The U.S. Dept. of Transportation signed an agreement with the Colorado Dept. of Transportation for $10 million in American Recovery & Reinvestment Act funds to extend HOV and bus lanes on U.S. 36 between Denver and Boulder, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced last week.

“Grants like this will help make Denver more livable by solving congestion problems which have been years in the making,” said LaHood. “The projects chosen will create jobs, strengthen the economy and, ultimately, improve quality of life in communities they serve.” 

The grant is part of the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery, or TIGER, grant program included in ARRA to promote innovative, multi-modal and multi-jurisdictional transportation projects that provide significant economic and environmental benefits to an entire metropolitan area, region or the nation. 

“These funds will help begin the work needed to ease congestion in and around Denver,” said Federal Highway Administrator Victor Mendez, “and give drivers more time to do what they enjoy.”

U.S. 36, a 38-mile corridor known as the Denver-Boulder Turnpike, serves an estimated 100,000 vehicles each day and is one of the Denver metro area’s most congested routes. The project includes expanded bus service, a commuter bikeway and intelligent transportation systems for electronic tolling.