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Charge skiers for clogging I-70, lawmaker says

By Chris Barge, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published January 24, 2008 at 6:10 p.m.
Updated January 24, 2008 at 6:13 p.m.

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Skiers could be charged up to $12 for driving I-70 during the weekend rush hour, or sent $25 checks for staying off the congested highway if a lawmaker’s idea gets traction.

Sen. Chris Romer, D-Denver, said his pilot program would only need to reduce skier traffic by 10 to 15 percent to get the rush hour motorits moving at a decent clip.

And he says the public should not confuse his idea for “congestion based pricing” with a plan to impose a toll on what he calls the Colorado economy’s “carotid artery.”

“You’re just reallocating money from those who are time-sensitive to those who are price-sensitive, and that’s a perfect market-based solution,” Romer said.

Romer, a long-time skier and investment banker sick of sitting in rush-hour traffic on I-70, said he’d be happy to pay to drive his “time sensitive” family to the slopes during rush hour if his fees could pay for others to stay off the road.

Rep. Rob Witwer, R-Genessee, is interested in the concept of incentives to relieve ski traffic through his district, but he’s against financially penalizing people for driving on a road they already own.

“Anyone who’s been stuck in ski traffic on a Saturday morning understands there’s a problem, but we should avoid big government solutions or something that looks more like a fee,” Witwer said. “I like the idea of an incentive. It’s a question of how to make it work.”

Romer grants that he faces an uphill climb selling the idea of getting people to pay a fee for something that is currently free.

For that reason, Romer said the best course may be to start with positive incentives to avoid rush hour, and then move towards a charge later.

“The details need to be worked out because the public needs to have a positive experience with this pilot program,” he said. “They need to know what the economists know, which is that a very small change in incentive or pricing will change behavior.”

Eventually, skiers could be charged $5 to $12 per trip for driving up the mountain between 6:30 and 8:30 a.m., he said. The price would adjust with traffic levels.

Skiers who choose to go early or wait until after the rush could get a $25 check in the mail, or a coupon to spend that much at a slopeside restaurant while they wait out the afternoon rush.

One possibility is for the Colorado Department of Transportation to determine how many vechicles headed for the ski areas could be allowed on I-70 on a given day.

Romer envisions setting up a Web site as part of the pilot project that would allow skiers to bid the night before heading to the mountains for one of the rush hour slots. Other skiers could sign up to miss the rush, and then would get the rebate when they made good on their plans.

“What teenager or college student wouldn’t take $25 for gas money to move their departure time up 45 minutes,” Romer said. “Throw in a Chipotle burrito and you’ve probably got all of them.”

Romer hopes to get Colorado’s I-70 ski resorts to help manage the project. In one scenario, parking lot attendants would be armed with scanners that would register the times that cars arrived on weekends.

Using that information, it could be determined which skiers were on the highway during the rush hour.

If he can’t get the resorts to take the lead, Romer said the state could have CDOT enforce the program, perhaps with license plate readers installed somewhere just east of the turnoff for U.S. 40, towards Winter Park.

Phase two of the program in a year or two would take on the trucking industry’s role in slowing ski traffic. Romer is eyeing a scenario where trucking companies could eventually be charged $500 for driving during the I-70 rush hour, or paid $500 for going early or waiting it out.

Romer said his program would exempt local traffic from paying any fees.

Even though his program needs some vetting and fleshing out, Romer said now is the time to take some risks and be innovative about loosening the gridlock on I-70 ski traffic.

“The economy and the world around us is changing at an ever-faster pace. Government needs to be more nimble and willing to risk change,” he said.

Comments

  • January 24, 2008

    7:05 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    granny_gear writes:

    This is ridiculous. I seriously doubt any resort would go along with it. The idea of charging trucking companies 500 bucks is crazy. The economy is bad enough and he wasn't to penalize and complicate business even more? I agree traffic on I-70 needs to be addressed, but this is so freaking off the wall it's not even funny. This guy shouldn't be in office.

  • January 24, 2008

    7:05 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Dhakala writes:

    This idea has as much traction as moving Denver closer to the ski runs. Only an out-of-touch investment banker could think of it.

    Nobody wants to wait to ski. You drive all that way to maximize your time on the slopes.

    Nobody wants to arrive before 6:30 a.m. when it's too dark to ski.

    That leaves idiots like this one willing to pay to drive at the same time they drive right now.

  • January 24, 2008

    8:25 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    AC writes:

    This is the libertarian approach... the Ron Paul type approach. Congestion pricing is the wave of the future if the libertarians were to get into office.

  • January 24, 2008

    8:30 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Brain writes:

    Why use government anyone could go ahead and pay someone else to stay off the road already; just set-up a website to distribute the money from one person to the other. More of this kind of crap is coming our way!

  • January 24, 2008

    8:34 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    generalsn1234567 writes:

    I may be wrong, but wasn't there some provision when the Interstate system was built that were to be no tolls charged? Most tollways were built as tollways from the start.

  • January 24, 2008

    8:39 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Barney writes:

    Many government workers in the Denver metro area are skiers - why not start a program for State workers, Denver city and county workers etc... that allows for a flex schedule where skiers/employees work on Saturdays or Sundays and take a weekday off.

    This would spread out the traffic over the entire week so it is not all concentrated on Saturday and Sunday.

    If all the government agencies in the Denver metro area did this, it might make the needed 15%-20% reduction in traffic on the weekends.

    Incentives could be given to private employers for this type of program as well.

  • January 24, 2008

    9:36 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Oh_Wise_One writes:

    hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha............ Can they censure this moron like Dougie Bruce? I would make a Democrat(ic) joke about this fool but I realize he's just a fool and most Dems are not.

  • January 24, 2008

    10:01 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    wswbaker writes:

    Hey politicians - bite the bullet and develop a mountain train system that has stops at the major connection points along the way.

    You take the train, get off at a stop (say Frisco for instance), and take a shuttle bus (make it a hybrid to keep the eco-crowd happy) to the various resorts.

    Imagine this short sighted politicians - thinking into the future.

    I'd be much more willing to pay $25 to ride the train than to drive up.

    Absolute lunacy - penalize LOCAL TAXPAYERS AND CITIZENS for enjoying one of the treasured jewels of our state.

    These guys are total and complete idiots - if they (and CDOT) was doing their jobs properly and had thought ahead, this might already have been in place.

  • January 24, 2008

    10:25 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Jennifer writes:

    First make an HOV lane for the snow lovers. Good Luck!
    So, how about closing the Ike for 15 minutes per hour for individuals going to the slopes. Oh I bet THAT will float!

  • January 24, 2008

    11:20 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    coloisla writes:

    Having lived on Saddleback Mtn. at Floyd hill for 18 years and witnessing the congestion on the weekends. (My proprty extended down to I-70). The only answer is light rail to Frisco and shuttles to the ski area's. Wake UP! It is 20 years past due!!!!!

  • January 25, 2008

    1:25 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    JDT writes:

    Here we go again...The Colo state legislature is in session and here comes the no common sense ideas...

  • January 28, 2008

    8:48 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    shelby writes:

    Negative economy comments are running amog & now the Dems want to attack a strong ski season. We must look at the fact that Chris Romer received the idea for this crippling situation from his BROTHER who is in ACADEMICS in CALIFORNIA where socialism is peaking. Doesn't CALIFORNIA ACADEMIA scare you?????

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