projects that would significantly increase transit, biking, and
Page 3, Line 21walking by improving connectivity and safety, and must include cost estimates of such projects where available.
Page 3, Line 22(II) On or before July 1, 2026, in coordination with local
Page 4, Line 1governments and transit agencies, a metropolitan planning
Page 4, Line 2organization shall create a transit and active transportation
Page 4, Line 3project inventory that identifies gaps in transit, bicycle, and
Page 4, Line 4pedestrian infrastructure and access within the network of
Page 4, Line 5regionally significant roadways and rights-of-way that are
Page 4, Line 6typically subject to planning and programming by the
Page 4, Line 7metropolitan planning organization and for which there is a
Page 4, Line 8reasonable expectation of user demand for those
Page 4, Line 9transportation modes. The inventory must identify projects that
Page 4, Line 10would significantly increase transit, biking, and walking by
Page 4, Line 11improving connectivity and safety, and must include cost estimates for such projects if available.
Page 4, Line 12(b) On or before October 31, 2026, the department and
Page 4, Line 13each metropolitan planning organizations shall report to the
Page 4, Line 14transportation legislation review committee created in section
Page 4, Line 1543-2-145 (1)(a) on the inventories created pursuant to subsection
Page 4, Line 16(2)(a) of this section, including an assessment of existing and
Page 4, Line 17potential funding sources for the projects listed in the inventories.
Page 4, Line 18(c) The department and metropolitan planning
Page 4, Line 19organizations shall use the inventories created pursuant to
Page 4, Line 20subsection (2)(a) of this section to inform the regional and
Page 4, Line 21statewide transportation plans required by section 43-1-1103,
Page 4, Line 22transportation improvement programs, and transit service plans.
Page 4, Line 23(d) The department and metropolitan planning
Page 4, Line 24organizations shall update the inventories created pursuant to
Page 5, Line 1subsection (2)(a) of this section as part of the planning processes
Page 5, Line 2for the regional and statewide transportation plans required by section 43-1-1103.
Page 5, Line 3(3) On or before July 1, 2026, the department shall
Page 5, Line 4develop clear definitions for roadway capacity investments and
Page 5, Line 5state-of-good-repair investments. The department and
Page 5, Line 6metropolitan planning organizations shall separately
Page 5, Line 7categorize these investment costs in their regional and statewide transportation plans and any published dashboards.
Page 5, Line 8(4) (a) On or before December 31, 2025, a subject local
Page 5, Line 9government shall submit all planned transit, bicycle, and
Page 5, Line 10pedestrian projects included in any transportation, capital, or other plan to its metropolitan planning organization.
Page 5, Line 11(b) A subject local government may also:
Page 5, Line 12(I) Adopt mode choice targets in collaboration with the
Page 5, Line 13department, its metropolitan planning organization, and transit agencies that operate within its boundaries;
Page 5, Line 14(II) Submit local transportation demand management strategies to its metropolitan organization; and
Page 5, Line 15(III) In coordination with the department, its
Page 5, Line 16metropolitan planning organization, and transit agencies,
Page 5, Line 17identify unfinished transit, bicycle, and pedestrian projects in
Page 5, Line 18transit areas, as defined in section 29-35-202 (8), and
Page 5, Line 19neighborhood centers, as defined in section 29-35-202 (5), and
Page 5, Line 20prioritize such projects based on each project's potential to
Page 5, Line 21increase transportation mode choice, protect vulnerable road
Page 5, Line 22users, reduce vehicle miles traveled and greenhouse gas
Page 6, Line 1emissions, and improve access to nondriving transportation
Page 6, Line 2options in disproportionately impacted communities, as defined in section 24-4-109 (2)(b)(II).
Page 6, Line 3(c) Nothing in this subsection (4) requires a local
Page 6, Line 4government to develop plans in addition to those that it is otherwise required to develop.
Page 6, Line 5SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 32-8-101.5, amend the introductory portion and (3) as follows:
Page 6, Line 632-8-101.5. Definitions. As used in this
articlePage 6, Line 7(3) "Department" means the department of
local affairssection 24-1-125, C.R.SPage 6, Line 8SECTION 3. Act subject to petition - effective date. This act
Page 6, Line 9takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the
Page 6, Line 10ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly; except
Page 6, Line 11that, if a referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V
Page 6, Line 12of the state constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this
Page 6, Line 13act within such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take
Page 6, Line 14effect unless approved by the people at the general election to be held in
Page 6, Line 15November 2026 and, in such case, will take effect on the date of the official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.