In a bold move, Colorado has made it harder to widen highways or build new ones — all to reduce pollution output.
The policy puts people and the planet before pavement, marking an important shift in transportation priorities, according to the New York TImes.
The rule, adopted in 2021, requires the Colorado Department of Transportation and regional planning organizations to prove how any highway expansion project would reduce pollution. Projects that fail to do so could lose their funding.
Within a year, the department nixed two major highway widening projects and redirected $100 million to greener alternatives like better public transit. Regional planners in Denver followed suit, reallocating a whopping $900 million from highways to eco-friendly mobility projects, including bike lanes and faster buses, the Times reported.
This transformative policy recognizes that transportation is the single largest source of planet-warming pollution in the U.S., according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, with the majority coming from cars and trucks. While electric vehicles are part of the solution, we can't drive our way out of the climate crisis with EVs alone.
By discouraging highway expansions that would put more polluting vehicles on the road, Colorado is taking a critical step to limit pollution and create more livable communities. Investing in reliable public transit and safe places to walk and bike gives people affordable, convenient options to drive less.
These changes will not only help combat pollution but also save Coloradans money on gas, reduce traffic congestion, and improve public health. It's a win-win-win approach that prioritizes residents' best interests.
"We're now hoping that there's some kind of domino effect," said Ben Holland of RMI, a sustainability nonprofit, per the Times. "We really regard the Colorado rule as the gold standard for how states should address transportation climate strategy."
With other states like Minnesota, Maryland, and New York enacting or considering similar measures, Colorado's innovative policy could be the spark that helps transform America's car-centric transportation system into one that better serves people and the planet.
In the race to tackle atmospheric pollution, it's time to put the brakes on highways.
Join our free newsletter for cool news and actionable info that makes it easy to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
