Zenzinger & Bridges Bill to Unlock Millions in Federal Infrastructure Funding Becomes Law

DENVER, CO – Governor Polis today signed into law legislation sponsored by Senators Rachel Zenzinger, D-Arvada, and Jeff Bridges, D-Greenwood Village, that will help Colorado access millions of dollars in federal infrastructure funding.

SB23-283 provides $89 million to put Colorado in the best position possible to take advantage of federal funding for critical infrastructure projects available through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).

“Colorado needs safe and reliable infrastructure to stay competitive, but our aging roads and bridges are due for an upgrade,” Zenzinger said. “This legislation will help Colorado unlock millions of dollars in federal funding to rebuild our state’s infrastructure, and help us maximize state capacity in order to put those dollars to work. I’m proud to see this important bill get signed into law.”

“From rebuilding our roads and bridges to addressing the climate crisis and improving access to broadband, the federal infrastructure dollars available to Colorado are game-changing, and we must take advantage to win competitive grants and get our fair share,” Bridges said. “This bill will help rebuild Colorado’s crumbling infrastructure, create jobs, and put our state and our economy on a path to success.”

SB23-283 builds off SB22-215 which established the IIJA Cash Fund, and allows money from the IIJA Cash Fund to be used for project planning support for opportunities from the IRA. The new law requires $84 million to be transferred from the General Fund to the IIJA Cash Fund on July 1, 2023 and $5 million to be transferred from the General Fund to the State Highway Fund to be used by CDOT for operational capacity to maximize federal infrastructure funding.