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Weld County approves CDOT IGA amendments, reimbursement deal with BNSF and $800,000 DOLA paving grant
Summary
The Weld County Board approved amendments to its intergovernmental agreement with CDOT to move the I‑76/Weld County Road 8 interchange into design, approved a county-BNSF reimbursement agreement and accepted an $800,000 state paving grant for related detour routes.
The Weld County Board of Commissioners on Jan. 22 approved amendments to intergovernmental agreements and reimbursement arrangements required to move the Interstate 76/Weld County Road 8 interchange from planning into design and to fund paving on related detour routes.
Elizabeth Raufert, finance department, told commissioners the county originally entered the interstate IGA on April 28, 2021, as the applicant in the Colorado Department of Transportation’s (CDOT) 1601 review process for the interchange. Raufert said the board is being asked to amend the IGA because design-phase reviews by multiple CDOT units will cost more than the original $15,000 review fee; the amended agreement totals $250,516, an increase Raufert described as “a $235,516 increase” with no net cost to the county because a developer, Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Railway Company, will reimburse the county.
Commissioner Kevin Ross praised Raufert’s work on the project, saying it involves multiple jurisdictions and will have a large local economic impact for towns including Hudson and Kersey.
The board also approved Contract ID 9036, a reimbursement agreement allowing the county to invoice BNSF for CDOT’s invoiced review costs. Raufert described the arrangement as: the county acts as applicant for CDOT’s 1601 process and then invoices the developer for CDOT time; she said the developer will pay only the amounts CDOT invoices the county.
Separately, the board accepted an intergovernmental grant agreement (Contract ID 9041) with the Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) for $800,000 from the Energy and Mineral Impact Assistance Fund (EIAF). Raufert said the funds will pay paving improvements on Weld County Road 76 between County Roads 29 and 31 and on County Road 72 between County Roads 33 and 35; she described that work as the detour route for a future roundabout project. The board subsequently approved Amendment Number 1 to that DOLA agreement (Contract ID 9004-2) to correct scope details; Raufert said the amendment involved a scope correction (road identifier) and a change from cement-treated base to fabric with no change to the grant budget.
All motions related to the CDOT IGA amendment (Contract ID 9037), the BNSF reimbursement agreement (Contract ID 9036), the DOLA EIAF acceptance (Contract ID 9041) and the DOLA amendment (Contract ID 9004-2) were approved on voice votes.
What happened next: Commissioners authorized the county to continue coordination with CDOT and the developer for the design-phase reviews and approved the county’s ability to invoice BNSF for CDOT costs. Raufert and the finance department will continue contract administration for the DOLA grant and its amendment.
Why it matters: The approvals move the I‑76/Weld County Road 8 interchange into detailed design and secure funding and reimbursement mechanisms for paving work that county staff said will function as detour routes while the interchange and roundabout projects advance.
